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Single sheet, 66 x 94 cm., folded to 22 x 11.5 cm. Old cello tape along a couple of folds, a few small holes along fold lines, toning to title panels, else a nice example The recto consists of 2 title panels; 10 panels of information and ads, including four photos by Alfred Hart, lithographed by Chas. Shober, showing dramatic western scenes (Yosemite Falls; Devil's Gate, etc.); and two additional maps: "Map of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad & Connections," [NY: Engraved by Fisk, Russell & Ames, 63 Duane St.], across 6 panels; and "The Great Trans-Continental Burlington Route, and the B. & M.R.R.R., Lands For Sale on 10 Years Credit," [Chicago: Lith. by Chas. Shober], across most of 6 more panels. Three maps, each consisting of two long strips, occupy the verso. Lithographed by Chas. Shober, 108 & 110 Randolph St., Chicago, and published by Alfred A. Hart [Chicago: 1870], they show the line of road distances, elevations, stage connections, rail road connections and general topography of the routes across the country: "The Travelers Own Map of the Chicago Burlington MIssouri River Line from Pacific Chicago to Omaha Salt Lake" [a slight printing error in this title evidently corrected in the copies on OCLC, dropping "Pacific" and "Salt Lake" from the final line]; "The Travelers Map Union Pacific Rail Road from the Missouri River to the Great Salt Lake;" and "The Travelers Own Map of the Central Pacific Rail Road of California from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Salt Lake." Not in Checklist of Chicago Ante-Fire Imprints. OCLC lists two copies: SMU; Nebraska State Hist. This copy, evidently an earlier edition, differs from the OCLC description given, having an additional map ["The Great Trans-Continental." showing routes across six of the seven continents, via steamship and rail], but no August 1870 time table. The last spike was driven on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah connecting the eastern and western rail road lines. This promotional for the new trans-continental route encourages riders to try for themselves the modern conveniences of cross country travel: "The United States no longer need speak of East or West; they are one." It was now possible to travel from San Francisco to New York in six days, and the passenger could be assured all risk and danger was gone along the whole route. The text of the brochure includes an English Traveler's account of the Pullman Dining Car; "Practical Notes on the Pacific Railroad [and] the Great Overland Route," mentioning a group of 300 school teachers, "a large part of these ladies," who left San Francisco for points east just recently, most going all the way to New York, Boston and other major cities, on special three-month tickets; and a group of 120 prominent Bostonians, on a tour of inspection to the west coast, who were able to make the trip without changing trains, all the way to San Francisco. Two other panels carry "A Traveler's Description of the Burlington Route," which mentions meeting the "Boston Excursionists, returning by this line, which was also traveled by the California Teachers' train." This inspection tour is mentioned in the June 1, 1870 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle as a "Great Excursion" of Yankee Pilgrims. These Boston bankers had departed their city a mere 8 days before, going from the crooked streets of their city to the heart of the western metropolis of San Francisco: "Our guests are welcome - men representing fifty million dollars would be welcome anywhere; but they are men who have been successful. whose report of the resources and advantages of our Golden Gate will carry more weight than a score of tourists' books.".
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