While visiting the Continent of Europe in 1867 and deeply interested in what I saw, it must not be thought that my mind was not upon affairs at home.  Frequent letters kept me advised of business matters.  The question of railway communication with the Pacific had been brought to the front by the Civil War, and Congress had passed an act to encourage the construction of a line.  The first sod had just been cut at Omaha and it was intended that the line should ultimately be pushed through to San Francisco.  One day while in Rome it struck me that this might be done much sooner than was then anticipated.  The nation, having made up its mind that its territory must be bound together, might be trusted to see that no time was lost in accomplishing it.  I wrote my friend Mr. Scott, suggesting that we should obtain the contract to place sleeping-cars upon the great California line.  His reply contained these words: 

“Well, young man, you do take time by the forelock.”

Nevertheless, upon my return to America.  I pursued the idea.  The sleeping-car business, in which I was interested, had gone on increasing so rapidly that it was impossible to obtain cars enough to supply the demand.  This very fact led to the forming of the present Pullman Company.  The Central Transportation Company was simply unable to cover the territory with sufficient rapidity, and Mr. Pullman beginning at the greatest of all railway centers in the world—­Chicago—­soon rivaled the parent concern.  He had also seen that the Pacific Railroad would be the great sleeping-car line of the world, and I found him working for what I had started after.  He was, indeed, a lion in the path.  Again, one may learn, from an incident which I had from Mr. Pullman himself, by what trifles important matters are sometimes determined.

The president of the Union Pacific Railway was passing through Chicago.  Mr. Pullman called upon him and was shown into his room.  Lying upon the table was a telegram addressed to Mr. Scott, saying, “Your proposition for sleeping-cars is accepted.”  Mr. Pullman read this involuntarily and before he had time to refrain.  He could not help seeing it where it lay.  When President Durrant entered the room he explained this to him and said: 

“I trust you will not decide this matter until I have made a proposition to you.”

Mr. Durrant promised to wait.  A meeting of the board of directors of the Union Pacific Company was held soon after this in New York.  Mr. Pullman and myself were in attendance, both striving to obtain the prize which neither he nor I undervalued.  One evening we began to mount the broad staircase in the St. Nicholas Hotel at the same time.  We had met before, but were not well acquainted.  I said, however, as we walked up the stairs: 

“Good-evening, Mr. Pullman!  Here we are together, and are we not making a nice couple of fools of ourselves?” He was not disposed to admit anything and said: