Second Pacific Railroad Act Signed

On July 2, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the second Pacific Railroad Act, doubling land grants to 20 sections per mile and authorizing additional bonds for the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads. This came amid Civil War pressures to connect the coasts for military and economic unity. Key figures included Leland Stanford and Thomas Durant. The act overcame financing challenges for the Sierra Nevada tunnels and Great Plains grading. It accelerated construction using Chinese and Irish labor, leading to the 1869 golden spike. Lasting impact includes shaping western settlement patterns and modern rail corridors still used by Union Pacific today.