Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/95

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JAMES BOYCE MONTGOMERY

Of Portland, Oregon, was born at Montgomerv's Ferry, on the Susque- hanna, twenty-five miles above Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, on the 6th of December, 1832. His educational training was conducted under the supervision of his uncle, Henry C. Moorhead, a lawyer of emi- nence and learning, until James was sixteen years of age. He was then sent to Philadelphia to learn the " art preservative of all arts," and remained in the office of the "Evening Bulletin" three years on the case and as proof reader. In the year 1853 he was tendered the position of associate editor of the Sandusky (Ohio) "Daily Eegister" by Gov. Henry D. Cooke. Young Montgomery was then but twenty years of age, and he discharged his duties in such a manner that in the following year he was afforded a much better opportunity for the display of his ability as a journalist, he then becoming one of the editors and proprietors of the Pittsburgh " Morning Post." He retained his connection with this paper for three years, and in 1857 disposed of his interest to Gen. -James P. Barr, who is still the sole proprietor. Just about this time Col. John W. Forney started the Philadelphia " Press," and he secured the services of Mr. Montgomery as the Harrisburg correspond- ent of that paper, a position which he accepted for one year. In 1858 Mr. Montgomery threw aside his pen and sought a new and widely diirerent field for his energies. It was about this time that railroad construction became a profession with many men whose strength of Avill, self-confidence and equanimity of purpose enabled them to overcome what appeared to others to be insurmountable obstacles. Mr. Montgomery, having deter- mined to try this line of business, with that cool deliberation characteristic of the man of iron will, went straight ahead, and in the same year secured, together with two other gentlemen, a contract to build a bridge across the Susquehannah river at Linden, Penn., for the Philadelphia and Erie Rail- road Company. The contract was completed most successfully, and he afterwards helped to finish other portions of the same road, becoming one of its directors in 1866 and remaining as such until the latter portion of 1869. Mr. Montgomery was awarded the contract to build the Bedford and Hopewell railroad in 1859, and in 1861, in connection with Captain Wm. Lowther, of Newport, Pennsylvania, he undertook to build the Nesque- houing Valley railroad, but the breaking out of the great rebellion neces- sitated a suspension of work for the time, and he afterwards helped to com- plete the road in 1868-9. In 1866 he built the wire bridge, 1,000 feet long, across the Susquehanna river, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Mr. Mont- gomery came to the Pacific coast in 1870 and to Portland in 1871. Im- mediately on his arrival he offered to build the first twenty-five miles