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      TO MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN A. DIX,

      President of the Union Pacific Railroad Company;
American Minister to the Court of France, etc.

      GENERAL: The following narrative of personal incidents, connected with a professional visit to the Rocky Mountains, and Laramie Plains, during the months of September, October and November of the past year, in company with Hon. Jesse L. Williams, Government Director, and Gen. G. M. Dodge, Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad, was originally written for, and all but the last three numbers, published in the "New York Times."

      Your appointment by the President of the United States, as Foreign Minister, made it necessary for you to leave the country before the numbers were all published; and also prevented you, much to the disappointment of yourself as well as of your associates in the management of the road, from participating in the great celebration of the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad to the one hundredth meridian of longitude, which is imperfectly described in the last numbers.

      I have, therefore, taken the liberty of collecting, revising, and dedicating them to you, in their present

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      form, hoping that their perusal may afford you some pleasure in your moments of relaxation from the cares and responsibilities connected with your high official position.

      I have the honor to be, General,

      Your obedient servant,
SILAS SEYMOUR.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 1867.