Just a note about the character Dean Jagger portrayed in the film. There was a Edward Creighton and he did surveyed the route used for the first Transcontinental Telegraph line between Omaha and California. The project was funded by Western Union. Also, the line was completed in 1861 as indicated in the film. Of course, there was some creative license taken in the film, but Edward Creighton was a real person that was instrumental in the advancing the settling of the western part of the United States. He made a lot of money along with his brother as they were involved with the Union Pacific railroad too. Also, Creighton University was established in memory of him by his wife and brother, who contributed the early finances for the university.
