Railroad owners used Credit Mobilier, a construction company they secretly controlled, to inflate the costs of railroad construction projects. By overcharging the railroad companies for building tracks and pocketing the excess funds, they effectively siphoned off large amounts of public and investment money. This scheme not only allowed them to make huge undeserved profits but also led to widespread corruption, undermining public trust in government and business practices. The scandal eventually implicated several high-profile politicians, revealing the extent of the collusion between railroad executives and government officials.
Illegal manipulations were made in the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
The main purpose of Credit Mobilier, established in the 1860s, was to finance and construct the Union Pacific Railroad during the westward expansion in the United States. It served as a construction company that facilitated the building of the railroad, while also allowing investors to profit from the venture. However, it became infamous for its corrupt practices, including bribing politicians and inflating costs to maximize profits, which ultimately led to a major political scandal.
acheiving monopoly in hauling freight along their railroad's tracks
The scandal which took place for eight (8) years beginning in 1864 and coming to light in 1872 involved the Union Pacific Railroad (UPR) and the Credit Mobilier of America (CMA) company. Stock and cash bribes were paid to congressmen in order to overlook that the same owners of the UPR and CMA were constructing the railroad falsely representing the "independent" nature of UPR selecting the construction company for the building of the first Transcontinental Railroad. In essence, CMA and UPR conspired to charge the government far more than the cost to build the railroad in order to keep the profits to themselves.
The Credit Mobilier scandal involved the Credit Mobilier Company and the Union Pacific Railroad. Both were chartered in 1864. In 1868, Congressman Oakes Ames distributed shares of Credit Mobilier stock, as well as made cash bribes to other congressmen. The Sun, a New York newspaper, broke the story of the scandal during the 1872 presidential campaign of Ulysses Grant.
Credit Mobilier
union pacific
Railroad owners utilized the Credit Mobilier scandal to inflate construction costs and siphon off profits. By creating a construction company, Credit Mobilier, they awarded contracts to themselves at exorbitant prices, often significantly higher than the actual costs. This manipulation allowed them to pocket massive profits while burdening investors and taxpayers with the inflated expenses, ultimately undermining trust in the railroad industry and government oversight. The scandal exemplified the rampant corruption and greed during the Gilded Age in the United States.
Illegal manipulations were made in the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
a fake company set up by a railroad to make more money.
Crédit Mobilier
A credit mobilier is a construction company set up by several stockholders of the Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad in 1864, vice president Shuyler Colfax, and congressman James Garfield involved in Credit Mobilier.
Construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad.
The main purpose of Credit Mobilier, established in the 1860s, was to finance and construct the Union Pacific Railroad during the westward expansion in the United States. It served as a construction company that facilitated the building of the railroad, while also allowing investors to profit from the venture. However, it became infamous for its corrupt practices, including bribing politicians and inflating costs to maximize profits, which ultimately led to a major political scandal.
Known as the Credit Mobilier Scandal, this involved the Union Pacific railroad.
Known as the Credit Mobilier Scandal, this involved the Union Pacific railroad.