Directors of the Union Pacific Railroad at the 100th Meridian, October 1866

John Carbutt, a prolific publisher and printer of stereo cards in Chicago, briefly preceded A. J. Russell as U.P.’s photographer, but Carbutt’s work was limited in scope. He was hired to document a promotional event celebrating U.P.’s progress: the October 1866 Union Pacific Excursion to the 100th Meridian. It was Carbutt’s job to create souvenir stereo cards for the railroad boosters, funders, politicians, and journalists invited on a special train.