▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Fort ▁Lar am ie ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁closed ▁much ▁of ▁n ort he astern ▁Wy oming ▁to ▁expl oration ▁and ▁sett lers . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Union ▁Pacific ▁was ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁line ▁north ▁from ▁Che y enne . ▁ ▁The ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Si oux ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁Si oux ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 6 - 7 7 ▁re - open ed ▁the ▁region ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁quickly ▁populated ▁by ▁ran ch ers ▁and ▁sett lers . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁business men ▁and ▁polit icians ▁in ▁Wy oming ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁Union ▁Pacific ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁line ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁growing ▁region . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁the ▁Wy oming ▁Central ▁Railway , ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁F rem ont , ▁El kh orn ▁and ▁Missouri ▁Valley ▁Rail road ▁entered ▁eastern ▁Wy oming . ▁ ▁Territ orial ▁Governor ▁Francis ▁E . ▁Warren ▁estimated ▁that ▁Wy oming ▁Central ▁sh ipped ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁worth ▁of ▁cattle ▁east ▁through ▁Neb r aska ▁instead ▁of ▁Che y enne . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁fear s ▁that ▁the ▁ling ering ▁dis like ▁for ▁Union ▁Pacific ▁would ▁prevent ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁a ▁bond , ▁cattle man ▁Thomas ▁St urg is ▁suggested ▁to ▁Union ▁Pacific ▁that ▁a ▁local ▁company ▁be ▁created ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁line ▁which ▁could ▁then ▁be ▁absor bed