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Oakes Ames (January 10, 1804 – May 8, 1873) was an American manufacturer, capitalist, and member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. As a congressman, he is credited by many historians as being the single most important influence in the building of the Union Pacific portion of the transcontinental railroad. He is also noted for the subsequent scandal that alleged the improper sale of stock of the railroad's construction company. ==Biography== Ames was born in Easton, Massachusetts, the son of Oliver Ames, a blacksmith who had built a business of making shovels, the Ames Shovel Shop, and became nicknamed "King of Spades".〔Modern Marvels television program; episode "Construction Machines." Originally aired February 22, 2001.〕 In his youth, he obtained a public school education and later worked in the family workshops to learn each step of the manufacturing process. He eventually became a partner in the business, and with his brother Oliver Ames, Jr. he established the firm Oliver Ames & Sons. Driven by the settlement of the Midwest, by the discovery of gold in California and Australia, as well as by railroad construction, the shovel manufacturing business boomed. During the Civil War, the firm prospered with contracts for swords, shovels, and other tools and implements. Ames made a large fortune. He was influential in the establishment of the Republican Party in Massachusetts. In 1860, he became a member of the executive council of Massachusetts, and from 1863 to 1873 he served as a U.S. Congressman from the Second District of Massachusetts. In Congress, he became a member of the Committee on Railroads during the early building of the transcontinental railroad. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln appealed to him to take control of the Union Pacific (UP) portion of the project, which had become mired down because of the war, and had built only of track. Through his influence he obtained contracts for his family firm in the construction of the Union Pacific and staked nearly all the family's holdings as capitalization for the project. The contracts were later transferred to the Credit Mobilier Company of America after Ames ousted its founder Thomas Durant. His brother Oliver was appointed president of the UP in 1866. The railroad was completed in 1869. In 1872, it was disclosed Ames sold shares in Credit Mobilier to fellow congressmen at a price greatly below the market value of the stock. The subsequent public scandal led to a House investigation, which formally recommended expulsion. On February 28, 1873, the House passed a resolution formally censuring Ames "in seeking to secure congressional attention to the affairs of a corporation in which he was interested, and whose interest directly depended upon the legislation of Congress, by inducing members of Congress to invest in the stocks of said corporation."〔United States Congress, Washington, D.C. ("Ames, Oakes, (1804 - 1873)." ) ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.'' Accessed 2011-12-26.〕 Detractors referred to him as "Hoax Ames."〔Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, Northampton, MA. ("Ames brothers celebrate 'Golden Spike.' ) ''Mass Moments.'' Accessed 2011-12-26.〕 Ames died soon afterward at North Easton, Massachusetts. On May 10, 1883, the 14th anniversary of the completion of the railroad, the state legislature of Massachusetts passed a resolution exonerating Ames.〔 His son Oliver Ames was active in Massachusetts politics and served as Governor from 1887 to 1890.〔Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, MA. ("Oliver Ames (1831-1895)." ) Accessed 2011-12-26.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Oakes Ames」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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