The last spike was driven for the Canadian Pacific Railway on 11/7/1885.
Noting this helps in our inquiries into the mysterious origins of the great folk epic, "Eskimo Nell."
Thus, it seems reasonable to suppose that the tale was first told after 1885,
whether by Robert Service (1874-1958) or whether not.

          Have you seen the massive pistons
            on the giant CPR
          With the driving force of a thousand horse?
            Well, you know what pistons are,
  
                  (See Joe F's impressive compilation in the DigTrad)

ALSO;
WXYC, Chapel Hill, Nortth Carolina offered the first continuous live Internet radio simulcast 11/7/1994. (Coincidentally, as I type this I happen to be listening to "Hell or High Water" on that station - Sundays at 1:00 Eastern Time.)

I might as well note that while there's a good, live Folk-Jam there now, there is also another sort of jam in the area – the Roller Jam. Yep, reborn (again) but females only. Tonight (Sunday) happens to be the opening bout of the season and I mention with only modesty that the daughter is one of the stars of the league. I can't be in Raleigh to see it but I've sternly admonished her to always be polite and be careful not to break and of her friends. Not too badly, anyway.

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Clicky