Lincoln's interest in Nevada and the wealth of that territory and others in the West are well known. He did send resources to build the infastructures in these areas to help pull out the rare metals and minerals needed to fund the war. Not only gold and silver but SALT was a big find in Nevada. Now one would have to ask why was Lincoln promoting increasing the populations of these areas at a time when he was so short handed in the east in filling out his vast armies and his war machine with men? These peoples going west were exactly the type of people Lincoln needed to win the war, strong, healthy, and smart; but the flow of people heading west was not deterred during the war, at least I've never heard of it. The populations were increasing in California, Oregon, Washington and alike during this period, but the drafts in the east continued.

David