Existing comment:
"Without them, it would be impossible."
-- Mark Hopkins, Central Pacific Treasurer (1865)
The Chinese of the Central Pacific Railroad
In the 1850s, Chinese men left floods, famine, and civil war in Southeast China for the gold mines of California. Due to labor shortages, Chinese were hired in the 1860s by the Central Pacific to build the Transcontinental Railroad.
Eventually the Central Pacific Railroad employed 12,000 Chinese -- 90% of the work force.
After the joining of the rails at Promontory Summit, the ceremonial tie and spikes were removed. The Chinese put in the replacement pine tie and iron spikes. |