The Job No One Wanted

    The year was 1868. On a cliffside in California, Chinese workers dangled from ropes. They were nearly half a mile above the ground. 

    They drilled holes in the rock. They put gunpowder in. They lit fuses. 

    The workers were pulled out of the way. And then . . . 

    BOOM!

    An explosion shook the mountain. Huge pieces of rock crashed to the bottom.

    These men were working to build the country’s first transcontinental railroad. If they succeeded, their work would change the way millions of Americans lived. A single railroad line would run from New York City to San Francisco (see map below). A trip that took up to six months would be cut to a week.

    There was just one problem.

    Many Americans thought the job couldn’t be done.

    The year was 1868. On a cliffside in California, several Chinese workers dangled from ropes, nearly half a mile above the ground. The workers drilled holes in the solid rock, stuffed gunpowder into the holes, and lit fuses. 

    Then, just after they were pulled out of the way . . . 

    BOOM!

    An explosion shook the mountain, sending massive pieces of rock crashing to the bottom.

    These workers were risking their lives to build the country’s first transcontinental railroad. If they succeeded, their accomplishment would change the way approximately 40 million Americans lived. A single railroad line would run from New York City to San Francisco (see map below). A difficult journey that typically took up to six months would be reduced to a week.

    There was just one problem.

    Many Americans thought the job couldn’t be done.

    Getting across the country in the 1860s was slow and dangerous. People mostly made the trip in wagons pulled by horses, mules, or oxen. Trains offered a quicker, safer way to travel. But nearly all the railways were in the eastern U.S.

    In 1862, the U.S. government hired two companies to connect the eastern and western parts of the country by railroad. One thing stood in the way, though. On the western end, the line had to go through the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

    The Sierra Nevada is a mass of solid rock. It’s 14,000 feet high and 70 miles wide. Workers had to chip, hack, and blast through it by hand. The railroad company couldn’t keep men on the job. 

    They needed workers who were willing to risk their lives. Where would they find them?

    In the 1860s, getting across the country was slow and dangerous. People used wagons pulled by horses, mules, or oxen. Trains were faster and safer. But nearly all the railways were in the eastern U.S.

    In 1862, the U.S. government hired two companies to connect the eastern and western parts of the country by railroad. One thing stood in the way, though. On the western end, the line had to go through the Sierra Nevada mountains.

    The Sierra Nevada is a mass of solid rock. It’s 14,000 feet high and 70 miles wide. Workers had to chip, hack, and blast through it by hand. It was risky work. Workers kept quitting.

    The railroad company needed workers who were willing to risk their lives. Where would they find them?

    Getting across the country in the 1860s was time-consuming and dangerous. People typically made the trip in wagons pulled by horses, mules, or oxen. Trains offered a quicker, safer way to travel—but nearly all the railways were in the eastern U.S.

    In 1862, the U.S. government hired two companies to connect the eastern and western parts of the country by railroad. One thing stood in the way, though. On the western end, the line had to go through the Sierra Nevada mountains.

    The Sierra Nevada is a mass of solid rock, 14,000 feet high and 70 miles wide. Workers had to chip, hack, and blast through it by hand. The railroad company couldn’t keep men on the job.

    They needed workers who were willing to risk their lives—but where would they find them?

    The workers they found were Chinese immigrants. They had come to California for the same reason as many Americans. Gold had been discovered there in 1848. They hoped to get rich mining for it. 

    Making a new life in America wasn’t easy. Many of the new immigrants spoke no English. When they tried to dig for gold, they were often robbed or beaten. So they opened laundries, worked as servants, or took other difficult, low-paying jobs. 

    Early in 1865, word went out: The railroad was hiring Chinese workers. It was backbreaking work that paid just $1 a day. But a lot of young Chinese men needed jobs. In a few months, thousands had signed up.

    The workers they found were Chinese immigrants. They had come to California for the same reason as many Americans. Gold had been found there in 1848. They hoped to get rich mining for it.

    Making a new life in the U.S. was hard. Many of the new immigrants spoke no English. When they tried to dig for gold, they were often robbed or beaten. Instead, some opened laundries. Some worked as servants. Some took other low-paying jobs.

    In 1865, word went out: The railroad was hiring Chinese workers. The work paid just $1 a day. But many young Chinese men needed jobs. Thousands signed up.

    The workers they found were Chinese immigrants. They had come to California for the same reason as many Americans. Gold had been discovered there in 1848, and they hoped to get rich mining for it.

    Making a new life in America wasn’t easy. Many of the new immigrants spoke no English. When they tried to dig for gold, they were often robbed or beaten. So they opened laundries, worked as servants, or took other difficult, low-paying jobs.

    Early in 1865, word went out that the railroad was hiring Chinese workers. It was backbreaking work that paid only $1 a day, but a lot of young Chinese men needed jobs.

    Within a few months, thousands had signed up.

    At first, James Strobridge was not happy. He was head of construction for the Central Pacific Railroad (CP). He thought Chinese men were too small for the job. 

    The Chinese workers had plenty of reasons to quit. They lived on the tracks for months at a time. At night they slept five or six to a tent. 

    Each month they collected around $31. White workers made at least 30 percent more and slept inside train cars.

    Each day’s work was harder than the last. The men cut down trees the height of 20-story buildings. They blasted the stumps out of the ground. Chunks of rock shot through the air like bullets. Then it all had to be carried away by hand. 

    By the end of 1865, Strobridge had changed his mind about his new workers. They were getting the job done. Before long, Chinese men made up 90 percent of the CP’s workforce.

    At first, James Strobridge was not happy. He was head of construction for the Central Pacific Railroad (CP). He thought Chinese men were too small for the job.

    The Chinese workers didn’t have it easy. They lived on the tracks for months at a time. They slept five or six to a tent. They were paid around $31 a month. White workers made at least 30 percent more and slept in train cars.

    The work was hard. The men cut down huge trees. They blasted the stumps out of the ground. Chunks of rock shot through the air. Then it all had to be carried away by hand.

    By the end of 1865, Strobridge had changed his mind. His new workers were getting the job done. Before long, Chinese men made up 90 percent of the CP’s workforce.

    James Strobridge, the head of construction for the Central Pacific Railroad (CP), was unhappy at first. He thought Chinese men were too small for the job.

    The Chinese workers had plenty of reasons to quit. They lived on the tracks for months at a time, sleeping five or six to a tent. Each month they collected around $31. White workers made at least 30 percent more and slept inside train cars.

    Each day’s work was harder than the last. The men cut down trees the height of 20-story buildings. When they blasted the stumps out of the ground, chunks of rock shot through the air like bullets. All of the resulting debris had to be carried away by hand.

    By the end of 1865, Strobridge had changed his mind about his new workers. They were getting the job done. Before long, Chinese men made up 90 percent of the CP’s workforce.

    That winter, the real work started. In the Sierra Nevada, 15 tunnels had to be built. The workers carved holes in the rock by hand. They filled the holes with gunpowder. The blasts tore chunks out of the mountain. By the end of the day, they might clear 2 feet.

    The work was risky. Explosions left mangled bodies behind. Winter was a hazard. Snowslides swept workers off the mountain. They buried whole camps.

    In the spring of 1868, the melting snow revealed the bodies of several Chinese workers. They were still standing—with tools in their frozen hands.

    That winter, the real work started. In the Sierra Nevada, 15 tunnels had to be built through solid rock. The Chinese workers carved out holes by hand, then filled them with gunpowder. The blasts tore chunks out of the mountain. By the end of the day, they were lucky if they had cleared 2 feet.

    They were also lucky if they were still alive. Explosions sometimes left mangled bodies behind. But winter weather was the most serious hazard, causing snowslides that swept workers off the mountain or buried entire camps.

    In the spring of 1868, the melting snow revealed the bodies of several Chinese workers—still standing, with tools clutched in their frozen hands.

    The tunnel builders finally broke through to the eastern side of the mountains. In May 1869, the western line joined the eastern line in Utah. The transcontinental railroad was complete. A ceremony was held on the tracks. Not a single Chinese worker was invited to take part in it.

    In some ways, the tracks the Chinese workers built brought the nation together. People traveled more than ever before. Businesses boomed because they could ship goods across the country. 

    But for Native Americans, the railway was a disaster. The tracks ran through land they had lived on for centuries. Trains brought settlers and hunters west. By 1890, most members of the tribes of the western U.S. had been pushed onto reservations.

    The tunnel builders finally broke through to the eastern side of the mountains. In May 1869, the western line joined the eastern line in Utah. The transcontinental railroad was complete. A ceremony was held on the tracks. No Chinese workers were invited.

    In some ways, the railway was good. People traveled more. Businesses grew because they could ship goods across the country.

    But for Native Americans, it did harm. It ran through land they had lived on for centuries. It brought settlers west. By 1890, most members of the tribes of the western U.S. had been pushed onto reservations.

    The tunnel builders finally broke through to the eastern side of the mountains. In May 1869, the western line joined the eastern line in Utah. The transcontinental railroad was complete. A ceremony was held on the tracks—and not a single Chinese worker was invited to participate.

    In some ways, the tracks the Chinese workers built brought the nation together. People traveled more than ever before, and businesses boomed because they were able to ship goods across the country.

    But for Native Americans, the railway was a disaster. The tracks ran through land they had lived on for centuries. Trains brought settlers and hunters west. By 1890, most members of the tribes of the western U.S. had been pushed onto reservations.

    As many as 1,200 Chinese workers may have died building the railway. But we don’t know the real number. No one from the CP cared enough to count.

    Over the years, the work brought thousands of Chinese people to California. They used the train lines to spread out across the U.S. But America still wasn’t ready to welcome them. White workers worried they would lose their jobs to Chinese people. From 1882 to 1943, the U.S. banned new immigrants from China. 

    Today, we don’t know much about the Chinese workers who built the railroad. They left behind no diaries or letters. But many of them got married and had families. Now their relatives are trying to keep their memories alive. 

    In 2019, hundreds of Chinese Americans gathered in Utah for the 150th anniversary of the railroad. Russell Low was one of them. Low’s great-grandfather Hung Lai Woh came over from China in the 1860s. He worked on the railroad with his brother, who lost an eye in an explosion. “These are American stories,” said Low. “They’re stories that belong to all of us.” 

    As many as 1,200 Chinese workers may have died building the railway. We don’t know the real number. No one from the CP cared enough to count.

    The work brought thousands of Chinese people to California. They used the train lines to spread out across the U.S. But America wasn’t ready to welcome them. White workers worried they would lose their jobs to Chinese people. From 1882 to 1943, the U.S. banned new immigrants from China.

    Today, we don’t know much about the Chinese workers who built the railroad. They left behind no diaries or letters. But many of them got married and had children. Their relatives want to keep their memories alive.

    In 2019, hundreds of Chinese Americans gathered in Utah for the 150th anniversary of the railroad. Russell Low was one of them. His great-grandfather Hung Lai Woh came over from China in the 1860s. He worked on the railroad with his brother, who lost an eye in an explosion. “These are American stories,” said Low. “They’re stories that belong to all of us.” 

    As many as 1,200 Chinese workers may have died building the railway, but we don’t know the real number. No one from the CP cared enough to count.

    Over the years, the work brought thousands of Chinese people to California. They used the train lines to spread out across the U.S., but America still wasn’t ready to welcome them. White workers worried they would lose their jobs to Chinese people. From 1882 to 1943, the U.S. banned new immigrants from China.

    Today, we know very little about the Chinese workers who built the railroad. They left behind no diaries or letters. But many of them got married and had families, and now their relatives are trying to keep their memories alive.

    In 2019, hundreds of Chinese Americans gathered in Utah for the 150th anniversary of the railroad. Russell Low was among them. Low’s great-grandfather Hung Lai Woh came over from China in the 1860s. He worked on the railroad with his brother, who lost an eye in an explosion. “These are American stories,” said Low. “They’re stories that belong to all of us.”