The Chinese who Built the Railroad
The immigrants had their first experience working on a railroad in 1859 when they helped build the San Francisco and Marysville Railroad. Then in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, Charles Crocker suggested to James Strobridge, the construction supervisor of the Central Pacific, that he should hire some Chinese workers. At first Strobridge didn't believe that they were fit for the job, but he eventually hired fifty Chinese laborers and then even more.
The hard working Chinese were cheap labor for the Central Pacific and they also had some great contributions. For example, the work crews hit an obstacle in a huge granite cliff about 55 miles east of Sacramento which gave them no room to lay down tracks. Therefore, the Chinese came up with an idea. Blasting crews would be lowered down the side of the cliff inside large baskets. Than the workers would drill holes and insert the black powder. A signal would be given afterwards to hoist the basket back up in time to get out of harm's way. During the building the railroad over 1,200 Chinese workers sacrificed their lives doing the most dangerous parts of the job. Yet after the completion of the railroad very few people praised their hard work and dedication, and almost no credit was given to them at all.
In World War II the Chinese had a chance to show their loyalty and support to the United States and influence the changing of the
exclusion acts. Eastern China was being controlled by Japan and when they also bombed Pearl Harbor it made Japan a common enemy to both China and the US. Finally in 1943 the acts were repealed at the public and at President Franklin Roosevelt's request.
The Chinese would finally have immigration rights and be able to be part of the American culture. Many deeds that have been done by the Chinese have been forgotten or not credited, but hopefully we will at least remember the large impact they had made in the growth of this great country.
Who Really Drove in the "Last Spike"?
In the early 1840s many Chinese farmers and laborers immigrated to United States to escape war and drought and find better jobs. Some stayed farmers and others became fisherman, gold miners, launderers, chefs, or merchants. By 1852 there were over 20,000 Chinese in the country creating various small communities also known as Chinatowns. But many white men disliked the work of the Chinese and their presence in this country. The Chinese people were constantly being robbed, attacked, and killed. They were also forced to pay taxes on things that they were not allowed to use.
The immigrants had their first experience working on a railroad in 1859 when they helped build the San Francisco and Marysville Railroad. Then in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, Charles Crocker suggested to James Strobridge, the construction supervisor of the Central Pacific, that he should hire some Chinese workers. At first Strobridge didn't believe that they were fit for the job, but he eventually hired fifty Chinese laborers and then even more.The hard working Chinese were cheap labor for the Central Pacific and they also had some great contributions. For example, the work crews hit an obstacle in a huge granite cliff about 55 miles east of Sacramento which gave them no room to lay down tracks. Therefore, the Chinese came up with an idea. Blasting crews would be lowered down the side of the cliff inside large baskets. Than the workers would drill holes and insert the black powder. A signal would be given afterwards to hoist the basket back up in time to get out of harm's way. During the building the railroad over 1,200 Chinese workers sacrificed their lives doing the most dangerous parts of the job. Yet after the completion of the railroad very few people praised their hard work and dedication, and almost no credit was given to them at all.
To make things worse, the Chinese's lives became even harder. In 1871, San Francisco passed the Cubic Air Ordinance, requiring every adult to have a minimum of five hundred cubic feet of living space. Many Chinese were arrested because at that time most of them shared a room with as many as ten other people. In addition, the Queue Ordinance required all prisoners have their hair cut to no more than an inch in length, resulting in the cutting of many of the Chinese's queues, which is a long braided ponytail that all Chinese men wore that if cut off, he would not be allowed into China again. It humiliated them, and meant that they could not return to their country as long as the Qing dynasty was in control. It seemed like all ordinances and laws were aimed at harassing the Chinese.
The harassment continued as anti-Chinese organizations were formed and more brutal attacks took place. All the people were driven out of many Chinatowns in the country, Chinese people were shot and killed after their businesses were burned to the ground, and queues cut off just for the fun of it. There was so much violence going around in Chinese communities that a Chinese Exclusion Act took place in 1882. It would prevent anymore immigrants from coming to the United States for 10 years starting on August 4. The Chinese already living in the country could stay, but if they wanted to return to China they could not be assured of re-entry. This traumatized Chinese all over the country.
One immigrant, Lee Chew wrote in his memoir, "I heard about the American foreign devils, that they were false, having made a treaty by which it was agreed that they could freely come to China, and the Chinese as freely go to their country. After this treaty was made....they broke the treaty they had asked for by shutting the Chinese out of the country." When the act had ended in 1892 the Geary Act was passed, extending all the laws relating to Chinese immigration for another ten years. But when the year 1902 came the acts were extended indefinitely.
In World War II the Chinese had a chance to show their loyalty and support to the United States and influence the changing of the
exclusion acts. Eastern China was being controlled by Japan and when they also bombed Pearl Harbor it made Japan a common enemy to both China and the US. Finally in 1943 the acts were repealed at the public and at President Franklin Roosevelt's request.
The Chinese would finally have immigration rights and be able to be part of the American culture. Many deeds that have been done by the Chinese have been forgotten or not credited, but hopefully we will at least remember the large impact they had made in the growth of this great country.
Who Really Drove in the "Last Spike"?
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