Sue Lee

So the estimate is that 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese worked on the transcontinental railroad, primarily on the Central Pacific side. The Chinese who initially worked on the railroad, let's say in the beginning, 1864, they were already here. They may have come for the gold rush. Initially, the Central Pacific didn't want Chinese workers at all.

So the estimate is that 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese worked on the transcontinental railroad, primarily on the Central Pacific side. The Chinese who initially worked on the railroad, let's say in the beginning, 1864, they were already here. They may have come for the gold rush. Initially, the Central Pacific didn't want Chinese workers at all.

So the estimate is that 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese worked on the transcontinental railroad, primarily on the Central Pacific side. The Chinese who initially worked on the railroad, let's say in the beginning, 1864, they were already here. They may have come for the gold rush. Initially, the Central Pacific didn't want Chinese workers at all.

At the time that the Central Pacific began its construction, they had great difficulty hiring white workers. White workers would work through one payroll or two payrolls and then to head literally for the hills for more lucrative mining work or other work. And the leaders of the Central Pacific were very leery of hiring Chinese workers in the area.

At the time that the Central Pacific began its construction, they had great difficulty hiring white workers. White workers would work through one payroll or two payrolls and then to head literally for the hills for more lucrative mining work or other work. And the leaders of the Central Pacific were very leery of hiring Chinese workers in the area.

At the time that the Central Pacific began its construction, they had great difficulty hiring white workers. White workers would work through one payroll or two payrolls and then to head literally for the hills for more lucrative mining work or other work. And the leaders of the Central Pacific were very leery of hiring Chinese workers in the area.

It was out of desperation that the Central Pacific in 1864 hired a small group of Chinese workers to do what they deemed was the light work, which was filling carts with rubble and things like that. But once the Central Pacific was convinced that the Chinese could handle the work, they

It was out of desperation that the Central Pacific in 1864 hired a small group of Chinese workers to do what they deemed was the light work, which was filling carts with rubble and things like that. But once the Central Pacific was convinced that the Chinese could handle the work, they

It was out of desperation that the Central Pacific in 1864 hired a small group of Chinese workers to do what they deemed was the light work, which was filling carts with rubble and things like that. But once the Central Pacific was convinced that the Chinese could handle the work, they

They began hiring as many Chinese as they could in the area in California and eventually hired contractors to go to China to hire workers. The majority of those Chinese came from a really small area of China outside of the city of Guangdong. They came because their kinsmen came. And it was easier to recruit groups of Chinese from a particular village.

They began hiring as many Chinese as they could in the area in California and eventually hired contractors to go to China to hire workers. The majority of those Chinese came from a really small area of China outside of the city of Guangdong. They came because their kinsmen came. And it was easier to recruit groups of Chinese from a particular village.

They began hiring as many Chinese as they could in the area in California and eventually hired contractors to go to China to hire workers. The majority of those Chinese came from a really small area of China outside of the city of Guangdong. They came because their kinsmen came. And it was easier to recruit groups of Chinese from a particular village.

That area has a history of sending their men overseas to send money back to support families. And so the recruiters would bring Chinese here. They'd come by ship. They end up going by ship to Sacramento, and then they'd be put onto rail cars to wherever the end of construction was to begin work on the railroad. And again, they were hired in gangs of 30. There was kinship. There was teamwork.

That area has a history of sending their men overseas to send money back to support families. And so the recruiters would bring Chinese here. They'd come by ship. They end up going by ship to Sacramento, and then they'd be put onto rail cars to wherever the end of construction was to begin work on the railroad. And again, they were hired in gangs of 30. There was kinship. There was teamwork.

That area has a history of sending their men overseas to send money back to support families. And so the recruiters would bring Chinese here. They'd come by ship. They end up going by ship to Sacramento, and then they'd be put onto rail cars to wherever the end of construction was to begin work on the railroad. And again, they were hired in gangs of 30. There was kinship. There was teamwork.

Those workers stayed together. They weren't indentured. They had contracts, so they might work a month, two months, a season, a year, and leave for other work.

Those workers stayed together. They weren't indentured. They had contracts, so they might work a month, two months, a season, a year, and leave for other work.

Those workers stayed together. They weren't indentured. They had contracts, so they might work a month, two months, a season, a year, and leave for other work.

So here you are in a tropical area of southern China where it's hot and humid, no snow. And you come all the way across the Pacific, end up at Donner Lake, right? You've got cold, cold, snowy winters and hot, hot summers. So you end up carving tunnels through the Sierra Nevada and you live next to the summit tunnel.

So here you are in a tropical area of southern China where it's hot and humid, no snow. And you come all the way across the Pacific, end up at Donner Lake, right? You've got cold, cold, snowy winters and hot, hot summers. So you end up carving tunnels through the Sierra Nevada and you live next to the summit tunnel.