Chinese Labor: Building the Transcontinental Railroad

Chinese Workers and the First Transcontinental Railroad

According to Benjamin Franklin, “No man e’er was glorious, who was not laborious.” A hard working character or a dedicated spirit is always a respectful value that humanity should strive for. However, there are some outstanding constructions that were accomplished with more intensity and dedication than others, such as the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian Pyramid, and the Arc de Triomphe of Paris. On May 10, 1869, the completion of the First Continental Railroad signaled the success of another laborious construction. However, it is crucial to grasp the underlying context and reasons that a completely different ethnic group would immigrate from the other side of the world to the United

During the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, the Chinese workers possessed undefeatable courage which helped them to overcome incredible obstacles and contribute to the successful construction of the railroad project. In 1864, the railroad company was stopped by the difficult site of Bloomer Cut near Auburn, California. This location was consisted with steep terrain which was impossible for train to pass through without geological fixation. However, the only way to level the terrain was using picks, shovels and black powder which was time consuming and dangerous. According to Stanford University, “This was the first major engineering challenge for the Railroad, and it was dangerous works.” After roughly a year of tremendous effort, the bloomer cut railroad site was completed by Chinese workers. On the other hand, the site of Cape Horn was also one of the most challenging obstacles that the Chinese workers accomplished with their amazing courage and power. In the summer of 1865, the railroad construction of Cape Horn started. The goal of this project was to plant railroad on Sierra Nevada terrain that is 1300 feet above Colfax, which initiated an enormous difficulty for these Chinese working soldiers. Meanwhile, workers had to clear difficult obstacles such as trees, rocks, and stumps. Moreover, the black powder was used to clear rocks and form a ledge which dramatically elevated the risk of death. According to Sierra Nevada Geotourism, “Construction took a year, and more than 300 Chinese workers fell to their death in the process.” Also, there was a rumor of Chinese workers being lowered down the steep cliff with basket connected to fragile rope to help construct the railroad; their selfless courage helped them to tackle these dangerous operation. As a result, the