Asian American History Day by Day by Jonathan H. X. Lee

Author:Jonathan H. X. Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ABC-CLIO

2007

In St. Cloud, Minnesota, Philip Joseph Massa, a 33-year-old, is charged with obstructing the legal process and fourth-degree misdemeanor for assaulting a man of Muslim descent.

June 24

1867

Several thousand Chinese railroad workers have gone on strike for a week demanding an end to beatings, increased wages from $35 to $40 per month, and eight hours workday. During the strike, management cut off their food supply and starved the workers back to work. As it turns out, the strike was not successful. The Chinese railroad workers were first hired in January 1864. The Central Pacific Railroad Company hired foreman Ah Toy and headman Hung Wah to lead a crew of 21 Chinese workers to clear Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road. They hired more during that year. In January 1865, assured that the Chinese workers were capable, the railroad hired 50 Chinese workers and then, shortly after, another 50. In 1865, Leland Stanford reported to Congress that the majority of the railroad workers were Chinese, and without them, it would be impossible to complete the western portion required by the congressional deadline. By July 1865, the Chinese workforce was nearly 4,000 strong; by February 1867, roughly 8,000 worked on the construction of the tunnels, while 3,000 laid tracks. In total, it was nearly 90 percent of the workforce. It is estimated that as many as 10,000–15,000 Chinese laborers worked on the railroad.

Excerpt from Sam S. Montague, Chief Engineer’s Progress Report of the Central Pacific Railroad of California. November 25, 1865.

To the President and Directors of the Central Pacific Railroad of California: . . . It became apparent early in the season, that the amount of labor likely to be required during the summer could only be supplied by the employment of the Chinese element, of our population. Some distrust was at first felt regarding the capacity of this class for the service required, but the experiment has proved eminently successful. They are faithful and industrious, and under proper supervision, soon become skillful in the performance of their duties. Many of them are becoming very expert in drilling, blasting, and other departments of rock work.

Source: Sam S. Montague, Chief Engineer’s “Report of the Chief Engineer upon Recent Surveys and Progress of Construction of the Central Pacific Railroad of California.” December 1865. Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum. CPRR.org. 2005. http://cprr.org/Museum/CPRR_1865_Engineering.pdf.

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