Oppositions
Native Americans
Native Americans didn’t want the Railroad built because it would invade their land and split their buffalo herds. To prevent it, they attacked survey parties and derailed trains, causing the Companies to request military escorts.
Grenville Dodge (UP's Chief Engineer) was unsentimental: “We've got to clean the damn Indians out or give up building the Union Pacific Railroad. The government may take its choice."
General Sherman agreed, "The more we can kill this year, the less will have to be killed next year, for the more I see of these Indians the more convinced I am that they all have to be killed or be maintained as species of paupers."
Grenville Dodge (UP's Chief Engineer) was unsentimental: “We've got to clean the damn Indians out or give up building the Union Pacific Railroad. The government may take its choice."
General Sherman agreed, "The more we can kill this year, the less will have to be killed next year, for the more I see of these Indians the more convinced I am that they all have to be killed or be maintained as species of paupers."
(Quotes, Stephen Ambrose, Nothing Like It In The World ).
Click image to enlarge, use back arrow to return.
Politicians Debate Route
Northern and Southern politicians wanted the Railroad to go through their own regions, in order to bring increased settlement and new business. When the South seceded, Congress chose the Northern route.
Maps showing different proposed routes for the Railroad.
(Maps, Library of Congress)
(Maps, Library of Congress)
Hiring Chinese Workers
When CP was nearing the Sierra Nevadas, it needed more workers (white workers often left to mine for gold). CP's Charles Crocker suggested hiring Chinese workers. CP's construction boss disagreed: "I will not boss Chinese!" There was prejudice against the Chinese, and he feared white workers would quit. Crocker replied, "They built the Great Wall of China, didn't they?" CP hired 50, who were superb. Soon, 7,000 Chinese were employed.
(Quotes, Stephen Ambrose, Nothing Like It In The World ).
Widespread discrimination.
(Image, Denver Public Library, Z-3812)
(Image, Denver Public Library, Z-3812)
Last of the Buffalo. How the West Was Lost.
Peter Kater & R. Carlos Nakai. 1993.
Copyright © Silver Wave Records.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Peter Kater & R. Carlos Nakai. 1993.
Copyright © Silver Wave Records.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.