On January 8, 1863, the city of Sacramento, California was in full celebration. A brass band was persent, and was playing music as construction crews for the Central Pacific Railroad prepared to commence work on their half of the nation's first transcontinental railroad. After the brass band stopped playing, Leland Stanford stepped up and took the first shovelful of dirt out of the ground, signaling the official beginning of the construction of the first transcontinental railroad.
The earliest work done on the Central Pacific side was purely grading; until late 1863, no rails or ties were laid, no spikes were driven. Theodore Judah didn't like the slow progress, and more importantly he no longer trusted The Big Four, thinking that they were more itnerested in money than the railroad. In the summer of 1863, Judah met with The Big Four; the meeting eventually turned into a violent argument. It ended with The Big Four telling Judah that if he didn't buy them out, they'd buy him out.
As a result, in the fall of 1863, Judah took a boat to the East (going around South America) to look for Eastern investors. While traveling, however, he caught yellow fever, and was sick for most of the journey. When he finally made it to Manhattan, he was quickly hospitalized. On October 26, the first rails of the transcontinental railroad were laid by the Central Pacific Railroad Company. Before the news reached Judah, however, he died.
Meanwhile, an eastern terminus for the transcontinental railroad had not been chosen. Many suggestions were made, but in November 1863, Council Bluffs, Iowa was chosen as the eastern terminus. Despite this, the Union Pacific Railroad Company began construction of their half of the transcontinental railroad just outside of Omaha, Nebraska, which eventually became the eastern terminus of the railroad. Thomas C. Durant, an ophthamologist, was chosen to be the vice president of the company; he instructed the construction crews to commence grading in 1863.
By 1865, the companies were doing well financially. Thomas Durant raised $2.2 million by selling and buying Union Pacific stocks and used that money to officially take charge of the company. The Central Pacific Railroad had received $2 million in bonds by the spring of 1865. Despite the financial success of both companies, very little progress had been made. The Central Pacific Railroad had only laid 40 miles of tracks ince the beginning of construction, and the Union Pacific Railroad had graded only 50 miles over the smoothest terrain and had not laid any tracks.
The earliest work done on the Central Pacific side was purely grading; until late 1863, no rails or ties were laid, no spikes were driven. Theodore Judah didn't like the slow progress, and more importantly he no longer trusted The Big Four, thinking that they were more itnerested in money than the railroad. In the summer of 1863, Judah met with The Big Four; the meeting eventually turned into a violent argument. It ended with The Big Four telling Judah that if he didn't buy them out, they'd buy him out.
As a result, in the fall of 1863, Judah took a boat to the East (going around South America) to look for Eastern investors. While traveling, however, he caught yellow fever, and was sick for most of the journey. When he finally made it to Manhattan, he was quickly hospitalized. On October 26, the first rails of the transcontinental railroad were laid by the Central Pacific Railroad Company. Before the news reached Judah, however, he died.
Meanwhile, an eastern terminus for the transcontinental railroad had not been chosen. Many suggestions were made, but in November 1863, Council Bluffs, Iowa was chosen as the eastern terminus. Despite this, the Union Pacific Railroad Company began construction of their half of the transcontinental railroad just outside of Omaha, Nebraska, which eventually became the eastern terminus of the railroad. Thomas C. Durant, an ophthamologist, was chosen to be the vice president of the company; he instructed the construction crews to commence grading in 1863.
By 1865, the companies were doing well financially. Thomas Durant raised $2.2 million by selling and buying Union Pacific stocks and used that money to officially take charge of the company. The Central Pacific Railroad had received $2 million in bonds by the spring of 1865. Despite the financial success of both companies, very little progress had been made. The Central Pacific Railroad had only laid 40 miles of tracks ince the beginning of construction, and the Union Pacific Railroad had graded only 50 miles over the smoothest terrain and had not laid any tracks.Omaha, Nebraska in 1868 (public domain photo)
About this time, the government threatened to withdraw their support from the Union Pacific Railroad Company unless they began laying tracks at once. Durant immediately ordered his crews to start laying tracks, and by the end of 1865, the 50 miles of grading had been covered with tracks. Despite the new motivation, progress was still slow, as there were relatively few workers for both railroads.
At this time, however, both companies received a large influx of workers. The Central Pacific Railroad tried to put out a call for 1,000 workers; only 50 potential workers showed up. Charles Crocker then proposed that Chinese workers be used. James Strobridge, superintendent of construction for the company, didn't believe it would work, complaining that the Chinese were physically incapable of the work load. Crocker, however, was adamant, and proposed that the company employ 50 Chinese workers as a test to see if they could handle the work load. They proved to be great workers, and by 1866, 6,000 Chinese people worked for the Central Pacific Railroad.
The workforce of the Union Pacific Railroad was expanded after the end of the American Civil War. Thousands of soldiers for both the Union and Confederate armies were now out of work, and needed employment. The Union Pacific Railroad hired thousands of these ex-soldiers, who were mostly of Irish and Cornish descent. General Grenville Dodge of the Union Army was hired as the chief engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Progress during this early construction period was very minimal, but by 1866, railroad construction began to speed up.
At this time, however, both companies received a large influx of workers. The Central Pacific Railroad tried to put out a call for 1,000 workers; only 50 potential workers showed up. Charles Crocker then proposed that Chinese workers be used. James Strobridge, superintendent of construction for the company, didn't believe it would work, complaining that the Chinese were physically incapable of the work load. Crocker, however, was adamant, and proposed that the company employ 50 Chinese workers as a test to see if they could handle the work load. They proved to be great workers, and by 1866, 6,000 Chinese people worked for the Central Pacific Railroad.
The workforce of the Union Pacific Railroad was expanded after the end of the American Civil War. Thousands of soldiers for both the Union and Confederate armies were now out of work, and needed employment. The Union Pacific Railroad hired thousands of these ex-soldiers, who were mostly of Irish and Cornish descent. General Grenville Dodge of the Union Army was hired as the chief engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Progress during this early construction period was very minimal, but by 1866, railroad construction began to speed up.
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