The transcontinental railroad was introduced by a man named Cornelius Vanderbilt. His proposition was rejected by his friends, who said he would loose all his money. Later his friends' council proved to be wrong. Cornelius's railroads were prosperous, and they became the New York Central Line. His family became one of the wealthiest families in America. In Pennsylvania the railroads were uniting to become the great Pennsylvania Railroad. This railroad became prosperous on account of the iron and coal trade near Pittsburgh. In the West, those who heard of the improvements in the East, knew that they needed to ship merchandise to St. Louis and Chicago. The Mississippi river was no longer a satisfactory means of transport for the western trade. It was then decided that a transcontinental railroad would be built. The East called theirs the Union Pacific. This railroad's employees were made up of Irish immigrants, former Confederates, and freed slaves. The West named its railroad the Central Pacific. It hired thousands of Chinese, who were payed one dollar per day for their dangerous work. The US government gave land grants to the railroads for every mile of track laid. It soon became a race to lay the most miles of track per day. Surprisingly the people who were funding the railroad were stingy and mean. Though those who organized the railroad were quick and efficient, they sometimes neglected to take necessary precautions. When the lines coming from the East met those coming from the West, there was a grand celebration. It was now possible to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific in eight to ten days! One gold and one Silver spike were donated to connect the lines. The man who received the honor of laying the gold spike, missed in the sight of the whole crowd!:o The second time he hit it right on the head. These spikes were replaced with iron, and the coasts were connected.
No comments:
Post a Comment