The Central Pacific

Things weren't well for the Central Pacific at the start. The "Big Four," Judah's backers, were at best sleazy moneymakers. They made schemes that ultimately gained them millions of dollars, such as the Crocker Contracting Company. Judah was shocked with what they did that he went to New York to find investors to buy out the Big Four's control over the CP. But while crossing Panama, Judah became ill with yellow fever and died in New York, November 2nd, 1863. Because the CP's chief engineer was gone, Charles Crocker stepped up to Judah's position, even when Crocker wasn't a trained engineer.

So the Central Pacific now had a new chief engineer. Leland Stanford was the company's president, Collis Huntington his vice, and Mark Hopkins the treasurer. Stanford was elected governor of California, using his power to get money and support for the CP. Once again demonstrating that they were simply shrewd businessmen.

At the beginning, the CP didn't have enough money or supplies. Government money hadn't come yet because they needed to achieve forty miles first. Supplies had to come from the east coast, taking weeks to transport it. Another problem was labor, for no white man would want to work on a railroad when California gold was everywhere. When Crocker said to James Strobridge, his construction boss, that he should hire the Chinese immigrants, Strobridge thought lightly of it. But after a trial run, the Chinese laborers proved better than white laborers. Soon, more than 2,000 Chinese workers had been hired. See video clip of the Chinese workers

  When laying tracks through mountains, crews first had to blast their way into them by using black power and picks. This was rather painstakingly slow, making only about 9 inches a day into the tough granite. Because of this took too long for Crocker's liking, he embraced a new type of explosive: nitroglycerin. The nitroglycerin was so unstable that it had to be made on site instead of transported, and it killed many workers. But even still, the work got done quicker, averaging near 19 inches a day.

Nearing the end of the journey in 1869, Crocker made a bet that his workers could lay ten miles of track in one day. This feat was unheard of, and many gathered to watch, even some of the UP's workers. Hand picking his best men, Crocker set the date at the 28 of April. And within 12 hours, his crews had laid 10 miles and 200 feet. It was a record, and planned so. Crocker knew that UP construction crews would be closer to Promontory Summit than 10 miles on the 28th.