Union Pacific Railroad
Western Union
August 1866

Mr. Dodge:

We advertized around the country and have rounded up several thousand men eager to work for the railroad. The workers have come from all over. The Civil War left many Union and Confederate soldiers without work. There are former slaves; new Irish, Cornish and German immigrants; and Mormons from Salt Lake City on our new crews, but most of the workers we hired are Irish.2

UPRR Crew
Russell 542 Promontory
Transcontinental Railroad Workers
Teacher notes Back Interactive Railroad Project Home Next
Copyright © 2000-2002, CPRR.org.  [Last Updated 6/9/2002]
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement;
Click any image or link to accept.
Not affiliated with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum