Testimony of J.H. Strobridge.
"I took the time books and checked them and then went on with the work again. Kept no books of any kind. Simply O.K.ed pay roll.
"No Chinese employed until after 1864. Commenced with small force. In 1866-67 employed between 13,000 and 14,000 men, 11,000 of them Chinese. In the years 1865-69 averaged more than 8,000 Chinese.
"Redwood timber for ties brought down the coast by way of San Francisco, taken up the Sacramento River in schooners.
"Mechanics were paid $3 to $5 a day, and all of it was in gold.
"Until the mountains were crossed redwood ties from up the coast by way of San Francisco were used. Later saw-mills were established in the mountains and ties cut of pine and cedar.
"In the winter of 1865-66 worked between Colfax and Dutch Flat in mud. Rains were very heavy. The Dutch Flat Stage stuck in mud for six weeks in the streets of Gold Run. From Dutch Flat to State line work was very heavy.
"Construction was pushed through worst winters ever known in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The winter of 1865-66 very wet, terribly muddy. Impossible haul goods needed for use and obliged to use pack horses for the mountain trails. Had to pack even bales of hay distances of 25 miles, and for four or five miles all supplies were taken over in this way.
