How much were Irish workers on the Transcontinental Railroad paid?

How much were Irish workers on the Transcontinental Railroad paid? They were paid a maximum of $30 a month and often lived in the underground tunnels they were constructing, some of which collapsed onto the workers. (More than 1,000 Chinese workers died in rail-related accidents.) By contrast, Irish workers were paid $35 a month, and were provided with housing.

What ethnicity was often paid the least for railroad labor in the 1800s in America?

  “Chinese received 30-50 percent lower wages than whites for the same job and they had to pay for their own food stuffs,” Chang says. “They also had the most difficult and dangerous work, including tunneling and the use of explosives.

What were the differences between Irish and Chinese railroad workers?

Chinese workers were treated unjustly and paid lower because of their race. Chinese workers were paid approximately $24 to $31 a month, while the Irish workers were pad $35 a month. In addition, the Chinese worked longer hours and paid for their lodging, food and tools while Irish and white workers were provided for.

What nationality were most railroad workers?

Chinese workers made up most of the workforce between roughly 700 miles of train tracks between Sacramento, California, and Promontory, Utah. During the 19th century, more than 2.5 million Chinese citizens left their country and were hired in 1864 after a labor shortage threatened the railroad's completion.

How many Irish worked on the transcontinental railroad?

Between 8,000 and 10,000 Irish immigrants made significant contributions to the development of modern America by helping to complete the transcontinental railroad.

Who got rich from the railroad industry in the 1800s?

These men, names like James Hill, Jay and George Gould, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Edward Harriman, and Collis P. Huntington are largely responsible for building much of the country's network.

What did railroad workers eat?

Working on the Railroad Teamsters and graders received the least, while the iron men got the healthiest sum of anybody save their foremen. Like their Irish counterparts on the Central Pacific, the Union Pacific men had a staple diet of beef, bread, and black coffee.

Why did the Irish work on the transcontinental railroad?

Among those who worked on the railway were thousands of post-Famine Irish emigrants who laboured alongside Chinese workers drafted in to make up for the labour shortages across the continent at the time.

Which railroads were built by slaves?

North America's four major rail networks — Norfolk Southern, CSX, Union Pacific and Canadian National — all own lines that were built and operated with slave labor.

Who is the highest paid railroad worker?