What was the purpose of the Pacific Railway Act?
Annotation: The Pacific Railway Act authorized construction of the first transcontinental railroad, extending from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. The act was approved and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on July 1, 1862.
Who worked on the Union Pacific Railroad?
Beginning in 1863, the Union Pacific, employing more than 8,000 Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, built west from Omaha, NE; the Central Pacific, whose workforce included over 10,000 Chinese laborers, built eastward from Sacramento, CA.
What does the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California do?
The Central Pacific Railroad Company of California are hereby authorized to construct a railroad and telegraph line from the Pacific coast… to the eastern boundaries of California, upon the same terms and conditions in all respects [as are provided for the Union Pacific Railroad].
How many amending Acts have been passed on the railroad?
Some of its provisions were subsequently modified, expanded, or repealed by four additional amending Acts: The Pacific Railroad Act of 1863 (12 Stat. 807), Pacific Railroad Act of 1864 (13 Stat.
What was the date of the transcontinental railroad?
Date:1862. Annotation: The Pacific Railway Act authorized construction of the first transcontinental railroad, extending from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. The act was approved and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on July 1, 1862.
How hard was it to build the Pacific Railroad?
The Pacific Railroad Act stated that the government would loan each company $16,000 per miles of track ($48,000 for mountain areas) and would terminate any right Plans Indians had to the land along the railroad. Both companies found the task very difficult. It is thought around 12,000 men died in the process of building the railroad.