Gentile Migration Miners, Railroad Workers and Soldiers

Gentiles  A person of a non-Jewish nation or faith.  A non-Mormon  They came for three different reasons:  Mining  The Transcontinental Railroad  Soldiers in the Utah War

Mining in Utah’s Mountains  Utah was rich in mineral ore.  Specifically gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and coal.  Mostly farmers who needed coal for their stoves, or lead to make bullets.  Very dangerous working far underground.  Might fall off the mine elevators  Might be hit by falling rocks or get run over by fast-moving mining cars  Sometimes tunnels would collapse  Some developed lung diseases from breathing in the dust  Air in the mines also filled with deadly gases  Paid about $3-4 a day for hours of work.  Immigrants from Europe, Canada, Asia, and South America.

The Railroad Revolutionizes Transportation May 10, 1869

Why a Railroad?  The Civil War ended, and U.S. Congress looked for ways to bring the nation together.  Answer: A railroad that goes across the country. MANIFEST DESTINY:Belief that the U.S. would spread from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  Utah was in support. Why?  Union Pacific: Group that worked westward from Nebraska  Central Pacific: Group that worked eastward from California

Immigrants to the Rescue  Irish  Thousands come from Ireland  Union Pacific Railroad  Work on flat, prairie land  Chinese  Thousands come from China  Central Pacific Railroad- Sierra Nevada Mountains  Hard and Dangerous  Hot deserts and cold winters  About 2,000 died from the cold and accidents of setting off dynamite in the mountains

Mormons to the Rescue  Union Pacific needed help going through the Rocky Mountains  Contract signed for $2 million to build a roadbed from Echo Canyon through Weber Canyon and into Ogden  Helped cut down trees and sold them to make railroad tires.  Also sold grain, hay, potatoes, and meat to the companies  Tracks met at Promontory Summit--May 10, 1869

How Did the Railroad Change Utah?  Able to transport raw materials faster.  Wheat, fruits and beef began to be sold outside of Utah.  Because there were more imports into Utah, some Utah manufacturers went out of business.  Easier access to mountains for mining.  More tourists to Utah.  Connected Utah towns and made transportation easier.

Soldiers in the Utah War!  Judges and others who didn’t like Mormons, returned to the East and complained to the U.S. President Buchanan.  In response, a new governor was sent to replace Brigham Young and a supplied army to stop a Mormon rebellion against the government.  Johnston’s Army of 2,500 soldiers arrived in 1858 and established Camp Floyd.  Soldiers were unwelcome.  With the start of the Civil War, the troops were called back to the East and the military base was abandoned.

The Army’s Impact on Utah  Brought much needed cash to Utah people.  Paid local residents to help build the camp and sold old army supplies for low prices.  Provided job and bought beef and farm crops from the Utah people.  Negative Impact: The town was full of prostitutes, gamblers, cattle rustlers and other dangerous people.  No one felt safe there without a weapon.

Donner-Reed Party  Read from textbook pg