Please note that the dialogue is not necessarily the view of the author. Any outdated or offensive terms are for the purpose of storytelling only. These should be taken as storytelling and no more.  

This book tells the general story of people during the Transcontinental railroad and westward expansion. However, the characters in the book are entirely fictitious. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.” 

Writen by Forrester Thorsheim 2022

                                Watsons

“Just a little farther, Mary,” Tyson said, sweat beads forming on his forehead. “Tyson!” I said, “We’ve been traveling since June.” Tyson laughed, “What else can we do? I’ve heard of the idea of a railroad spanning the states, but even if that existed, we wouldn’t be able to pay enough to hitch a ride on the roof.” Said Tyson sarcastically. “But whoever would work the railroad, no Americans in their right mind would work there when there was a tale of gold in California?” I asked him.

Chapter 1

“Chinese, ex-slaves, you know,” Tyson said to me in a grim tone. “What!” I yelled outrageously, “Those... those things, they couldn’t do anything. They’re just so odd; I mean, look at their skin!” “I know,” he said in a sympathetic tone. “Ah, my leg!” he yelled. “Mary, take the horses. I need some rest. Let’s stop at the next river. I need some water.” “Ok?” I said, “C’mon, giddy up, Bonnie.” Clair, my 2-year-old daughter, poked her head out of the covered wagon. “What wong with dada?” She asked. “I don’t know, sweetheart,” I said. The truth, I thought I might know. But I hope not because if so, we might all be in mortal danger.

Chapter 2  

                                Gohn Welk

   A wise man once told me, “Why simply live when instead you can rule.” And if I get the job, that’s what I’ll do. I’m sitting in a meeting discussing The Central Pacific Railroad. 

“The Pacific Railway Act has been passed, as you will probably know." Drawled a voice that belonged to the Central Pacific Railroad manager. “We will start in Sacramento.” He continued. I want to scream, “If we’re here, It’s obvious that we know this.” But I keep my composure. They wouldn’t hire a screaming maniac, as my mother called it. 

I hold my breath as the nominations for bosses go through. “The votes have are counted, and our bosses are….” Names, Names (None mine.) I sat silent as smiling faces stood up to shake hands with the boss. My heart pounded steadily faster as names flew off the list, and my job chances diminished. And then, out of nowhere, “Gohn Welk.” I feel my heart stop. That’s my name. You could hear a pen drop as the crowd looked around for the face of the newcomer. I take a deep breath, walk to

the boss, shake hands, and say, “I humbly accept the job,” and all. Applause broke out. A little at first, and then it rose into the crowd. So, I would rule.

Chapter 3       

                                Shen Ming Oug

   “On the boat you!” He sneered under his breath. “I’m betting five days you’ll last; too hard for you.” I did not know much English, but I could tell the captain was not feeling, as Americans called, warm and fuzzy at the moment. I couldn’t care less, though. I was going to the land of opportunity. My family and I saw a story about a railway in America. It was just me and my cousin Liu Zhang, but we hoped to send money home to our family to come over. My thoughts snapped back to the present when the captain called my name 

(or what was left of it) 3917, like a prison. 

I took a deep breath, squeezed my cousin Liu Zhang’s hand, and placed my foot over the door like a threshold. I waved to my family, knowing this might be the last time I took a breath of Chinese air. “Hurry up!” Growled a voice, “No time for sentiments.” I thought a boat to the land of opportunity would be superior to our dank room. Our cabin smelled like fish, and the food was awful, but I couldn’t complain. I’d only been on the boat for a few hours, yet I knew this would be a few long weeks.

Chapter 4 

                                  Watsons

  Cholera?! Clair and Tyson were very ill, so you can only imagine my relief when a doctor was not far away. We settled into our cabin last week, but Tyson was too weak to work, so I maned the fields for him. I thought something might be wrong, but cholera! I knew it before he said it; What I’ve been dreading. “I must warn you,” he said sadly, “Those two may only make it a few hours. Not even through the night. I see you have some dairy goods in the back. Give them some warmed milk, and pray for mercy. Then from then, it’s up to chance. 

Ma’am. Gday.” As he walked out of the door, I collapsed into the chair I had made last week, my heart sinking into my stomach. The legs of the chair snapped. Yet there was no one to hear me fall.

Chapter 5

                          Shen Ming Oug

   20 nights and 20 days have passed since I got on this floating prison. I did not know how much longer I could stand it when the boat came to a slow stop. Shouts started to arise from the dark, dank cabin of the ship. It was another hour according to the feeble light shining out of the cracks before the Un warm and fuzzy man came to our sad abode. “Everybody off!” Said his gruff voice. His short snout-like nose wrinkled in disgust. “ You are here for the railroad, and I’m your boss Gohn Welk. But you will just know me as your superior."

An uncanny pause. “Didn’t you hear me! Off the boat!” Specks of saliva flew from his mouth as he said this. So this was my new life; I had to accept it.

Chapter 6

                                 Gohn Welk

   I just got a shipment of Coolies in. They’re worthless by themselves but put them in a pack, and maybe they can accomplish something. We head off to the construction site. I lay back while the Coolies started working. It was a good morning; I got to stay out of the sweltering heat and yelled a bit. The only minor hiccup was when a rock rolled off a mountain that they were dynamiting. It killed three people, but at least it wasn’t Americans, just Chinese. And I have thousands more of those worthless things. 

Chapter 7

                             Shen Ming Oug

Liu!!! A rock, tumbling, my cousin, my best friend, working, working, then, Dead. The images flashed through my head. And the boss saw he wasn’t doing a thing about it. I knew we had to do something about it. And I knew... we needed a strike! Only a few small groups had tried so far. None had been successful, seeing we were still here. But, here was my chance, my chance to make history.