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J.H. Strobridge
J.H. Strobridge
Those of us who travel through Castro Valley on 580 know his name as the name of an exit.
He settled in what later became Castro Valley and is interred in the hills above with his three wives.
Strobridge shows up in the "Hell on Wheels" series about the Transcontinental Railroad. It is a fictional series introducing characters who did not exist and changing those who did exist - in particular Strobridge. While we really do not know what Strobridge was like, the series makes him out as a bit of a coward and left him out of the picture at the Golden Spike ceremony.
Strobridge, by many accounts, was there at the Golden Spike. His children are in some of the pictures. One newspaper report says that Mrs. Strobridge assisted Governor Stanford with the Golden Spike!
At any rate, 150 years later, it is hard to know really what he was like or what really happened. But "Hell on Wheels" distorted his reputation.
From CPRR.org as well.
Strobridge traveled with his wife and children in a specially fitted railcar. Here's a picture of the family at Alta and here and supposedly rowing a boat.
"J.H. Strobridge, when the work was over, invited the Chinese who had been brought over from Victory for that purpose, to dine at his boarding car. When they entered, all the guest and officers present cheered them as the chosen representatives of the race which have greatly helped to build the road...a tribute they well deserved and which evidently gave them much pleasure." "San Francisco Newsletter, May 15, 1869" (from Stanford talk and on the back of the "Voices from the Railroad; Stories by descendants of Chinese Railroad Workers")
Honors to John Chinaman
Honors to John Chinaman
Mr. Strowbridge, when work was all over, invited the Chinamen who had been brought over from Victory for the purpose, to dine in his boarding car. When they entered all the guests and officers present cheered them as the chosen representatives of the race which have greatly helped to build the road - a tribute they well deserved, and which evidently gave them much pleasure.
From the SF_Newsletter_1869_006.jpg
needs link!
Strobridge at Vallejo Mills after the Golden Spike
Strobridge at Vallejo Mills after the Golden Spike
Superintendant Strobridge shows up in the news June 5, 1869.
Henry Root wrote about his work, including the work from Vallejo's Mill to Brooklyn in his memoirs. (CPRR also extracted some chapters here)
After the Transcontinental Railroad
After the Transcontinental Railroad
After Oakland, Strobridge worked in Oregon, from the Red Bluff Independent, Volume X, Number 18, 28 October 1869 "The Marysville Appeal says that great activity prevails in that quarter among the employees on the Oregon railroad. Large and numerous gangs of men are employed, and under the superior management of J. H. Strobridge, the work is being rapidly pushed forward. "
Wah Chung and the Chinese Community in Ashland: Late 1800’s and Early 1900’s
1876
1876
Answer to the Central Pacific Railroad Company Submitted by Leland Stanford ...
Answer to the Central Pacific Railroad Company Submitted by Leland Stanford ...
From Google books:
a statement from J.H. Strobridge (Superintendent of Construction). July 23, 1887 "Referring to your letter of recent date in regard to the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad I was Superintendent of Construction during the building of the road. The work was pushed with the utmost vigor all the men were hired that could be found and no effort or expense was spared to complete the road as quickly as possible. In this way it was finished and in operation from Sacramento California to Ogden Utah about seven years sooner than was required by Act of Congress."
Arthur Brown (Superintendent of buildings and bridges ?, July 26, 1887) said "I am quite familiar with the extraordinary exertions put forth in all departments of this work as I was constantly on the ground during all this construction and especially the almost superhuman effort put forth by Mr. J.H. Strobridge Superintendent of Construction in keeping the men at work on the rock work and tunnels and shoveling snow at great depth during the fall and winter and contending against mud and snow in getting supplies to the ground at great expense."
Report ... of the United States Pacific Railway Commission [and Testimony Taken by the Commission] (Same testimony)
This is the full text, eight years after Promentory, that originated the quote allegedly from Strobridge who was allegedly against Chinese labor and eventually used Chinese labor. Can we really trust what Low said that Crocker said what Strobridge said? This quote is repeated everywhere in exhibits and history books and it is a second or third hand account!
Frederick Low (9th Governor of California 1863-1867) said that Mr. Crocker said that Strobridge said "I will not boss Chinese. I will not be responsible for the work done on the road by Chinese labor;"
I have seen this quote here and there and most recently quoted by Hilton O.
"I was on the road when they introduced Chinese labor. They first started with white labor and they came to a standstill. They could not get enough to prosecute the work. They had a foreman whose name I do not now recollect but he was a smart pushing Irishman. Mr Crocker told me not once but half a dozen times that he suggested to this foreman that they must come to Chinese. He said, "I will not boss Chinese. I will not be responsible for the work done on the road by Chinese labor;" because you compute a certain number of men and there is a responsibility in producing a certain amount of work with them. They were offering them if I recollect rightly $45 a month and board to white labor. That would be more than a dollar and a half a day twenty six working days in a month. Strobridge was the superintendent's name The thing came practically to a stand still and finally Strobridge consented that they should put on enough Chinamen to fill the dump carts and that a Chinaman should hold a drill while white men should drive the horses and strike the drills. He would not permit a Chinaman to strike. He said they did not know how they started in in that way. I made frequent visits up on the road I saw the progress that was being made in the employment of Chinese and talked with Strobridge about it. In less than six months I think they had Chinese doing everything not only filling the carts but driving the horses and Strobridge told me that taken altogether the Chinese did 80 per cent as much work as the whites. They paid the Chinese $31 a month and they boarded themselves. To the white laborers they professed to pay and did pay $45 a month and board which amounted they considered to two dollars a day
The person who made this quote did not do their homework!
But did he say this?
But did he say this?
Where did this come from? I've seen it in many places...Books?..Train Museum? I think that this quote has a life of its own, like a meme.
How is it that Strobridge said this in 1864 and then someone under investigation "remembered" his "exact" words 23 years later, and quoted him second-hand (or third-hand) in 1887? Something fishy about that!
"I will not boss Chinese!" Historical Fiction? Where did this come from? Do you trust that someone who is under investigation (Crocker) would accurately quote someone? Really? You are taking Crocker's word for something he said Strobridge said 20 (?) years earlier? Where's the primary source?
Google more that quote and Strobridge.
Other References
Other References
Legendary Locals of Castro Valley, Hayward, and San Lorenzo, California. Michael Stanton also worked with Strobridge.
Golden Nugget allegedly has his bio from this History of the State of California and biographical record of Coast Counties, California. : An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time / by Prof. J. M. Guinn ... also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present . Perhaps a different edition that 1904?
Laurel Ranch location (approximately)
Laurel Ranch location (approximately)
From David Rumsey, 1878 Thompson & West. Notice that Chas. Crocker & Wm. Knox both own property around the CP Haywards station. Wm. Knox of Turton, Knox & Ryan?
Using the georeferencer, you can see that Strobridge's house is approximately located where there is an address of 1908 Grove Way in Castro Valley.
Laurel Ranch View
Laurel Ranch View
Two hundred twenty acres, Laurel Ranch.
If you drive to the hilltop above where the Strobridge property is located, you can see the glimpse of Mt. Diablo between houses, as is shown here on this etching.
From Alameda County, 1893
Strobridge Obituaries & Biographies
Strobridge Obituaries & Biographies
Railway Review, August 20, 1921, p. 260.
Strobridge worked on the SF & SJ RR in 1863.
Hayward Historical Society has some information about him. References to be added later.
This from History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 739-740. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904
Strobridge died in Hayward at age 99, July 1921. Was said to have built more miles of railroad than anyone else on Pacific coast. Said to have been the man to drive the Golden Spike at Promontory.
His mausoleum is at Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward.
For more, check out:
Oakland Tribune June 4, 1959 - For Rail Festival 3-Day Celebration Commemorates Completion of Transcontinental Railroad to San Francisco Bay FREMONT, June 4 Promontory Point and the Golden Spike Ceremony to the contrary, the last spike in the transcontinental railroad when it finally reached San Francisco Bay was driven near Niles. That's what the history books say, and that's why several thousand persons will convene here, this weekend, 90 years later, for a three-day "Old Railroad Days" festival They'll pay homage to the . iron horse with a dinner, a carnival kiddie narade and grand parade, whiskerino, beauty queen coronation, and a trip aboard an old-time train. Modern railroad equipment will be on display throughout the festival The Niles Chamber of Commerce, which researched the community's claim to railroader fame, picks no quarrel with the Utah ceremony, at which rails of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific were first joined. But it points out that the Central Pacific had its western terminus at that time at Sacramento. FIRST WOODBURNERS It wasn't until Sept 6, 1869, that the line was opened from Sacramento via Stockton, Niles Canyon and Niles to San Francisco Bay. It was then that the first trains rolled over the new route from Sacramento, one switching off at Niles for San Jose, the other with 12 coaches pulled by three woodburners proceeding north by way of Melrose to Alameda. From there, the first 11 overland passengers boarded the steamer "Alameda" for the last leg of the trip to San Francisco. as the Eastbay terminus of the line the following November. Railroad company - records show that the last segment of the tracks was constructed at Niles, known until 1869 as Vallejo Mills. The earlier name commemorated Jose Jesus Vallejo, first administrator of Mission San Jose after control passed religious hands. It was Vallejo's flour mill on Alameda Creek which became the nucleus for the -new community. BID FOR FAVOR The name-change to Niles in large measure was an attempt of the community to win favor in the eyes of the Central Pacific, which had pursued an on-again, off-again are for several years. "They did it arbitrarily," wrote contemporary, "to tickle the vanity of a friend of the lines" Judge Addison C. Niles, a backer of the railroad. A festival kickoff dinner sponsored by the chamber of commerce will be held at 7 p m. today at the Vallejo Mills School. Western Pacific railroad representatives will show movies of railroading. Concessions, railroad equipment displays and kiddie rides will begin operating tomorrow at the festival grounds in the central business district Saturday's schedule includes a childrens parade at 1 p.m. and the queen coronation, reenactment of the last spike ceremony, selection of a whiskerino winner, an amateur show, and street dancing in the evening. Some 1,000 members of the California- Nevada Railroad Historical Society, will arrive aboard an old-time Western Pacific train in time for the grand parade at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The train will leave Oakland at 8 am., stop to pick up passengers at Niles at 8:45, then travel to Carbona near Livermore and return. A barbecue for the Oakland passengers will be held at the Veterans Memorial Building.
For more, check out
The Knave April 20, 1969 in "Niles Railroad Urban Legends" folder
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