Asian Americans railing against Chinaman's Arch

"Asian Americans railing against Chinaman's Arch," by Kristen Moulton, © The Salt Lake Tribune. (News Article)

"Karen Kwan doesn't know the full name of her great-great-great-great grandfather, an immigrant from Canton, China, who helped build America's transcontinental railroad. ... 'Would I want my great-grandfather called 'Chinaman?' ' asks Kwan, who teaches psychology at Salt Lake Community College. 'It elicits these images of the bucktoothed ancient. . . . They're really negative images of the foreigner, the inscrutable.'    The Utah Organization of Chinese Americans has submitted an application to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names seeking to change the arch's name to Chinese Arch. ... " [More].

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

The Truckee in V&T

Looking at an early Central Pacific map of the projected line east of the California line, I spotted a location called "Truckee Station" located roughly where Sparks is today. I suspect this may have been the "Truckee" in the original V&T name. The map is in the California State Archives, and several copies are at CSRM.

Kyle K. Wyatt
Curator of History & Technology
California State Railroad Museum
111 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

My work address is: kwyatt@parks.ca.gov
My personal address is: kylewyatt@aol.com

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Virginia & Truckee Railroad Route Map.

Jane Lathrop Stanford Patek Philippe Pocket Watch

From: "Lori Paul" lori@maya.com

Regarding Jane Lathrop Stanford's Patek Philippe Pocket Watch, we are the fortunate owners of this historic artifact and would like to officially announce that this item will be auctioned off on eBay beginning Sept. 30, 2005 5P official eBay time (5P PST; 6P CPS & 8P EST). To locate this auction on Sept. 30th, search on eBay under the Antiques category and type in key words pocket watch, 18 karat gold and Patek Philippe.

Our family ancestors acquired this pocket watch during the 1970s, from a Catholic priest whose identity is unknown. In the early 1900s Jane Lathrop Stanford bequeathed this piece, and her remaining collection of jewels, to the Stanford University trustees. How it came into the hands of the unidentified Catholic priest is unknown. It had been locked in a bank vault by our family ancestors for an estimated 25 years and handed down to us where it has remained locked in a bank safe deposit box (except to take these photographs).

When inquiring to the Registrar, Permanent Collection for the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts as to whether or not any other pieces from Cooper's painting of this jewel collection had been recovered in their original form, we were told “none that (we) know of.” This seems indicative that this item may very well be the only piece represented in Cooper's painting that has been recovered in its original form.

—Lori Paul