I've never found mention in the early press of segregation in regular chair and sleeping car accomodations on the Central Pacific and on the Southern Pacific but in the January 23, 1875 Gilroy Advocate, it was reported that a smoking car on the Central Pacific had a separate section for Chinese.
As I recall, when Robert Louis Stevenson rode the Union Pacific emigrant train in 1879 he reported a separate car for Chinese. Check The Amateur Emigrant, especially the part called Across the Plains. There are several on-line sources:
Stevens reached Council Bluffs on pg 23 of this Google Books version. The Emigrant Train starts on pg 26 Chinese are on pgs 27 and 30. Note the car was predominently Chinese, not exclusively, as the men's car overflowed.
From: Hsweetser@aol.com
ReplyDeleteSubject: Re: Tickets; Segregation
I've never found mention in the early press of segregation in regular chair and sleeping car accomodations on the Central Pacific and on the Southern Pacific but in the January 23, 1875 Gilroy Advocate, it was reported that a smoking car on the Central Pacific had a separate section for Chinese.
—John Sweetser
From: kylewyatt@aol.com
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, when Robert Louis Stevenson rode the Union Pacific emigrant train in 1879 he reported a separate car for Chinese. Check The Amateur Emigrant, especially the part called Across the Plains. There are several on-line sources:
Stevens reached Council Bluffs on pg 23 of this Google Books version.
The Emigrant Train starts on pg 26
Chinese are on pgs 27 and 30. Note the car was predominently Chinese, not exclusively, as the men's car overflowed.
classiclit version
gutenberg project version
—Kyle