Spanish speaking peoples in Utah, oral histories: book 1, numbers 1 through 10

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I TERVIE~v: Senor Santos Cabrerra Page 12 SC: carry things. Everything was by hand. To carry and load the old rail--we did it by hand. Now they have a machine that's magnetic, and operated by electricity, which lifts whatever load there is. In those days everything was done by hand, by hand alone--load and unload the rail--everything by hand. V}1: Mr. Cabrerra, when you arrived here, how much did they pay you on the railroad? SC: \Yhen I came here, that's why I stayed. The Western Pacific and this company paid the same. They paid three dollars and four cents, and here the same. The 1 other states, the other three states, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, they all three paid the same wages, too, but not as much. VM: Mr. Cabrerra, were there many Mexicans then working on the track. SC: Yes, one had to find whatever work he could. Then, many Mexicans started to come to this country. And the mines closed, or there was a strike, then they came to work on the railroad. VM: Mr. Cabrerra, why didn't many Mexicans come to Utah before this time? SC: Before the revolution very few came, but during the years of--of war in Mexico, many didn't want to become involved, and so came here. For that reason, families started to come, but before that time, the ones who came were always single or without families. Family didn't come. Here in this area, when you saw a Mexican woman it was like seeing your mother.