<P> In 1885 the Central Pacific Railroad was leased by the Southern Pacific Company . Technically the CPRR remained a corporate entity until 1959, when it was formally merged into Southern Pacific . (It was reorganized in 1899 as the Central Pacific "Railway".) The original right - of - way is now controlled by the Union Pacific, which bought Southern Pacific in 1996 . </P> <P> The Union Pacific - Central Pacific (Southern Pacific) mainline followed the historic Overland Route from Omaha, Nebraska to San Francisco Bay . </P> <P> Chinese labor was the most vital source for constructing the railroad . Fifty Chinese laborers were hired by the Central Pacific Railroad in February 1865, and soon more and more Chinese men were hired . Working conditions were harsh, and Chinese men were compensated less than their white counterparts . Chinese men were paid thirty - one dollars each month, and while white workers were paid the same, they were also given room and board . </P> <P> Construction of the road was financed primarily by 30 - year, 6% U.S. government bonds authorized by Sec. 5 of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 . They were issued at the rate of $16,000 per mile of tracked grade completed west of the designated base of the Sierra Nevada range near Roseville, CA where California state geologist Josiah Whitney had determined were the geologic start of the Sierras' foothills . Sec. 11 of the Act also provided that the issuance of bonds "shall be treble the number per mile" (to $48,000) for tracked grade completed over and within the two mountain ranges (but limited to a total of 300 miles (480 km) at this rate), and "doubled" (to $32,000) per mile of completed grade laid between the two mountain ranges . The U.S. Government Bonds, which constituted a lien upon the railroads and all their fixtures, were repaid in full (and with interest) by the company as and when they became due . </P>

Who made up the labor force on the central pacific railroad track
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