Railroad Recruitment

1882 - 1910

Los Traqueros

The term Traquero describes the Mexican/Mexican-American railroad track worker. Mexicans were the dominant immigrant labor performing trackwork in the Southwest by the turn of the 20th century. [2] The workers continuously dealt with racist remarks and discriminatory actions from their co-workers and supervisors. The leaders of the railroads preferred hiring Mexicans due to them working for lower wages and longer hours without any outwardly spoken problems. [1]

Mexican refugees on a railroad track in El Paso. From Council on Foreign Relations, crediting El Paso Public Library/AP

The recruitment is a product of a labor shortage in the U.S. The demand for Mexicans was high due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The act discontinued the immigration from China. It is estimated that over 16,000 Mexicans were contributing to the work on the railroads. By the 1900s, Mexicans made up about 60 percent of the workforce on the railroads. [3]

There were many risks and safety hazards to be cautious of while working on the railroads. There were few safety regulations, poor living arrangements, and the climate could be dangerous at times too. The Interstate Commerce Commission gave a report that stated trackmen were injured and died doing their job more than any other position in the industry. [1]

Dangerous Work

Mexican Railroad Workers. By Otis A. Aultman 1874-1943. From University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting El Paso Public Library

Finding Freedom

Railroad recruitment took advantage of minorities in the United States. Mexicans specifically were abused for the good of the United States. Providing low wages for high risk jobs isn’t a humane or free way to live. The railroad recruitment caused Mexicans to struggle for minimum survival in the U.S. Their lifespans were cut short due to the hazardous conditions of the labor. Mexicans were forced to live a life that the United States chose for them instead of allowing them the freedom to choose.

Bibliography

Traqueros : Mexican railroad workers in the united states, 1870-1930. (2012). Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
“Traqueros: Mexican Railroad Workers In The United States, 1870-1930.” American, www.american-rails.com/traqueros.html.
Timeline: U.S.-Mexico Relations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-mexico-relations