The Ghosts of Duffy's Cut: The Irish Who Died Building America's Most Dangerous Stretch of Railroad

by Watson, William E.

• ISBN13: 9780275987275
• ISBN10: 0275987272
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-30
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

In 1832, 57 Irish Catholic workers were brought to the United States to lay one of the most difficult miles of American railway, Duffy's Cut of the Pennsylvania Railroad. These men were chosen because, in the eyes of the railroad company that hired them, they were expendable. Deaths were common during the building of the railway, but this stretch was worse than most. When cholera swept the camp basic medical attention and community support was denied to them. In the end all 57 men--the entire work crew--died and were buried in a mass unmarked grave. Their families in Ireland were never notified about what had happened to them. The company did its best to cover up the incident, which was certainly one of the worst labor tragedies in U.S. history. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly industrializing America, this books tells the story of these men, the sacrifices they made, and the mistreatment that claimed their lives. The saga of Duffy's Cut focuses particularly on the Irish laborers who built the railroads. Who were these men? Who hired them? Why did they come? Perhaps most important, why did they die? Based on archaeological digs at the site and meticulous historical research, the authors argue that the annihilation of the work crew came about because of the extreme conditions of their employment, the prejudice of the surrounding community, and the vigilante violence that kept them isolated. In shedding light on this tragic chapter in American labor history, The Ghosts of Duffy's Cut also illuminates a dark side of America's rise to greatness.

Author Biography

John H. Ahtes is Assistant Professor of History, Immaculata College. William E. Watson is Associate Professor and Chair of History at Immaculata College in Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
1. The Genesis of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad	1	(18)
2. The Kingdom of Ireland in 1832	19	(12)
3. America in 1832	31	(14)
4. The Irish in Penn's Woods	45	(14)
5. The Story of Duffy's Cut	59	(20)
6. "A Chastisement for the Sins of the People": Cholera in Pennsylvania, 1832	79	(18)
7. Duffy's Cut in Historical Memory	97	(10)
8. The Ghosts of Duffy's Cut	107	(14)
9. The Duffy's Cut Project: A Chronicle	121	(18)
10. A Virtual Tour of Duffy's Cut	139	(16)
Appendix	155	(22)
Notes	177	(26)
Bibliography	203	(8)
Index	211