How Did Judah Influence The Rule Of California

The "Four Associates" were the most beneficiated after the built of the railroad in California. In the 1840's, Asa Whitney, China merchant, was the first person considering that a transcontinental railroad in the United States could provide to the nation an expansion of its commerce with far western countries like China, India, and all Asia; however, it was just a dream of Whitney. In 1854, Theodore Judah, constructor engineer and surveyor, traveled from the Atlantic to California with the purpose to convert that dream into reality; during his first six years in California, Judah discovered the route for the railroad. After that, Judah needed a few business investors to form the railroad company; his next step was to meet with Charles Crocker, Nark Hopkins, Collis P. Huntington, and Leland Stanford in Sacramento, all of them had come to gold rush

Judah's first mistake was to accept to be just the chief engineer in the company and let them be in charge of the main positions. Later on, Leland Stanford was selected as the governor of California, which was very convenient for the company because with his influences the government approved several bonds to help the company to pay for the project and gave them some benefits. Among them was the Pacific Railroad Act, approved in 1862, which authorized the building of a telegraph line to complement the rail system; another benefit was the offering from the government to gave them money for each mile of construction; plus, the government gave them the rights of the land near to the railroad tracks. When the associates saw the government' proposition, they tried to collect the money. They asked Judah to sign the documentation required to charge for a work had not done; however, Judah did not agree with the plan, so he resigned. Crocker, Hopkins, Huntington, and Stanford allies the "Big Four" or "Four Associates" took advantage of the people and government during and after the construction of the Central Pacific