September 5, 2025 • 28 mins
The smoke hangs thick across Wyoming skies, a stark reminder of the environmental challenges we face as summer transitions to fall. From critically low reservoir levels to the persistent haze that won't dissipate until winter snows arrive, our landscape tells a concerning story about climate realities in the Mountain West.
Against this backdrop, life in Wyoming continues with its rhythms and traditions. The Wyoming Cowboys kicked off their football season with an impressive 10-0 shutout victory against Akron, bringing hope and excitement to fans statewide. Local high schools have launched their sports seasons too, creating those community gathering points that define small-town life across our state.
But beyond these current events lies a profound historical narrative that deserves greater attention. Long before the infamous Heart Mountain Relocation Center imprisoned thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II, Japanese immigrants played a crucial role in building Wyoming's infrastructure. Beginning in 1892, these laborers worked on the Union Pacific and other railroad lines, enduring discrimination, violence, and "coolie wages" while helping construct the transportation network that would shape Wyoming's development.
Their story—from facing threats of hanging in Laramie to eventually rising to become section supervisors despite overwhelming odds—reveals a complex chapter in our state's labor history. These immigrants showed remarkable resilience, contributing to war bond drives during WWI and volunteering for military service despite facing legal barriers to citizenship until 1952.
As we reflect on Labor Day's meaning and Wyoming's past and present, these interconnected stories remind us how environmental challenges, community celebrations, and historical reckonings all shape our collective identity. The Japanese cemetery plots in Cheyenne and the internment camp museum near Cody stand as physical reminders of this legacy that deserves recognition.
What forgotten stories shape your community's history? How do these narratives help us understand our present challenges? Share your thoughts and join us next time for more explorations of Wyoming's rich tapestry of stories.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Good morning and welcome to let's Talk Wyoming.
I'm Mark Hamilton, your host,and today we'll be looking at
Labor Day and happy Labor Day toeveryone.
Also, we'll be looking at ourweather, our smoke, we'll be
talking about some vehicles andalso data centers and finally
we'll close on a story fromwildhistoryorg on the Japanese
(00:45):
here in Wyoming.
Thanks for joining us and wehope you enjoy the pod Taking a
look at Wyoming weather here onthe fourth day of September.
(01:06):
I hope everyone had a greatLabor Day weekend.
I was just looking here onGronk on X and, as I put in
Labor Day it came up with.
Labor Day in the United Statesis a federal holiday celebrated
on the first Monday in September, which in 2025 would fall on
(01:27):
September 1st.
It honors the contribution ofworkers and the labor movement,
recognizing the role in thecountry's economic and social
development.
The holiday originated in thelate 19th century, with the
first celebration in New YorkCity on September 5th of 1882,
organized by labor unions.
(01:47):
It became a federal holiday in1894 under President Grover
Cleveland following thesignificant labor strikes like
the Pullman Strike.
Typically, labor Day is markedby parades, picnics, barbecue
and community events.
It also signifies theunofficial end of summer, with
many schools resuming classesafterwards, retail sales, travel
(02:08):
and outdoor activities peakduring the long weekend, though
in 2025, some regions may haveadjusted schedules due to local
events or weather.
It's seen as seen in PostNXmentioning early dismissals or
event plans.
So there we go, labor Day.
I hope you all enjoyed it.
(02:32):
Looking at Wyoming weather, ithad been warm.
We have cooled down and we arehaving some warmer days Low 90s,
91, 92, 80s, high 80s it justdepends on the day and then
cools off and overnight we'regetting down to anywhere between
48 to 52 degrees.
So it does cool down.
(02:52):
Nice so you can open thosewindows up.
But what we're facing now issmoke.
Smoke's our issue.
We had fires here in HotSprings County and we had
nothing like the smoke thatwe're seeing now and today.
It just really laid in in thewhole region and with this smoke
we can plan on it being aroundfor quite a while and, just
(03:14):
depending on which way the jetstream is going and the winds,
how bad it's going to get and,like I said earlier on earlier
podcasts, all this will finallydissipate when we finally get
some moisture and get intowintertime, start getting some
snow.
I was talking to a gentlemanearlier today and he was talking
(03:35):
about up in the Matitsi countrythat the sunshine reservoirs.
There's the upper and the lowerthat they are getting so low
you can't even put a boat in nowthe upper and the lower that
they are getting so low youcan't even put a boat in now.
And they plan on continuing torun the water for the irrigation
.
Those are both irrigation lakesand or reservoirs, and so the
(03:56):
area up there there's just a lotof reservoirs that are just
bone dry and it's going to takea pretty good snowfall this
winter to start putting waterback into these.
So it's dry out there, folks.
And again, we are in Septemberand right now we could sure use
a little bit of moisture, but Iguess we'll just keep our
(04:16):
fingers crossed.
I keep looking at thelong-range forecast, but it
doesn't look too favorable rightnow.
But we'll continue on and bereally vigilant on our fires and
what we're doing to make surewe don't get anything else
started.
I can't believe the amount ofeffort and work these
firefighters are going through.
They've got to be gettingpretty well worn down by now.
(04:40):
It looks like no end in sight.
So remember those people now.
It looks like no end in sight,so remember those people and
other stuff around the area.
We are at that point.
The Wyoming Cowboys played lastweekend or last Thursday night,
I should say.
They played in Akron, ohio, andthey took on the University of
Akron and they came outvictorious 10-0 and pitched the
(05:03):
shutout.
The Cowboys start out theseason 1-0, a real improvement
for them.
They take on Northern Iowa thisSaturday 2 pm in the War
Memorial in Laramie.
First home game.
Looks like there's going to bea pretty good crowd there.
Looks like the weather shouldbe good for everyone.
I don't know much aboutNorthern Iowa but we'll see what
(05:24):
type of a game it ends up being.
And I know the Cowboys have tomake the trip to Boulder to take
on Colorado and Coach Primecoming up and said that should
be interesting.
But the Cowboys were victorious.
High school sports they starteda football Now the 4A schools
(05:45):
that actually had their firstfootball games.
Everybody else was in zero-weekgames.
They'll start their regularseason at all other
classifications this Fridaynight.
So we'll keep track of what'sgoing on in the state.
Volleyball is going, volleyballgot started and all your other
sports are going.
So busy time here in our stateof Wyoming.
(06:06):
Everybody's back in school andwe got that push where after
Labor Day there's no vacationsuntil November.
I always hated it at work whenthe Memorial Day, you knew that
4th of July was coming and after4th of July you were going to
have Labor Day.
So it's a long time between nowand Thanksgiving.
But if you look at thatcalendar, we're here in
(06:28):
September, october, novemberwe're going to be there and
it'll be Christmas time and Ihaven't even started my
Christmas shopping.
So I've got a bathroom remodelthat I need to take care of and
some other stuff I've beensearching for.
I'd like to upgrade on myvehicle.
I haven't figured out what tobuy.
(06:49):
All I know is that the price ofvehicles keep going up.
These used vehicles, they justkeep creeping up.
My daughter, she did get aTesla and a used one a 2022, but
that car has gone up 15% andshe just bought it a little over
a month ago now and it'samazing the way these prices are
(07:10):
going up.
So you keep looking andwondering what to do.
I'd love to get electric.
I always said I never would getone, but after driving one our
only issue we have here inWyoming we're a long ways away
from any type of repairs withthe nearest Tesla in Salt Lake
or in the Denver area, so Idon't know what we'll get.
(07:33):
We're a lot of Subarus aroundhere.
I don't really need to get afull-size pickup.
I want something that I can geta little better mileage, and
I've got a couple of things I'mgoing to be involved with this
winter and I'll be putting quitea few miles on the vehicle, so
I'd like to get an upgrade.
I've been looking at SubarusAlso.
I kind of like the VolkswagenGolf All-Track station wagon,
(07:57):
and I even looked at a Volvotheir V60 station wagon.
The only thing that scares meabout the Volvo is that the
repair costs on some of theircars.
Now it'll be very safe.
They are definitely one of thesafest vehicles you can ride in.
So that's what's happening Justwaiting to try to figure that
(08:17):
out, trying to get projects done, and this is time of year where
you're trying to get some wateron everything and make sure
you've caught up with everythingin your yard and try to get
some other yard work done.
Good time to do it, and but it'sgetting to that point.
We get up in the morning, I dowith the dogs and, yeah, at six
(08:39):
o'clock it's still it's dark.
So we get up about five, four30to 5, and then we head to town,
to where we walk, and it's beendark when we get to the our
walk area, and so these days aredefinitely getting shorter and
I'm going to have to look at mycalendar to see when we actually
(08:59):
fall back with our time change,and then we know after that
that we're not close or not toofar away from, I should say,
from winter really starting tobe a factor.
So, and finally, I wanted tobring up a subject that I've
been following data centers.
I know everybody that listensto the pod, wherever you live in
(09:22):
the United States, even if youlive overseas, these data
centers are getting to be quitethe trend.
Right now they're talking abouta data center down in the
Cheyenne area Cheyenne, wyomingarea and that data center will
use way more electrical powerthan the entire state of Wyoming
(09:43):
uses electrical power than theentire state of Wyoming uses and
they're going to try togenerate on-site and also use
some solar or wind renewables,but they also use tons of water.
So I'm just a little bitconcerned about these things.
They're going across thecountry and when they start
using a bunch of this excesspower, don't know what we plan
(10:06):
on doing right now.
The electric rates are upeverywhere.
So keep track of that, keepthat on your radar, the data
centers and see where they goand see what will actually
happen.
But I'm a little concerned atthis time.
Today in our history sectionthis comes from wildhistoryorg
(10:29):
Before Heart Mountain Japanesein early Wyoming and this is by
Mr Dan Lyon.
The history of Japanese peoplein Wyoming is most often
connected with the HeartMountain Relocation Center north
of Cody, where more than 10,000Japanese nationals and people
of Japanese descent fromCalifornia and the West Coast
(10:50):
were confined behind barbed wireby the US government during
World War II.
By contrast, early Japaneseimmigrants in Wyoming was always
connected to.
Railroads were in Wyoming atleast as early as 1892, when the
(11:14):
Oregon Short Line Railroademployed 40 Japanese laborers on
its route from Oregon toGranger, wyoming.
The Oregon Short Line was aUnion Pacific subsidiary that
ran from Granger in southwestWyoming to Oregon.
Beginning in 1899, the UnionPacific Railroad, emerging from
receivership after thenationwide depression of 1890,
rebuilt its entire line fromOmaha, nebraska, to Ogden, utah.
(11:37):
Workers straightened curves,replaced old bridges, lowered
grades and bored new tunnels.
As part of its restructuring,the railroad cut wages, which
made any willing worker hard tofind.
As a result, the UP tapped intoan increasingly new Asian labor
market which satisfied thedemand for laborers and the
(11:59):
hiring also boosted shareholderconfidence because Japanese
immigrants worked for cooliewages.
Chinese laborers, which hadbuilt the western half of the
transcontinental railroad in1860, were no longer available
as Congress had shut downChinese immigration with the
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
(12:20):
Though some were undocumented,the majority of the Japanese
came to Wyoming legally throughsuch ports as San Francisco,
tacoma and Seattle.
Union Pacific labor contractorsand subcontractors made the
arrangements.
The immigrants also had toprove that they would not be a
financial burden to America.
(12:41):
Meanwhile, the Chicago,burlington and Quincy Railroad,
better known later as theBurlington, had entered into
northeast Wyoming in early 1890and crossed from there into
Montana In 1901, the Burlingtonbrought in a crew of Japanese
laborers to help extend its linefrom Toluca near Billings,
(13:05):
south Dakota.
Ironically, therefore, thestretch of railroad on which the
Heart Mountain interns arrivedfour decades later may have been
constructed by Japaneseimmigrant laborers.
The Rollins-Wyoming semi-weeklyRepublican reported in April of
1901 that the Burlington hademployed Japs for the work, and
(13:26):
a large shipment of the LittleBrown Men arrived at Toluca last
week and have been distributedamong the grading and track
laying gangs.
Some four decades later, theJapanese immigrants who left
their families behind in Japanto seek a better life in America
and laid the tracks that helpedbuild Cody's economy would not
(13:47):
be welcomed because of the colorof their skin and the shape of
their eyes.
But it is by their relationswith the Union Pacific, with its
main line across southernWyoming, that we know the most
about the Japanese immigrants inthe state's early decades.
Stories about Japanese peopleappeared frequently in Wyoming's
newspapers during those years.
These articles rely largely onthose accounts and on census
(14:11):
records.
Japanese laborers worked onrailroads, in the Pacific coal
mines and, the time went on,opened businesses and raised
families in the communitiesalong the UP line.
Working for the railroads wasdangerous work.
While the railroads didn't keeprecords of workers' death
during the construction of theoriginal transcontinental
(14:32):
railroad, researchers atStanford University believe that
as many as 1,000 unskilledworkers, mostly Chinese, died
during the construction in the1860s of the Central Pacific
from California to Utah,california to Utah.
In addition, a report by theCensus Office in 1908 and 1909
noted accidents caused 52.5% ofthe deaths of untrained railroad
(14:55):
employees.
A study by two sizableindustrial life insurance
companies said deaths from theaccidents in the case of
railroad tracks and yard workerswere so numerous they
outnumbered deaths from allother causes in the industry.
Japanese laborers on the UnionPacific and Wyoming generally
came seeking prosperity likeimmigrants arriving from Europe
(15:19):
in large numbers in the sameyears, but they faced different
kind of resistance and rhetoricthat bred violence.
Labor unions, threatened bywhat they saw as foreign workers
willing to work at the samecoolly wages as the Chinese, had
been wanted to see the ChineseExclusion Act to include the
Japanese.
As a result, newspapers revivedyellow journalism propaganda
(15:43):
once used against the Chinese.
The United States adoptedstricter policies aimed at
curbing Japanese immigration.
This sometimes led to violence.
In 1900, the citizens ofEvanston threatened Japanese
newcomers by placing a can ofgunpowder under the railroad car
they were living in.
The Rollins Republican noted.
(16:04):
For many years Rollins hadplaced a ban on the yellow race
and both Mongolians and Japanesehad found it impossible to live
in town owing to the abuseheaped upon them, not as a body
of people but as individuals.
In 1908, the young boys ofLaramie waged a four-day riot
against the Japanese,threatening to hang immigrants
(16:26):
from trees, vandalizing aJapanese boarding house and
roping and dragging a Japaneseman through the streets.
But though newspapers oftendescribe the Japanese immigrants
as a failure, light in physiqueand staying qualities and as
lacking in moral steadfastnessas he was in physical force,
(16:47):
veteran roadmasters and railroadsupervisors thought otherwise.
In 1912, fw Green, a roadmasteron the Canadian Pacific
Railroad, reported that they,the Japanese, are quick to learn
the work and are intelligentand can be used in any kind of
track work, from putting in theswitches down to cleaning up or
(17:07):
fencing the right-of-way.
They, the Japanese, will do anywork as cheaply as it can be
done by other nationalities.
Although it is an unwritten lawin this locality not to promote
an Asian to foreman, I believethere are a few Japs on the
coast who would make greatforemans over the gangs of their
(17:27):
nationality.
The coast who would make greatforemen over the gangs of their
nationality.
That same year, ja Ottoman, anassistant superintendent for the
Union Pacific and Cheyenne,also praised Japanese laborers,
saying they were far superior toany other foreign nationality
and were producing moresatisfactory results.
As early as 1902, short aftertheir introduction to Wyoming,
(17:49):
the Union Pacific promotedJapanese men to track foremen.
This was also partly out ofnecessity because of the
diminishing supply of workers.
Eventually, however, 96 of the126 section supervisors in the
Wyoming Division of the UnionPacific were Japanese.
Contributing to their successwas the fact that the Japanese
(18:09):
foremen translated Union Pacificwork manuals into Japanese, so
all Japanese laborers knew howto perform their job.
Of those Japanese enumerated inCheyenne during the census of
1910, 60% indicated they hadsome command of English.
Those who didn't speak Englishlearned on the job through
(18:31):
fellow countrymen who taughtthem three words a day.
The Union Pacific hired Japaneseimmigrants with the help of
labor contractors.
The business was profitable foreveryone involved.
Contractors recruited Japaneseimmigrants with a promise of
higher wages, arrangetransportation from the homeland
and provide housing for theimmigrants.
(18:53):
Once the immigrants arrived,however, their dream of
prosperity evaporated because ofthe circumstances involved.
But the Japanese immigrants hadlittle recourse other than to
accept new low-wage jobs.
Japanese immigrants earned$1.25 a day for the same work as
European immigrants who earned$1.65 a day a day.
(19:17):
Labor contractors also deducteda 10% commission to cover
labor's expense such as food,shelter, clothing and supplies.
The Japanese immigrants lived inthe principal towns along the
UP line Cheyenne, laramie,rollins, rock Springs and
Evanston, as well as smallercoal mining communities and some
(19:37):
other forgotten places.
Railroad crews lived in boxcarsalong the track.
Japanese coal miners lived inthe camps, generally on the
outside of a community.
The section crews workedyear-round in all weather
conditions to keep the UP moving.
Once a week a passing trainbrought food to these crews who
(19:57):
were out working in freshdrinking water.
One passing train dropped wheat, flour and bacon which the men
ate daily, until the next traindropped off more supplies.
Many of the men, if not all,suffered from night blindness
because of their unbalanced diet.
The Japanese and coal miningcommunities fared a little
better.
They generally were crowdedinto fixed structures.
(20:20):
Rock Springs still had some ofthose wooden barracks.
Cemeteries in Rock Springs andHanna had some Japanese
headstones.
Laramie has a couple ofJapanese immigrants buried in
the local cemetery.
Cheyenne too had evidence of theJapanese community.
When the New Pacific firsthired Japanese immigrants at the
turn of the century, censusrecords showed communities were
(20:44):
made up of single males.
Married men left familiesbehind in Japan until they saved
enough money to send for theirkin.
By the 1910 census manyJapanese were laying down last
roots in the capital city.
Families had little privacy.
Laying down last roots in thecapital city, families had
little privacy.
However, the census reported asmany as 15 individuals
(21:04):
occupying a two-bedroom bungalowin Cheyenne, but their children
attend public schools.
There were photos of Japanesechildren in elementary and high
school yearbooks and classphotos.
Wyoming State Archives has amongits collection a diary of Mary
Julia Moore Aaron, founder ofthe First Baptist Church's
(21:28):
Americanization of Japaneseprogram.
Although the Japanese by thencould legally become American
citizens, the program taughtEnglish as a second language and
valuable life skills such ashow to cook American-style meals
.
One eager Japanese woman whoattended the classes after she
learned to make a lemon pieserved her family the tasty tart
(21:48):
on three consecutive days.
Members posing with Japanesewomen and children in front of a
section housing located southof the UP roundhouse.
One of the teachers in thephoto is Zena Emerson, the wife
of Governor Frank Emerson.
She sometimes hosted Japanesefamilies in the governor's
mansion.
The community south of theroundhouse unfortunately ceased
(22:11):
to exist after the Union Pacificexpanded its railroad further
south and around that time, theearly 1930s, an entry in the
Allen Diary said many of theJapanese families started to
return to Japan to educate theirchildren.
Cheyenne's other Japan town wasnorth of the roundhouse near the
depot.
(22:31):
The Wakamoda Nisomura LaborAgency conducted its business
there.
The agency built a combinationJapanese boarding house and a
hospital on 15th Street, but it,as well as other Japanese
boarding houses, are now vacantor parking lots.
Today, only one former Japaneseboarding house remains of Japan
(22:53):
Town North.
The only significantconcentration of Japanese found
in the Cheyenne's LakeviewCemetery In the southeastern
corner is the Japanese plot, anextension of Porter's Field.
Here nearly 100 people ofJapanese descent are buried.
The plot was founded in 1924,the same year Congress passed
(23:16):
the Immigration Act of 1924,which shut down Asian
immigration, including, for thefirst time, japanese immigration
, entirely.
Approximately one-third of theburials have a memorial.
The remaining burials are inPorter's Field.
Not all the people buried inthe Japanese plot at Lakeview
Cemetery are Japanese.
(23:37):
Sadie Nokogawa, for example,was a white woman who was
murdered by her Japanese husband.
She is unique because it wasonce legal for a Japanese or a
Chinese to marry a white woman.
This was Wyoming's law sincethe Wyoming became a territory
until the Chinese Exclusion Actin 1882.
(23:58):
The law was reintroduced in1913 and aimed specifically at
the Japanese.
Japanese immigrants were neverfully assimilated into Wyoming
in the early 20th centurybecause of the prevailing
political climate.
Many communities, however, didto some extent accept the
Japanese.
The Japanese routinelysponsored local firework
(24:20):
displays in such communities asOakley and Diamondville, near
Kemmerer and in Rock Springs.
The Japanese also showed theirloyalty, supporting Red Cross
subscriptions and war bondsduring World War I.
In 1918, japanese residentsraised $5,300 for Oakley's third
Liberty Loan Drive.
$5,300 for Oakley's thirdLiberty loan drive, the
(24:41):
equivalent of more than $104,000in 2022.
Many Japanese also volunteeredfor the draft during World War I
, believing it was a pathway tocitizenship.
The US Army inducted fewJapanese volunteers, however,
because of existing treaties,gave them an exemption to the
(25:02):
draft.
Tom R Yamoto, a cook at a ranchin Cokeville, was just one of
500 Japanese in the nationgranted citizenship for military
service.
He trained at Fort Riley,kansas, but he did not serve
overseas.
He received his citizenship onMarch 7, 1921 at the ceremony in
(25:26):
Kemmer.
Other Japanese would have towait until 1952 before they
could apply for citizenship.
Another Japanese whovolunteered for the draft during
World War I was Dan Horeik.
He was 25 and a section gangforeman for the CB&Q railroad at
Ralston, near the HeartMountain train stop between Cody
(25:47):
and Powell.
One has to wonder whether hetoo worked on the railroad lines
that led to Heart Mountain.
When the Japanese bombed PearlHarbor in December of 1941 and
World War II began.
Hundreds of Japanese stole workfor the Union Pacific and coal
mines and on the tracks.
In February of 1942, the UPdismissed 75 Japanese employees
(26:12):
who had been replacing a mainswitch at Howell, north of
Laramie, under the suspicion ofsabotage which was never proven.
Later that month, the NewPacific President, william
Jeffers, wrote Make no mistakeabout it, I am alterably opposed
to the employment of allJapanese on these railroads,
whether they are Japanesenationals or whether they are
(26:33):
Japanese born in this country.
Tom Kawaguchi, who had workedas a coal miner since 1905, died
on November 15, 1945, afterspending the war years
harvesting the coal that fueledthe troop trains.
Not all Japanese who worked forthe Union Pacific were fired,
however.
The company retained Japanesecoal miners since they were
(26:54):
essential to the American wareffort.
A very good story about ourworld and our early years here
in Wyoming and I have been tothe Heart Mountain Internment
Camp that they put up.
It is definitely worth the tripup there to make the stop.
It's located between Cody andPowell.
(27:15):
It's real easy to find rightalongside the road and plan on
staying for a few hours.
Thanks for joining us today andwe hope you enjoy our podcast.
As per the code of the West.
We ride for the brand and weride for Wyoming.
(27:35):
We'll be right back ¶¶.
(28:49):
Thank you.
Good morning and welcome to let's Talk Wyoming.
I'm Mark Hamilton, your host,and today we'll be looking at
Labor Day and happy Labor Day toeveryone.
Also, we'll be looking at ourweather, our smoke, we'll be
talking about some vehicles andalso data centers and finally
we'll close on a story fromwildhistoryorg on the Japanese
(00:45):
here in Wyoming.
Thanks for joining us and wehope you enjoy the pod Taking a
look at Wyoming weather here onthe fourth day of September.
(01:06):
I hope everyone had a greatLabor Day weekend.
I was just looking here onGronk on X and, as I put in
Labor Day it came up with.
Labor Day in the United Statesis a federal holiday celebrated
on the first Monday in September, which in 2025 would fall on
(01:27):
September 1st.
It honors the contribution ofworkers and the labor movement,
recognizing the role in thecountry's economic and social
development.
The holiday originated in thelate 19th century, with the
first celebration in New YorkCity on September 5th of 1882,
organized by labor unions.
(01:47):
It became a federal holiday in1894 under President Grover
Cleveland following thesignificant labor strikes like
the Pullman Strike.
Typically, labor Day is markedby parades, picnics, barbecue
and community events.
It also signifies theunofficial end of summer, with
many schools resuming classesafterwards, retail sales, travel
(02:08):
and outdoor activities peakduring the long weekend, though
in 2025, some regions may haveadjusted schedules due to local
events or weather.
It's seen as seen in PostNXmentioning early dismissals or
event plans.
So there we go, labor Day.
I hope you all enjoyed it.
(02:32):
Looking at Wyoming weather, ithad been warm.
We have cooled down and we arehaving some warmer days Low 90s,
91, 92, 80s, high 80s it justdepends on the day and then
cools off and overnight we'regetting down to anywhere between
48 to 52 degrees.
So it does cool down.
(02:52):
Nice so you can open thosewindows up.
But what we're facing now issmoke.
Smoke's our issue.
We had fires here in HotSprings County and we had
nothing like the smoke thatwe're seeing now and today.
It just really laid in in thewhole region and with this smoke
we can plan on it being aroundfor quite a while and, just
(03:14):
depending on which way the jetstream is going and the winds,
how bad it's going to get and,like I said earlier on earlier
podcasts, all this will finallydissipate when we finally get
some moisture and get intowintertime, start getting some
snow.
I was talking to a gentlemanearlier today and he was talking
(03:35):
about up in the Matitsi countrythat the sunshine reservoirs.
There's the upper and the lowerthat they are getting so low
you can't even put a boat in nowthe upper and the lower that
they are getting so low youcan't even put a boat in now.
And they plan on continuing torun the water for the irrigation
.
Those are both irrigation lakesand or reservoirs, and so the
(03:56):
area up there there's just a lotof reservoirs that are just
bone dry and it's going to takea pretty good snowfall this
winter to start putting waterback into these.
So it's dry out there, folks.
And again, we are in Septemberand right now we could sure use
a little bit of moisture, but Iguess we'll just keep our
(04:16):
fingers crossed.
I keep looking at thelong-range forecast, but it
doesn't look too favorable rightnow.
But we'll continue on and bereally vigilant on our fires and
what we're doing to make surewe don't get anything else
started.
I can't believe the amount ofeffort and work these
firefighters are going through.
They've got to be gettingpretty well worn down by now.
(04:40):
It looks like no end in sight.
So remember those people now.
It looks like no end in sight,so remember those people and
other stuff around the area.
We are at that point.
The Wyoming Cowboys played lastweekend or last Thursday night,
I should say.
They played in Akron, ohio, andthey took on the University of
Akron and they came outvictorious 10-0 and pitched the
(05:03):
shutout.
The Cowboys start out theseason 1-0, a real improvement
for them.
They take on Northern Iowa thisSaturday 2 pm in the War
Memorial in Laramie.
First home game.
Looks like there's going to bea pretty good crowd there.
Looks like the weather shouldbe good for everyone.
I don't know much aboutNorthern Iowa but we'll see what
(05:24):
type of a game it ends up being.
And I know the Cowboys have tomake the trip to Boulder to take
on Colorado and Coach Primecoming up and said that should
be interesting.
But the Cowboys were victorious.
High school sports they starteda football Now the 4A schools
(05:45):
that actually had their firstfootball games.
Everybody else was in zero-weekgames.
They'll start their regularseason at all other
classifications this Fridaynight.
So we'll keep track of what'sgoing on in the state.
Volleyball is going, volleyballgot started and all your other
sports are going.
So busy time here in our stateof Wyoming.
(06:06):
Everybody's back in school andwe got that push where after
Labor Day there's no vacationsuntil November.
I always hated it at work whenthe Memorial Day, you knew that
4th of July was coming and after4th of July you were going to
have Labor Day.
So it's a long time between nowand Thanksgiving.
But if you look at thatcalendar, we're here in
(06:28):
September, october, novemberwe're going to be there and
it'll be Christmas time and Ihaven't even started my
Christmas shopping.
So I've got a bathroom remodelthat I need to take care of and
some other stuff I've beensearching for.
I'd like to upgrade on myvehicle.
I haven't figured out what tobuy.
(06:49):
All I know is that the price ofvehicles keep going up.
These used vehicles, they justkeep creeping up.
My daughter, she did get aTesla and a used one a 2022, but
that car has gone up 15% andshe just bought it a little over
a month ago now and it'samazing the way these prices are
(07:10):
going up.
So you keep looking andwondering what to do.
I'd love to get electric.
I always said I never would getone, but after driving one our
only issue we have here inWyoming we're a long ways away
from any type of repairs withthe nearest Tesla in Salt Lake
or in the Denver area, so Idon't know what we'll get.
(07:33):
We're a lot of Subarus aroundhere.
I don't really need to get afull-size pickup.
I want something that I can geta little better mileage, and
I've got a couple of things I'mgoing to be involved with this
winter and I'll be putting quitea few miles on the vehicle, so
I'd like to get an upgrade.
I've been looking at SubarusAlso.
I kind of like the VolkswagenGolf All-Track station wagon,
(07:57):
and I even looked at a Volvotheir V60 station wagon.
The only thing that scares meabout the Volvo is that the
repair costs on some of theircars.
Now it'll be very safe.
They are definitely one of thesafest vehicles you can ride in.
So that's what's happening Justwaiting to try to figure that
(08:17):
out, trying to get projects done, and this is time of year where
you're trying to get some wateron everything and make sure
you've caught up with everythingin your yard and try to get
some other yard work done.
Good time to do it, and but it'sgetting to that point.
We get up in the morning, I dowith the dogs and, yeah, at six
(08:39):
o'clock it's still it's dark.
So we get up about five, four30to 5, and then we head to town,
to where we walk, and it's beendark when we get to the our
walk area, and so these days aredefinitely getting shorter and
I'm going to have to look at mycalendar to see when we actually
(08:59):
fall back with our time change,and then we know after that
that we're not close or not toofar away from, I should say,
from winter really starting tobe a factor.
So, and finally, I wanted tobring up a subject that I've
been following data centers.
I know everybody that listensto the pod, wherever you live in
(09:22):
the United States, even if youlive overseas, these data
centers are getting to be quitethe trend.
Right now they're talking abouta data center down in the
Cheyenne area Cheyenne, wyomingarea and that data center will
use way more electrical powerthan the entire state of Wyoming
(09:43):
uses electrical power than theentire state of Wyoming uses and
they're going to try togenerate on-site and also use
some solar or wind renewables,but they also use tons of water.
So I'm just a little bitconcerned about these things.
They're going across thecountry and when they start
using a bunch of this excesspower, don't know what we plan
(10:06):
on doing right now.
The electric rates are upeverywhere.
So keep track of that, keepthat on your radar, the data
centers and see where they goand see what will actually
happen.
But I'm a little concerned atthis time.
Today in our history sectionthis comes from wildhistoryorg
(10:29):
Before Heart Mountain Japanesein early Wyoming and this is by
Mr Dan Lyon.
The history of Japanese peoplein Wyoming is most often
connected with the HeartMountain Relocation Center north
of Cody, where more than 10,000Japanese nationals and people
of Japanese descent fromCalifornia and the West Coast
(10:50):
were confined behind barbed wireby the US government during
World War II.
By contrast, early Japaneseimmigrants in Wyoming was always
connected to.
Railroads were in Wyoming atleast as early as 1892, when the
(11:14):
Oregon Short Line Railroademployed 40 Japanese laborers on
its route from Oregon toGranger, wyoming.
The Oregon Short Line was aUnion Pacific subsidiary that
ran from Granger in southwestWyoming to Oregon.
Beginning in 1899, the UnionPacific Railroad, emerging from
receivership after thenationwide depression of 1890,
rebuilt its entire line fromOmaha, nebraska, to Ogden, utah.
(11:37):
Workers straightened curves,replaced old bridges, lowered
grades and bored new tunnels.
As part of its restructuring,the railroad cut wages, which
made any willing worker hard tofind.
As a result, the UP tapped intoan increasingly new Asian labor
market which satisfied thedemand for laborers and the
(11:59):
hiring also boosted shareholderconfidence because Japanese
immigrants worked for cooliewages.
Chinese laborers, which hadbuilt the western half of the
transcontinental railroad in1860, were no longer available
as Congress had shut downChinese immigration with the
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
(12:20):
Though some were undocumented,the majority of the Japanese
came to Wyoming legally throughsuch ports as San Francisco,
tacoma and Seattle.
Union Pacific labor contractorsand subcontractors made the
arrangements.
The immigrants also had toprove that they would not be a
financial burden to America.
(12:41):
Meanwhile, the Chicago,burlington and Quincy Railroad,
better known later as theBurlington, had entered into
northeast Wyoming in early 1890and crossed from there into
Montana In 1901, the Burlingtonbrought in a crew of Japanese
laborers to help extend its linefrom Toluca near Billings,
(13:05):
south Dakota.
Ironically, therefore, thestretch of railroad on which the
Heart Mountain interns arrivedfour decades later may have been
constructed by Japaneseimmigrant laborers.
The Rollins-Wyoming semi-weeklyRepublican reported in April of
1901 that the Burlington hademployed Japs for the work, and
(13:26):
a large shipment of the LittleBrown Men arrived at Toluca last
week and have been distributedamong the grading and track
laying gangs.
Some four decades later, theJapanese immigrants who left
their families behind in Japanto seek a better life in America
and laid the tracks that helpedbuild Cody's economy would not
(13:47):
be welcomed because of the colorof their skin and the shape of
their eyes.
But it is by their relationswith the Union Pacific, with its
main line across southernWyoming, that we know the most
about the Japanese immigrants inthe state's early decades.
Stories about Japanese peopleappeared frequently in Wyoming's
newspapers during those years.
These articles rely largely onthose accounts and on census
(14:11):
records.
Japanese laborers worked onrailroads, in the Pacific coal
mines and, the time went on,opened businesses and raised
families in the communitiesalong the UP line.
Working for the railroads wasdangerous work.
While the railroads didn't keeprecords of workers' death
during the construction of theoriginal transcontinental
(14:32):
railroad, researchers atStanford University believe that
as many as 1,000 unskilledworkers, mostly Chinese, died
during the construction in the1860s of the Central Pacific
from California to Utah,california to Utah.
In addition, a report by theCensus Office in 1908 and 1909
noted accidents caused 52.5% ofthe deaths of untrained railroad
(14:55):
employees.
A study by two sizableindustrial life insurance
companies said deaths from theaccidents in the case of
railroad tracks and yard workerswere so numerous they
outnumbered deaths from allother causes in the industry.
Japanese laborers on the UnionPacific and Wyoming generally
came seeking prosperity likeimmigrants arriving from Europe
(15:19):
in large numbers in the sameyears, but they faced different
kind of resistance and rhetoricthat bred violence.
Labor unions, threatened bywhat they saw as foreign workers
willing to work at the samecoolly wages as the Chinese, had
been wanted to see the ChineseExclusion Act to include the
Japanese.
As a result, newspapers revivedyellow journalism propaganda
(15:43):
once used against the Chinese.
The United States adoptedstricter policies aimed at
curbing Japanese immigration.
This sometimes led to violence.
In 1900, the citizens ofEvanston threatened Japanese
newcomers by placing a can ofgunpowder under the railroad car
they were living in.
The Rollins Republican noted.
(16:04):
For many years Rollins hadplaced a ban on the yellow race
and both Mongolians and Japanesehad found it impossible to live
in town owing to the abuseheaped upon them, not as a body
of people but as individuals.
In 1908, the young boys ofLaramie waged a four-day riot
against the Japanese,threatening to hang immigrants
(16:26):
from trees, vandalizing aJapanese boarding house and
roping and dragging a Japaneseman through the streets.
But though newspapers oftendescribe the Japanese immigrants
as a failure, light in physiqueand staying qualities and as
lacking in moral steadfastnessas he was in physical force,
(16:47):
veteran roadmasters and railroadsupervisors thought otherwise.
In 1912, fw Green, a roadmasteron the Canadian Pacific
Railroad, reported that they,the Japanese, are quick to learn
the work and are intelligentand can be used in any kind of
track work, from putting in theswitches down to cleaning up or
(17:07):
fencing the right-of-way.
They, the Japanese, will do anywork as cheaply as it can be
done by other nationalities.
Although it is an unwritten lawin this locality not to promote
an Asian to foreman, I believethere are a few Japs on the
coast who would make greatforemans over the gangs of their
(17:27):
nationality.
The coast who would make greatforemen over the gangs of their
nationality.
That same year, ja Ottoman, anassistant superintendent for the
Union Pacific and Cheyenne,also praised Japanese laborers,
saying they were far superior toany other foreign nationality
and were producing moresatisfactory results.
As early as 1902, short aftertheir introduction to Wyoming,
(17:49):
the Union Pacific promotedJapanese men to track foremen.
This was also partly out ofnecessity because of the
diminishing supply of workers.
Eventually, however, 96 of the126 section supervisors in the
Wyoming Division of the UnionPacific were Japanese.
Contributing to their successwas the fact that the Japanese
(18:09):
foremen translated Union Pacificwork manuals into Japanese, so
all Japanese laborers knew howto perform their job.
Of those Japanese enumerated inCheyenne during the census of
1910, 60% indicated they hadsome command of English.
Those who didn't speak Englishlearned on the job through
(18:31):
fellow countrymen who taughtthem three words a day.
The Union Pacific hired Japaneseimmigrants with the help of
labor contractors.
The business was profitable foreveryone involved.
Contractors recruited Japaneseimmigrants with a promise of
higher wages, arrangetransportation from the homeland
and provide housing for theimmigrants.
(18:53):
Once the immigrants arrived,however, their dream of
prosperity evaporated because ofthe circumstances involved.
But the Japanese immigrants hadlittle recourse other than to
accept new low-wage jobs.
Japanese immigrants earned$1.25 a day for the same work as
European immigrants who earned$1.65 a day a day.
(19:17):
Labor contractors also deducteda 10% commission to cover
labor's expense such as food,shelter, clothing and supplies.
The Japanese immigrants lived inthe principal towns along the
UP line Cheyenne, laramie,rollins, rock Springs and
Evanston, as well as smallercoal mining communities and some
(19:37):
other forgotten places.
Railroad crews lived in boxcarsalong the track.
Japanese coal miners lived inthe camps, generally on the
outside of a community.
The section crews workedyear-round in all weather
conditions to keep the UP moving.
Once a week a passing trainbrought food to these crews who
(19:57):
were out working in freshdrinking water.
One passing train dropped wheat, flour and bacon which the men
ate daily, until the next traindropped off more supplies.
Many of the men, if not all,suffered from night blindness
because of their unbalanced diet.
The Japanese and coal miningcommunities fared a little
better.
They generally were crowdedinto fixed structures.
(20:20):
Rock Springs still had some ofthose wooden barracks.
Cemeteries in Rock Springs andHanna had some Japanese
headstones.
Laramie has a couple ofJapanese immigrants buried in
the local cemetery.
Cheyenne too had evidence of theJapanese community.
When the New Pacific firsthired Japanese immigrants at the
turn of the century, censusrecords showed communities were
(20:44):
made up of single males.
Married men left familiesbehind in Japan until they saved
enough money to send for theirkin.
By the 1910 census manyJapanese were laying down last
roots in the capital city.
Families had little privacy.
Laying down last roots in thecapital city, families had
little privacy.
However, the census reported asmany as 15 individuals
(21:04):
occupying a two-bedroom bungalowin Cheyenne, but their children
attend public schools.
There were photos of Japanesechildren in elementary and high
school yearbooks and classphotos.
Wyoming State Archives has amongits collection a diary of Mary
Julia Moore Aaron, founder ofthe First Baptist Church's
(21:28):
Americanization of Japaneseprogram.
Although the Japanese by thencould legally become American
citizens, the program taughtEnglish as a second language and
valuable life skills such ashow to cook American-style meals
.
One eager Japanese woman whoattended the classes after she
learned to make a lemon pieserved her family the tasty tart
(21:48):
on three consecutive days.
Members posing with Japanesewomen and children in front of a
section housing located southof the UP roundhouse.
One of the teachers in thephoto is Zena Emerson, the wife
of Governor Frank Emerson.
She sometimes hosted Japanesefamilies in the governor's
mansion.
The community south of theroundhouse unfortunately ceased
(22:11):
to exist after the Union Pacificexpanded its railroad further
south and around that time, theearly 1930s, an entry in the
Allen Diary said many of theJapanese families started to
return to Japan to educate theirchildren.
Cheyenne's other Japan town wasnorth of the roundhouse near the
depot.
(22:31):
The Wakamoda Nisomura LaborAgency conducted its business
there.
The agency built a combinationJapanese boarding house and a
hospital on 15th Street, but it,as well as other Japanese
boarding houses, are now vacantor parking lots.
Today, only one former Japaneseboarding house remains of Japan
(22:53):
Town North.
The only significantconcentration of Japanese found
in the Cheyenne's LakeviewCemetery In the southeastern
corner is the Japanese plot, anextension of Porter's Field.
Here nearly 100 people ofJapanese descent are buried.
The plot was founded in 1924,the same year Congress passed
(23:16):
the Immigration Act of 1924,which shut down Asian
immigration, including, for thefirst time, japanese immigration
, entirely.
Approximately one-third of theburials have a memorial.
The remaining burials are inPorter's Field.
Not all the people buried inthe Japanese plot at Lakeview
Cemetery are Japanese.
(23:37):
Sadie Nokogawa, for example,was a white woman who was
murdered by her Japanese husband.
She is unique because it wasonce legal for a Japanese or a
Chinese to marry a white woman.
This was Wyoming's law sincethe Wyoming became a territory
until the Chinese Exclusion Actin 1882.
(23:58):
The law was reintroduced in1913 and aimed specifically at
the Japanese.
Japanese immigrants were neverfully assimilated into Wyoming
in the early 20th centurybecause of the prevailing
political climate.
Many communities, however, didto some extent accept the
Japanese.
The Japanese routinelysponsored local firework
(24:20):
displays in such communities asOakley and Diamondville, near
Kemmerer and in Rock Springs.
The Japanese also showed theirloyalty, supporting Red Cross
subscriptions and war bondsduring World War I.
In 1918, japanese residentsraised $5,300 for Oakley's third
Liberty Loan Drive.
$5,300 for Oakley's thirdLiberty loan drive, the
(24:41):
equivalent of more than $104,000in 2022.
Many Japanese also volunteeredfor the draft during World War I
, believing it was a pathway tocitizenship.
The US Army inducted fewJapanese volunteers, however,
because of existing treaties,gave them an exemption to the
(25:02):
draft.
Tom R Yamoto, a cook at a ranchin Cokeville, was just one of
500 Japanese in the nationgranted citizenship for military
service.
He trained at Fort Riley,kansas, but he did not serve
overseas.
He received his citizenship onMarch 7, 1921 at the ceremony in
(25:26):
Kemmer.
Other Japanese would have towait until 1952 before they
could apply for citizenship.
Another Japanese whovolunteered for the draft during
World War I was Dan Horeik.
He was 25 and a section gangforeman for the CB&Q railroad at
Ralston, near the HeartMountain train stop between Cody
(25:47):
and Powell.
One has to wonder whether hetoo worked on the railroad lines
that led to Heart Mountain.
When the Japanese bombed PearlHarbor in December of 1941 and
World War II began.
Hundreds of Japanese stole workfor the Union Pacific and coal
mines and on the tracks.
In February of 1942, the UPdismissed 75 Japanese employees
(26:12):
who had been replacing a mainswitch at Howell, north of
Laramie, under the suspicion ofsabotage which was never proven.
Later that month, the NewPacific President, william
Jeffers, wrote Make no mistakeabout it, I am alterably opposed
to the employment of allJapanese on these railroads,
whether they are Japanesenationals or whether they are
(26:33):
Japanese born in this country.
Tom Kawaguchi, who had workedas a coal miner since 1905, died
on November 15, 1945, afterspending the war years
harvesting the coal that fueledthe troop trains.
Not all Japanese who worked forthe Union Pacific were fired,
however.
The company retained Japanesecoal miners since they were
(26:54):
essential to the American wareffort.
A very good story about ourworld and our early years here
in Wyoming and I have been tothe Heart Mountain Internment
Camp that they put up.
It is definitely worth the tripup there to make the stop.
It's located between Cody andPowell.
(27:15):
It's real easy to find rightalongside the road and plan on
staying for a few hours.
Thanks for joining us today andwe hope you enjoy our podcast.
As per the code of the West.
We ride for the brand and weride for Wyoming.
(27:35):
We'll be right back ¶¶.
(28:49):
Thank you.
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