#WednesdayWisdom:

Did you know that during the 19th Century a large number of Asian laborers; mostly Chinese, were responsible for the railroad expansion toward the west coast? The exact numbers are hard to come by because of the rampant exploitation...

...of the workers by the railroad and contracting companies. Long hours and dangerous back breaking work was the norm and many American just didn't want to do the work. In 1865 the Central Pacific line was making its way towards Sacramento near the Bloomer Cut.

The Chinese laborers, tired of working so hard and not being represented in management, organized a small rebellion. The supervisors, in an effort to maintain the tight deadline agreed to elevate a few Chinese laborers into supervisory positions.

They put one Chinese laborer in charge of supplies at a tunnel dig sight.

Days later a laborer made his way out of the tunnel to complain about the lack of food, water and other badly needed supplies. The managers wanted to get to the bottom of this and went looking for...

...the guy Chinese laborer they had put in charge of supplies.

As they walked around the corner toward the supply depot out jumped the Chinese laborer shouting:

"SUPPLIES!!"

Most of this is true.