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JA: And when he came to the United States, where did he live and what did he do?

MH: I understand he lived in Seattle and he worked for the railroad station, railroad company, and he was a timekeeper and a foreman of the group. So his job wasn't that hard, like people that had to lay tiles and things like that on the railroad tracks.

JA: How was he able to get such a position with the railroad?

MH: I have a feeling that there were people recruiting people for jobs like that and, of course, he was the older of the bunch, being twenty-three year old. I think the opportunity was there at that time.

JA: But he must have had a more advanced education, also.

MH: I have a feeling he had to, uh-huh, in Japan.

JA: And do you know what kind of living conditions he had with the railroad?

MH: Well, the living condition was not the fairest or the best, I understand. They live in these train, the little trains, I guess, and they had the food and everything brought in there; and the food is very good, is what he tells me. And, but they just traveled on the train, I guess. The sleeping quarters and everything was on the train for the working personnel, too, besides him.

JA: And, were there other Japanese working?

MH: Yes, they were mostly all Japanese, is what he said, uh-huh, to me at that time.

JA: And he was the timekeeper, but what did the crew... what did most of the other Japanese laborers do?

MH: Other laborers that he had were laying tiles on the railroad tracks between one state to the other state, is what it mainly involved.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.