THE CHINESE IN CALIFORNIA.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 199, 3 May 1878, Page 7

THE CHINESE IN CALIFORNIA.

(From a Correspondent of the New JSeu* ''" land Berdld). : The Chinese have been in California daring back as far. as 1846. -\. There was then one pioneer Chinaman. The firsc largp. shipment was by a cigar manu* facrurer, n European. He introduced thorn as Chinese chnup luhour. In San Francisco you may sen them in Chinese factories, 50 in a room, working sewing machines, making pant shirts, and all kinds of European clothing ► they may be seen working from early in. the morning till 11 and 12 at night. This is what is called Chinese industry.' I call it slavery. Is ih ere any wonder why Europeans cannot compete with, them 1 The same may be said with all ;; other branches of industry that. they, have monopolised, the making of car* pet- slippers, ladies' boots and shoes, < etc. ; the manufacturing of tin-ware) such as billies, coffee, pots, etc. j, you , may seeCbinese cobblers, watch-makers, ,- money-brokers, tailors. Stores ..and ; shops innumerable j Chinese offices for - the hire of Chinese servants, to which l ladies (European) go when they; want to hire a man chambermaid, or a Chinese boy to curse baby and wheel the pre- ; ambulator when the' lady goes , on V. Chinamen are employed 1 in a majority ' of private houses to| do all the work that otherwise would have , boen done by European females — washing, ironinoy ■> eooking,}making beds, cleaning window's, scrubbing, watering the garden and keep- -: ingit in order. In some large hotels they '' ■ are employed scrubbingycleaning- veget-. ables, washing dishes, etc., and in country hotels they are largely employed ad cooks, etc. Most all the washing of clothes, I might say, is dooe by China--men. In San ! Francisco^ all the ' bystreets are full of Chinpse washhotises. They are so numerous that a law has : '; been passed providing that they shall ' : be six shops apart-. -This,; I believe, on account of fire. These Chinese wash * . houses are patronised, by men and wo* men. You may often see the females going in there inquiring about their washing. Chinamen do all the fluting and wearing apparel to perfection, I am told, better than- Susan or Jane. Most all servant girls send their washing r there. The Chinaman is so convenient" there is no resisting him. He comes for the dirty clothes and brings them back clean. His charges are cheap, and he will trust for a week or a month. Several Europeans have' what" are called «« WhirenoanV laundries. Their motto is «* No Chinaman employed," but such is the state of things that a great number of them employ, ■ Chinamen. There are Chinese vyashhouses in every town or city throughout California and the Kocky Mountains, in Salt Lake City, Helena, Montana, all through Oregon, and even in British Columbia.

Chinamen are employed en all the railways throughout California, and as , fir over on the Pacific Line as Cheyenne, grading and repairing the road. Every large and small town in Cali- : fornia has its population of Chinese. They acquire land arid houses, and they are a fixture; all light farming work - '. they do, picking fruit, &c, to San Francisco in Fjuvopean style. ' Some ot the bay steamers are mainly supported by Cbinpse sailors, coal - passers, and stokers. This company's vessels run to China and Japan, ;, Oregon, Panama, o • route, and on the Australian Mail service. During the six years I., was in San Francisco, they have landed Chinese men and women at the, rate' of 1200 to. 1500 every fortnight ; and besides innumerable ships halve arrived with 400 to 800— these latter would not be ' noticed in San Francisco. If vou'go out early of a morning to the_ different markets, you may see" 'about a hundred Chinese pedlers at each, getting their stock for the day's round. And in the daytime Chinese rag-pickers are innumerable. If not closely wa'icbecl ! Q ' they will steal anything they can put. their hands ori: ■ ■ ; Chinese merchants and companies are acquiring a good share of landed" estates in San Francisco, encroaching on some of the principal streets. They ship a great quantity of/ cigars, and, cheap clothing to the Eastern States. There are .two theatres and two Chin ps'q ■' Joss houses: Chinese retail cigarsj stores are scattered all over the "town, 0 : and on some of the principal strpets. They economise every ayailabTe" npace. , • , Ff they get possession of a- shop: that is lofty, they make a second i room above, generally with enough room to. sit,' :> down, with their heads touching the ceiling. Their lodging Viiouses- are , r crowded to suffocation, packed like sardines, i■. '„/"■' .;•; -" ; •;•' ■■ ,■ r^' "■ '■}■ , A Chinese women is a piece' of goods, ' to be bought and sold. If a. Chinaman >, '] [ wishes to roarryj he must buy;' one 'fromV •"■-■ a ,boss at tbe'ratfi 0f, ;30'0 dollars,? more, \ ; ; or less. , H» 1 a Coinaraan becomes l en- .- ••■ ; lightened to the state of American law,' /r |'// he will perhaps r t un; away'.wijhjrione.^pa gret mrirried by a clergyman,'; and so>ob« - r> tain the'protec,l;ion;:p^rthVl^w'i asVirdjopI ;/' \l t not publicly allow; slavp'ry. ' ; tf \&h " ;, ! '• Qnongj owes 1 "A h rJimvilOO^ dollarst'^n'dt '& .^ Ah Quiohg-s wife as part of his "and cliattelsf < : This : isra^%ue;4taWs|6^: apaTbetic^ but the fact is we]hku6^np !^y Su ch ckse'steth e^ abe^^m^'betSre^f 4 f*t Police Court.; ; ts