Chinese and Negro Navvies in America.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 88, 18 July 1871, Page 3

Chinese and Negro Navvies in America.

An American correspondent of the Glasgow Herald, writing from Alabama, says : "A band of Chinese labourers, from GOO to 700 strong, drafted from Catifornia and the Pacific Railway, have been employed on the Alabama and Chattanooga road from an early period of its construction. They are pitched in tents, at present over on the Ely ton side, and are doing the earthwork pari passu, with the negro. The latter is not so particular in the matter of tents, and is more easily moved from one side to another. Anything in the shape of a sleeping-place satisfies the negro, and, if put to it, lie will take the shadow of a bush or tree for a few nights, aud build up his square box of frames without windows himself by degrees. The Chinee, who struts oven here with a Celestial sort of air, must have his tent all nicely fixed up and provided for him. The Chinese navvies aro paid 15dols. gold per month, with rations; the negro, Idol. 75 cents a day, without rations. The terms as thus arranged are considered pretty equal ; but as the rations of the Chinaman are not extremely expensive, savo in the article of tea, burdened with duty, and which he not only consumes as a repast, but drinks in large quantity cold at his work, the equality of Chinese and negro wages can only be accounted for by the practical superiority of negro to Chinese labour. The Chinese came in on this line of railway at Meridian, the southern end, and did not commend themselves to the approval of the superintendent. Their rations here in money cost 75 cents a day. Their work done in "grading" earthwork, cost the company 95 cents per yard, when the same labour could have been contracted for at 35 cents per yard. The superintendent at Meridian would not bear it, and the whole band of Chinese' wore transferred to the Chattanooga end of the works. The testimony borne there by the chief authorities was that tho Chinese had not done so well as was expected, that they were not so capable of labour as the negro, but that their hands were hardening, and they were now on the whole giving satisfaction. As regards the alleged saving and economical habits of the Chinese, it seems quite certain that on monthly pay-days at Meridian they spent their fifteen dollars to whisky, chickens, and whatever they could buy in tho stores, as freely as any other spendthrift. It is admitted on all hands that the Chinese are inveterate galblcrs, and Sundays are spent about the railway cuttings here in elaborate efforts of th.e Celestials to overreach the Internals at cards or dominoes ; but tha negro, who is said to have not only a love of, but a really great insight into, tho black art, is not supposed to lose much by these encounters.