New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-15
INTERESTING ARRIVAL.

hrem the s'FlOwery kingdom''-Four Hun.
dred and Sixty.three "Celestials, ,, a,
the Levee--They Come via San Fran
Characterization, Chattanooga--Un.
der Contract as Laborers for sixteen
Dollars per Month and Board..Value
or Chinese Labor--A Travelled Inter.
pfeter..Pr0sPects Of the CeIestials.-
How Much They Expect to Save out OF
their Contract.-Their Ultimate Inten-
tiOns, Etc.
lSt. Louis Democrat ofTuesday.l
Yesterday morning four hundred and
siXty-three Chinese arrived in ST. Louis by
the steamer Phil Sheridan, from Keokuk,
whittier they had come from San Francisco
6y rail. Their destination is Chattanooga,
1or the purpose of working on the railway
there. On the arrival of the Phil Sheridan
the men were tRans-shipped on board the
Belle st. Louis, which in the evening left
for Hickman, Kentucky, with her living
freight Of Orientals. From Hickman they
will proceed on the cars to Chattanooga.
The men are under contract with Messrs.
kOOpmanschapp & Co., as railroad Ia
bOrers, at sixteen dollars month and
board. This is an advanta geous contract
for all parties. For the Chinese, because
their countrymen have SO flooded the Cali
fOrnla labor market that work has become
San Francisco and other places.
Moreover, the Celestials not being able to
perform as much work as either Americans
or europeans, they can not expect as much
remuneration for their labor. On the other
hand the contract is likewise favorable for
the contractors, not only because the wages
| are such as they can afford to pay, but be-
cause there is much less trouble in the man
agement of Chinese than American or
kIyronaan 10,
eral rule, indulge in no Intoxicating drinks;
they work very steadily and are extremely
tractable. No assertions take place among
them, as it is obvious that being in a
strange country, they would not know in
what direction to turn in search Of new
| employment.
The contract is for two years, by which
time each of the Celestials expects that he
will have three hundred dollars saved, with
which to return to 1.-THE land of the sum-
About One-half the men are married, but we
need scarcely inform our readers that they
left their wives behind them in China.
Every Celestial. ON leaving his country,
makes up his mind to return thither; and as
his departure is purely business venture,
he considers that it would be an unpardOn-
able waste of money to bring his wife along.
is a well-infOrmed person OF twenty-seven
years Of age. He speaks English flnently,
and has travelled nearly all over the world.
His name is Wong Wing. When the gold
fever was at its height in Australia, and
Wong was but boy, he went to New Hol-
land, and at the New South Wales and Vie
toria gold fields he learned to speak the
English language. He was then engaged
by the Victorian government at Melbourne
to interpret evidence in criminal cases.
Our reporter, knowing something of the
habits of the Chinese in Australia, and par
ticularly their Unsuitable appetite for gam
bling, questioned Wong Wing on the sub
ject. The interpreter replied: Il know that
all you say is true, and the Chinese in San
Francisco are just as fond of gambling as
are those in Australia. Indeed; the Chinese
are inveterate gamblers in their own cOun-
try. But l exercise a great influence over
the men who are with me, and do not al
low them to gamble. One of my country
men, wealthy Chinese in San Francisco,
lost three thousand dollars few days ago
in one night at the faro table" 1t is SO diff
ficult to find Chinese who can speak English
with fuency, that any who can do so can
command a high salary. Wong Wing gets
seventy-five dollars month and his board.
His sole duty is to act as interpreter.
All the Celestials who passed through our
city yesterday regret having left China.
Their principal aim is to get back again.
Messrs Koopmanschapp & Co., have agreed
to transport the men back to San Francisco
at the expiration of the two years contract.
During the few hours that the Chinese
were in st. Louis yesterday, they made the
most of their time in viewing the city; in
| return they got well looked at themselves.