The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-11-20
John m TIE SOUTH.
The Chinese on the Plantations Of LOu-
HgfnmR.

JOHN IN THE SOUTH.
The Chinese on the Plantations Of LOu-
1sfanR.
Inquiries have lately been made
through the columns Of New Orleans
journal in regard to the success of Chi
nese labor In the sugar parishes of Lou
isiana. Suggestions were made in the
same article that it might benefit the
planters if large numbers were brought
to the plantations of this state.
We do not know what satisfaction Chi
namen are giving in '73, but we have
some facts about them as laborers in II.
DR.. Kittredge brought fourteen China
men from Cuba to his plantation on the
Lafourche, in 1868 or '69. They worked
very well for awhile, but were slow and
weak. They at length became almost
worthless would not work stole eve
rything they could put their hands on
made an assault on the manager with
their heath-knives- have killed
him but for the intervention of faith
full negro with a six-shooter. They were
all driven from the plantation.
After this over two hundred Cinnamon
were brought from China to this state
one hundred and fifteen were sent to a
plantation on the Llafourche, and forty
were placed on one plantation and TWEEN
ty on another, in the parish of Terre-
bone. The one hundred and fifteen did
well for awhile, but at length portion
ran away, Others gave much trouble,
and we think there are none left on the
plantation at the present time. Tt cost
$3.50 head to bring them from China,
but they can be brought to the state
for much lower price.
The proprietor of the Millaudon plan
tation, near New Orleans, brought one
hundred and forty-one Cinnamon from
California through the agency of one
Cum Wing, or Kim Wing as it is some
times writ en-. 1t cost about SO, 900 TO
bring them to the plantation and start
them to work. They had not been at
work many weeks when Gum Wing made
his appearance on the plantation. When
the Cinnamon heard of it they made a
move in a mass on the house, captured
Cum Wing, took him to their quarters,
took away his hat, coat and boots, and
it was thought they would kill him.
The planter, agent, overseer and ne
groes, could have no influence in re-
straining the wrath of the pigtails.
They had to send for the city police who,
subdued them with their clubs and
threatened them with six-shooters. The
cause of the muss was that the China
men were dissatisfied with their con-
tract, and demanded that Gum Wing
and the planter should change it. At
another time the overseer was compelled
to shoot one OF them, wounding him in
the arm. The whole body of them,
armed with knives, clubs, axes and
bludgeons, pursued him to the planter
house, demanded his blood, and could
not be restrained by any one. They are
said to have been the most diabolical
crowd that ever assembled in and around
New Orleans. Their eyes and counter
ances were like those of incarnate
fends. They were determined to search
the house in spite of the planter, but
the overseer escaped to Gretna, and
never came back again.
The agent of the plantation said they
were the most venial, thieving, trifine
laborers he ever saw. Fifty of then
went to work for the chief contractor al
the penltentiary, and were afterward
discharged; forty ran away; twenty
five went to work for planter up the
coast, and either ran away or were dis
charged. There are none on the Nil
laudon plantation now.
They have generally had the name
of being unfaithful, clanish, sordid
slow and weak, and have in all the in
stances we have heard of disappointed
their employers sadly.
Most of the Cinnamon who were OF
plantations in 1870 and 1871, we think
have gone to the cities and villages tx
hunt up light and easy work, and to the
north and west, and to California
We can hear of none on the Lafourche
or in TerrebOnne, though some planters
may yet employ them. They may have
reformed since 1871, and may be doing
well on a dozen plantations in the state
but we have no information to that eff
feet.
One planter once said he wished there
were a million of them in the state
We think million would seal the doom
of Louisiana, and we would then sinl
to rise no more