Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-11-22
JOHN IN THE SOUTH.
The Chinese on the Plantations OF Lou
l8iama.


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 49, 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 sheath -knives-would 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
plantation on the Lafourche, and forty
we're placed on one plantation and twen-
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. 1t cost
$3.50 head to bring them from China,
but they can be brought to the state
for a 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-. II cost about $12, 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
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, oyerseer 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 TIE
cause of the muss was that the China
men were dissatisfied with their con-
tract, and demanded that Cum 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 planters
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 counten-
ances were like those of incarnate
fiends. 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
we're the most veniai, tnieving, -
laborer he ever saw. F .1-.-ls
= ~ =. Ey Of them
vent TO worR so1 the chief contractor at
the penisentiafy, and were afterward
discharged forty ran away; twenty
FIVE went to work for a planter up the
coast, and either ran away or were dis
charged. There are none on the Mil
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 Oh
plantations in 1870 and 1871, we think,
have gone to the cities and villages to
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
we'll on 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 a million would seal the doom
of Louisiana, and we would then sink
to rise no more.
DURATION OF TIMBER. is a curious
fact, and one of great practical import