The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-11
sAMPSONs HEA7nEN CHINKK
The Story OF the Almond Eyed shosnahers
Of North Adams. Mass.

| factory The grass about II il so closely mown
| and OF such nm ultra groen. and tho flower bods
underlying ths windows are 40 well wccded
| and brilliant. that you would suspect tho
! grounds Of hcnR ordered by pnrk commits
sion and the building you would conceive to
| be some pot show institution, perhaps State
educational repository for plaster casts of the
| antique statues The Office. approached through
| trim gate by trim walk. 10 carpeted var
nished. and hung with new chromos You could
put your hat down anywhere without getting
upon II particle OF dust. Two clerks
within vie with the chromos In smooth
ness OF outline and methodical perfection ot
detail Beyond Ia the private room OF MIR.
Sampson. himself IA neat and regular as nil the
| rest with his blue eyes In calm rcpose. his
brown beard lying every fibre in its dccorous
place and his thin hair wrought out above his
ears la two accurate twists that stand at perfect
and precise right angles with his well-Rradcd
skull. Mr.. Samps is a wealthy Massachusetts,
manufacturer. and both he and his place are
| known as the occasiOn and the scene ot the
| first employment Of Chinese contract labor Gust
| OF the Rocky Mountains In conversation with
me few days ago he gave an account OF his
In the early part Of 1870 several hundred
| worknen were employed in the North Admins
| factory. and all Of them were making good
| wages. The lowest that any man was paid was
SO per day. and wages in some cascs. ran much
| 0lElsT. InlPF lnlh prosperity Inv U'u 'itlllt 10
be- very independent and on frequent occasions
| they dictated to their employer. Once wliilo he
was In Boston, and was experiencing very sat-
| isinctory run OF orders, he received Telegram
% the effect that the men wero about tqsstrik".
He stopped the acceptance Of al further orders,
an advance in pay oi rs cents on tho cas-
He refused It. went out and talked with his
mon, argued that such an, advance would
loave him no profit at all and the men agreed
| to continue work at the wages they were
then getting. Mr.. Sampson returned 10 Bos-
al
He had been there only day when
another telegram came. II said that the
were about to suspend work. Mr.. Sampson i'm
mediatcly travelled back to North Adams. He
was the matter, and they said that their society
refused to be satisfied with his bare word re-
spectng mis- own profits. nnthad appointed a
| committee who wished TO examine his books.
At that the manufacturer lost patience. You
men have worked for me n long time" ho said
and there Ia not one OF you TINT hrs not al;
ways had good wages and good treatment.
| expect good treatment from you, also. and some
pay Tor my own work and my investment. I
| am not yet prepared to hear from you that you
| doubt my word or to exhibit my books 10 tho
men that work for mo. There IL no question
any longer OF your staying or going. You must
The manufacturer called his superintendent,
In another day a body 81 Crispins arrived in
North Adams from that city. They were met at
the station by Mr.. Sampson's old workmen. and
there was 40 inisrview between the leaders Of
both parties. The Boston Crispins shortly
afterward came up to the factory. Their fore
man presented himself 10 the manufacturer.
and told him that, owing to some little difficulty
of which he had heard from his predecessor.
| the new men were not quite ready to 20 TO work.
But probably We can arrange matters satisfac-
| torily in few days said he. You can't"
sSpsd the sturdy his 5us Gys
as well go back mt once. You'll never get
cents worth OF work here" on. yes we will;
| rin enconrazingy as the other took UP his hat
and strobe forth into the street.
Walking along at a rapid pace. the manuiac-
tpre5 met his supcrintendent returning iron
| the Post ONCE "Chacc =" said he. want you
toprepare to 20 to San ,F,rancisco tonight
ished super!ntsndent. What Tor '''' "''0"
=, To contract for seyeenty-ave Chinamen. and
| The idea had come into tho heai II the angry
capitalist not Ave minutes before; he had already
detsrmined that he would sink. II necessary.
what he had determined. and tho same night
| the superintendent was of on his way to San
| Francisco.
In due time telegram came from Mr.. Chace.
Promptly the answer went back, Wait I'LL
there are some" II was not long to wait Tho
and wished 70 ascertain something about the
lnanuiacturer, Sampson OF Massachusetts, be-
lore they undertook the Journey across u CONT
| five Cinnamon. bound over 10 make shoes in
North Adams for the period ofthree years.
the 18Th ofJune. Previous to that time rumors
had spread about Of what WIS going To happen.
state OF high excitement Tho time when the
Cinnamon were to arrive was not known. ~
| cepi 70 Mr.. Sampson himself and so day after
| day with tile coming Of each train from Troy. Il
| crowd gathered about the station. The manu-
iacturer noticed the crowds. and one evening
truck Boys. said he. see that you are very
anxious To see these Chinese shocmakers 81
to '' save you the trouble Of coming down ' So
| often Tor nothing, promise 70 send you word
as T soon as get T. ii ,a, qs ,, what train they
ing 70 his own confession 10 me and so he
e3Hd no, refrain from giving the Crispins that
! TO them the arrival Of the Chinese. Receiving
atclegraIn IRON his superintendent from Troy
hst they he would be along on he afternoon
| ton TO the several Crspin leaders and went on
hlmself TO tho next station in order to meet his
| in person. He had he told me. as many M hall
| dozen reyolvers about his person there was
AS the train Approached North Adams Mr..
| sampson gave tho order 10 lock the doors AT
Il was done. and the train drew slowly ny nj
| the North Adams station. On both sides fthe
track there was dense crowd Of men. They
were SO closely packed that the cars fairly
| brushed them as the train crept slowly 10 its
stopping. on all sides. from the windows,
faces. There were no shouts. and hardly a
sound The crowd was waiting in perfect
'ens' i f9T the to c2me out -
/ -
called uron, . Charlie, the head man Of lie
| Chinese, to follow him closely. and stepping to
the door unlocked II and threw il open. The
crowd OUTSIDE were watching with intense
eagerness. Passing out upon the car platform
with Charlie close behind. the manufacturer
| descended TO tho lowest step, The crowd was
so dense that he could 20 no further, 40 he
called out 10 those Just n front OF him 10 make
| room. Not the slightest attention was paid to
| his demand. Mr.. Chace meantime had formed
! his Chinese in pairs, and, bidding them keep
close together and follow him, Ind passed ont
| close upon the heels Of Mr.. SampsOn. The Chi
nose were cool. and seemed hardly 10 regard
| tho crowd below them.
The manufacturer waited moment after
making his demand for a passhgeWay. and
then, as there was no response. he called
out in a louder yocs. Will You make room
there for ms and these men to pass through ?"
The answer WIS laugh. Throwing open
his coat he put bis hand sgnincantly into
his breast pocket. Laying. then, mis- left hand
upon the shoulder Of the man nearest him. aud
look ing him full in the eye. " Make way there.
he said stand to one side Tho man
foil back without word. and in AL in
slant there was an open lane for the manu-
iatorer and his followers to pass through.
They wont two by two, straight through the
crowd. and took up their line Of march for the
factory. The crowd followed them. and then
there broke out a loud chorus OF boots and