The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16
THE CHINESE INFLUX.
now JOHN CAME To TURN HIS ATTEN-
TON TO THE UNITED STATES.
Departure Of the First Celestial From
Canton-Grewth of the stampede
Subsequent EmtgrntIOn.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2t.-The Mongolian
octopus has fastened It's tentaeles upon the
Pacific slope, and is fast destroying It's COM
merciai and social life. The people Of this
region cry aloud that they may be succored
in their extremity, and that the chief execu-
tive of the nation may have the moral bravery
to place his signature to measure which
will bring that relief. There appears to be
but one echo to the recent act OF Congress,
and that is 'Sign the bill and free us from the
demoralizing and degrading contact with the
present coolle system; limit the influx OF
Ceestlals, and protect the Industries and
health and home-life Of our people; lift the
burden that has borne us down. and give to
the progressive inhabitants of this section an
opportunity to develop its resources upon
prosperous and compromising basis.
You have already learned by wir5 how
earnest and emphatic have been the protests
against yetoing the Chinese bill. Our people
were never more In earnest In their lives. 1t
Is
NOT AN ENDORSEMENT or KEAREEYIsM
In it's blatant form. Kearney doesn't speak
the sentiments OF the refinedsand respectable
element of the slope. As this subject Is being
discussed, 1t may be interesting to consider
for q moment how and when the Chinese be-
gan fiocking to our shores.
All Haw, who is with the Sam Yeop COM
pany on Dupont street, says the first China
man who came to America was Chum Ming, a
native merchant Of Nal Sang, province Of
Canton. He was an intelligent and enterprfs-
ing man. and came over here from his home
In 1847 Going from this point to the noun
taius he began prospecting, and was success
full in finding gold. The discovery caused
him to convey the intelligence to o friend
named Cheong Yum in 1913, and this latter
individual at once prepared to join his former
companion In the new Eldorado. The news
was so good that CheOng Yum, before setting
sail from the flowery shores OF his native
empire, broke the intelligence TO several Of
his friends, and the mining fever at once broke
out in all the vruence Of an epidemic dis
ease. The present excitement East over the
reputed Leadvile discoveries was nothing
compared with the fever that prevailed away
back in 1848 amongst the teenlng, population
of Canton over the alleged "hnds' Of gold in
the mountains OF California. Means OF
Transportation were not as perfect then as
now there we're no Pacific Mail steamers to
bring hem over By thousands, and so they
came out. like Sir Josephs SISTERS and aunts
and cousins in "Pinafore," "by the dozens.
on sailing vessels.
When In 1849 the Argonauts of the East be-
gan focking to this coast in quest OF the au-
riferous deposits OF our streams the Chinese
population had as yet amounted TO but an in
significant feature. Within four years fol-
lowing arrivals were more frequent and in
larger proportions, SO that by the close OF
1852 there were perhaps 1000 Celest1als on the
coast and Of this number about 1000 were
located In San Francisco. The first Chinaman
that settled In San Francisco located on what
Is now Stockton street, near Sacramento, and
In that same region the Mongollans have ever
since lived, and finally covered over what is
now designated Chinatown. When it became
apparent that Chinese immigration was
settled fact, steps were at once taken, through
the native shrewdness Of the Chinese them
selves, TO control 1t and take care OF their own
interests. It WAS then that the YeoDg Wo
and Kong Chow companies-the first of the
present six companies-were organized and
began the business OF aiding Chinese imml-
grafton. The Sam Yeoup Company was or
ganized In 1857, and was Joined to the first
meEtioned associations. Later, when the in
flux of Mongolans had greatly Increased,
came the formation OF the Ming Yeong, Hop
Wo and Van Wo companies, and the whole
number were consolidated as the famous Blk
companies, OF which SO much has OF late been
said and written. The immigration OF the
better class OF Chinese, the merchants, 1t
may be said, Is attributable to the Sam 4eoup
and the Yeong Wo companies. The servants
and lower classes generally VINO nave since
formed the most disreputable element OF the
Chinese population-nowd designated as .high
binders we're brought out by the Ming
Yeong company. so numerous did the Chinese
element become that it drove out, before 1864,
the white population from Sacramento to
Commercial street on the east side OF Stock
ton street, east on Commercial to Dupont,
and north of Dupont to jackson, and south
on the same street to Sacramento. During
1864 they increased the territory from Jackson
and Dupont streets, east on jackson to Rear
ney and north on Dupont to Pacific, and
thence east on that street to Kearney. Since
that time they have gradually encroached
upon the white population until they occupy
an arear OF eleven blocks bounded by Pacific
street on the north and Kearney and Stockton
streets on the east and west. The arear with
in those borders Is about thirty-three acres, OF
Notwithstanding for streets and alleys
twenty acres are covered with buildings Of all
descriptions, rickety one-st0ry wooden shan
ties and four story bricks. This once formed
the best part OF the city, where were located
most Of the high-toned hotels; but churches.
residences and hotels have been forced further
out by the on-marching Asiatics.
STATISTICAL.
We find that the Chinese population OF San
Francisco Is about 80 900, and they follow the
subjOined occupations ia the numbers desig-
mated, as nearly as can be ascertained
Merchants and professional men, ....... 1000
Laundrymen 800
Cigar makers. Observation-Disclosures. 5000
Boot and shoe makers $500. 1000
Servants. 1000
Slipper makers. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 300
Gamblers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1,400
Clothing makers ..... ......... 5000
Peddlers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $500
flsnermen ....+....s. ....-.....-. l,OU
Jaborers. Observation-Disclosures. 900
Other occupations .................3, 300
Women. ....................... 1000