The Republican journal., 1886-03-04
How Seattle Settles the Chinese Question.

Correspondence of the journal.
SEATTLE W. T., Feb. !, 1886. The news of the
riots in Seattle has gone all over the country and
as the accounts are greatly exaggerated, and as
facts are better than fiction have thought it worth
while to send you plain and true statement |
have been in this city four weeks. The Chinese
question has been agitated an winter in conse-
quencc of the great numbers collecting here and
monopolizing such occupations rs washing, saving
wood and vending produce leaving nothing for
the white laborers to do. Well, to make the story
as brief as possible the steamship Queen uf the
Pacific of the line between this port aud san Fran
cisco, was lying at Ocean dock waiting to sail at
l3o p, m. sunday. saturday night the anti Chinese
party of this city Informed the Mongoans that
they must he ready to go ON board the steamer at
$50 a. m. sunday. Nothing unusual occurred until
Sunday morning between and eight O'Clock when
heavy runbling was heard ON the plank road on
Front street. A. am stopping with my the
third floor of the st Charles Hotel which overlooks
Front street, we had good view of the migration.
The street nearly flied with wagons loaded
with the Chinese and their effects, on their way
from Chinatown to the steamer The Chinese in
the city not falling in a- the community thought
proper the truckmcn and dcr- helped them Then
the city fathers, thinking that the situation was be
No. / run@ fuiouSy Th- brought out everybody,
including the Ciry Guard and militia with loaded
guns, in anticipation OF a riot From that time
until about II Il. m. the Chinese were slowly max
ing their way to Uceandock and at that hour some
of the leading citizens called upon apt. Alexander
to make arrangements for the passage money. He
said he would take the Cinnamon if their fare was
paid and collection wa, taken then and there.
It.,t l.,iI
there were about 400 Chinese ON the dock of whom
I9o embarked for san Francisco. The remainder
are 10 go ON the steamer Idaho, due here to-
day sixteen Cinnamon were allowed to return
TO the city To settle their business escorted hy
the City Guards, who had been guarding one of
the aplroachc, to the dock. When the crowd saw
thcn coming back rush wa. made upon the
Guards -ct their guns, and by order of the dep
utics volIcy Of ~iN guns wa. fired. Five of the
crowd fen, including one Of the deputies who had
been trying to pacty the mob. The wounded men
were speedily taken in carriages to the city ho~pi-
tai, while the mob rushed upon the Guards intend
ing to- lynch those who had dour the shooting. At
this tlnctmc the militia, which had been guarding
the other approach to the dock, came up ut q
d"ubleQuick, and prominent man mounted
box and got the attention Of the mob So thar quiet
despatched To Port Townsend for the revenu,cut
trr and to Vancouver for troops, hut found Port
Townsend and Portland in the same situation. rN-
rept that there had been no shooting III those
places Warrants We're issued for number of the
rioters and the city placed under martial law. The
mob was mainly composed Of Irish railroad bands
and iaWlc-S Whartr;lt- At thl- writing it l. com
paratiycly quiet lo-morrpw court will he in SIS
sion when the leaders Of the riot and those who
did the shooting, viii unde"go trial.
Feb ., 10 4. VI. | learn that one of the wounded
men died soon after reaching the hospital and tllAt
TWO others are fatally wounded 4uic; has nrn
partially restored, hut business il at ~raLc-jil
Now the question i, who was Nh, most foo h,,uu..
1t is evident that had the mob let rac 'iy Guards
alone there would hav" been ny shooting, hUt the
feeling ran high and perhaps collision was I'M
avuable. one tiing is certain the Chinese must
leave Washington rcmit"ry =, W. MtRpEN.