Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-06-23
Saturday, June az, 1883.
cHlNAMEN STARTING HOME.
Odd scenes Witnessed In san Francisco
CclestIal- Departing for Cathay.

800
When the city slept and nothing dis
turbed the stiffness Of the hour ave an
occasional milk wagon rafting Owe the
cobbles. and only a police officer, night
worker or clrouser was strolling through
the streets, or, perhaps, a quiet news
paper man going YEARLY to his home,
WACO after wagon loaded with Chinese
and their luggage were arriving at Bran
nan street. opposite the wharf of the
Pacific Mail Steamship company, San
Francisco. 1t may seem strange why
they should be there so soon. rs the wharf
is not opened for them till O'Clock.
They were there, however, each one
wishing his wagon was first at the gate,
so that he could secure what he consid-
cred the best berth in the steerage.
Shortly after 4 a. m. a load Of seven
coolies, sitting high on top Of a large
quantity Of luggage. drove up 10 the gate
and had first place. During The next
hour a few arrivals heightened the line Of
teams; but about ; O'Clock a gray light
stole softly over the ~listless undUlaring
wlter Of the hoy. and from the dark fog
tlat lay or in the distance a hnzy purple
came and dissolved into a >ilvcry gray
that spread over the eastern sky. dim
ming the stars and rendering the lights
on the ship useless.
This heraldclt the arrival Of express and
freight wagon, loaded with all kinds Of
conceivable Iuggagc-bundles Of clothes,
mating hays, Strange looking boxes, Tin
vessels, Saratoga trunks, " Mclean
tools, AMI, with The Chinese, the uhiqui-
tous round baskets that are carried on
each end Of a strong pole over Tine shout
der-all containing good ihinZ, for the
Flowery Kingdom. On top Of all this were
huddled four or five. or perhaps more,
Cinnamon bound for home.
The hoaTse. warning voice Of the fog
horn and the steady measured BEATS Of the
fog bell coming dolcfully across the water
ceased after sunrise, but the wltarves
were alive with the hum Of a coming
days toll, and the din Of the Chinese
jabbering and yelling ere the work of the
dav was commenced. \ reporter. who
was there in time to see the first arrival,
tried to converse with many Of the Chi
nese. but Me no sabe," they would say,
fearing perhaps that il might not be just
right for their welfare.
For two or three hours the coolies
gathered outside the wharf gate. anxiously
waiting to be admitted. AT last the time
came when the door was opened. about Z
O'Clock, and a wild rush was made toward
the steamer. Sometimes, indeed, the rush
from the Oakland ferry IN landing al the
mole is like il. but a band OF restless cat
tie let loose would be the closest possible re-
semhlancc 10 the race Of hines down the
wharf, They were stopped ai-lut half way
by officers and workmcn uu the wharf,
but the coolies would try every -rheme
10 get beyond the line, only to be driven
back rs n steer would when running off
from a pen. At this time the gcntlemanly
freight clerk of the steamer asked the re-
porter 10 come to the front. adding:
.'Now the fun commences; keep in front
where the crush Is. and their attempts at
crossing the line viii he amusing"
IL certainly was. Two men were sta
TONED before the Chinese, one armed
with a heavy broom that often came
down numerically ON the back ur head
or shoulders IT SOM collie rs he tried 10
make n break. When one % the mon
would turn his back for o moment
another break would i've made. hut the
unfortunate would be hurled lmrk with a
cuff or shake. and very often a li.tle
stronger language than Get mp there. -
gafs.,,. T.. -. - - .afH.Y E..1- - v.,tk
the accent on the back, and something
else on the coolies. The men who tried
10 preserve an unbrokon iEunt cut a
funny figure AS their mates jukcd over
their task: indeed. every time a MungOl
would be put back a fresh sl,ly Il laugh
ter would be- made and something funny
said. much TO the discomfort uf the Chi.
nese. A Chinuman carrying a live duck
went boldly TO the ship. but the duck
nuacking attracted the attention of the
broom armed guard, who was told 10y an
officer close by that the ducks wanted &
''walk. walk" hut John carried them
This was a pun the guard enjoyed, still
he thought John had better walk back
too. but on attempting 10 turn him bach
wa answered with ''belong ship, which
evidently was a password for the Chinese
deck hands.
After a long wait the ship was ready,
and the word was given 10 lct the Chi
nese aboard. The line was broken like 9
FASH. and y tremendous sally made fol
the gang plank, n coolic battling witt
the other Ger precedence; in fact, {
scramble amounting almost n a FIRE,
fight ensued; hats, bundles, baskets
sticks. Tin vessels and ''pig tails wer
flying over the heads Of the crowd, AM
at the end Of the gang plank p~rostrat
and fighting forms rendered the planl
impossible. At last two stalwart officer
seized the nearest coolie and threw hin
toward the ship along the plank. Thi
cleared the way a little, and. betweel
boxing, pushing and the combines
efforts Of four men, a kind Of wild orde
was preserved ashore and the gang planl
kept clear but in their quarters, whcr
every one was looking for the best bunk
n scene Of Understandable tumult wa wit
messed. Every Chinese seemed full of al
eager desire TO push his way through In
narrow passages between the hunks an
IN and down the stairs, elbowing ever
one else, only thinking Of himself, an
roaring, iabbcring, fighting, hauling load
Of luggage and securing his berth.
For some hours tboy kept coming In