The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-21
HIS RETURN TO HIS NATIVE TOWN.
Ec Attends Religious Services in the
Church in which lie was baptized
sixty.six Years AGo.-somc INTEREST
ing Talk about California and the
Pacific Coast.

fortune in the gold digginGs. His COM
ing was unheraldedand he had 10 intro
uced himself to tho friends OF his
youth. The visitor was Mr.. John Nc.
Kee, prosperous banker OF San Fran
cisco, son OF Redicl; Mckee, first super
inteudcnt OF the Sunday school OF the
First Presbyterian church and in his
time one OF Wheeling's foremost men.
Since. 1857 Mr.. Mckee has been Ill the
banking business in San Francisco. He
has grown up with that city and " an
encyclopedia on Pacific coast affairs.
An lxrELLreEScEG reporter asked Mr..
Mckee if the Chinese problem, rs it
presents itself in san Francisco, is near
ing u solution.
IL Cannot say that it is" replied Mr..
Mckee. We have from 10000 to $4,000
OF them, aud opinions are divided con-
corning them according TO the light i'll
which they are viewed. Their very
virtues arc menace. They are in
dustrious, thrifty, save money on earn.
ings that would not suffice Tor man OF
family. But they take the place Of men
who would maintain families. What
| they do they do well, generally better
than tho white man. Then there are
their vices, with which We are unable
TO deal successfully. You know how
thcy huddle together. Probably YOU
know that they are iuveteratc gamblers.
They seem to be born thieves. 10 this
rule | think there are lew exceptions.
They are growing in strength IN
tho trades and in some branches
OF business. Virtually they have
a monopoly OF the cigar business and OF
shoe-making-white men simply can't
compete with them. As domestic ser
wants they have 10 equals, and some OF
them command high wages. They get
| from SIS TO $50 month. As cooks they
arc artists. 1t used to DO that when
they had saved $1,000 they went home
to remain. Now their ideas arc higher.
| With four or five times that they. can
live comfortably in China for the re-
maindor OF their DAYS without work.
There are some OF our people who think
the Chinese should be allowed to come
to this country to DO christianiZed.
From my own observation l think it
better to make the effort TO christianize
them in China. We had an excellent
servant who had saved few hundred
dollars and determined to so home. AS
he was about to leave he handed my
wife gift and the Bible she had given
him, remarking that rs he was going
back to his own country he would not
need the Bible-ho had had enough
Jesus religion He had attended Sun
day school to learn English, as am con-
WINGED most of them do"
Asked about business and business
openings in California and San
Francisco, Mr.. Mckee replied:
"rhe opening OF new railroads to the
north and south has cut into San Fran
cisco's territory and considerably re-
stricted business opportunities. 1t
used to be, when our heavy goods were
brought around the Horn and our
lighter freights by the Isthmus, that
capital and brains counted for some
thing. Men had to study the markets
and look ahead, and on their wisdom in
buying ahead their success depended:
Now a dealer may order $500 worth, OF
goods at a time, and in ten days his
purchase reaches San Francisco from
Now York. We have not got quite got
used TO the new conditions. San Fran
cisco is solid and having q solid growth.
1t is destined to be one
OF the great cities OF the
continent, but business offers no attrac-
tions for newcomers unless they come
with good eastern connections already
made. In Embarrassing it is possible for
n man with twenty acres to raise
family and accumulate enough to make
him independent. This has been de-
monstrated, but it cannot be done
every where in California nor by every
man. The man who has muscle, knows
how to work and is willing to work can
BY the exercise OF cautious intelli-
gence settle in California where lie is
certain to do well, for he can work every
day in the year. But $50 gold pieces do
not grow on the trees and are not pick
! cd up in the streets. Menhave become
rich by finding gold or in other fortu.
nate ventures, but these things are Of
course not TO be depended on"
The reporter asked Mr.. Mckee about
the cost OF living, naming certain arti-
clos OF necessity.
"W ell, F." answered. Mr.. Mckee, looking
admiringly on natural gas fire, i've
pay 81 n ton for Seattle coal, but for use
in my kitchen have to use hall Seattle
coal and nall Wellington coal, ut -,
and quarter OF q ton OF coke. This
gives me an ideal fuel at about Sll 30
ton. Seattle coal is not nearly so good
as your Wheeling coal. Wheeling is
much favored in this respect. pay
twenty cents pound Tor beef steak and
the same for roast. Just before / lett