The morning call., 1892-07-21
COOLIES AS FIREMEN.
White Men Will Not BE Wanted
On the Steamer Peru.
A Report Current That the Vessel Will Be
Entirely Manned by Chinese-The
Unions May Take Hand.

1t was announced In yesterdays CALL
that the last China steamer, the City of
Picking, will be laid up for awhile to
undergo extensive alterations and repairs,
and it Is stated that the new steamer Peru
will make the Peking's trip on August 4.
There are some circumstances in this
connection which may cause considerable
trouble before many DAYS. One of these
circumstances is an ugly rumor, which has
obtain ed circulation and credence among
the seamen and tiremen on the city front,
that the Picking brought here from Hong
Kong a complete Chinese crew for the new
steamer. 1t is stated on apparently good
authority that this crew consists of sailors,
fremen, walters and coal-pasSers, aud that
the coolies who have cen thus imported to
take the bread and butter out OF the mouths
of white men are now slowed away on the
Picking, only awaiting a favorable report of
the Peru's trial trial to blossom into full
usefulness.
1t seems to be certain that the Mail COM
pany will reply that this is not the case;
that there will be a transfer of the Peking's
crew 10 the Peru, ana nothing more.
1t is understood that the bulk of the crew
OF the Picking consists of Chinese, but even
Ii these be transferred 10 the Peru another
crew will be required for the Picking, as
both vessels are going to run. II is still
proposition TO freeze out" white men at
$50 month In favor of Mongolians at ST..
That is how the fremen on the city front
look at the matter, and it is hard TO see how
any other complexion can be put on the
case.
The usual complement of a big China ship
is u hremeD, u c0ai-pasSeTS, wipers and 20
sailors. 1t is an open secret that the Mall
Company, In order 10 secure freights, have
to guarantee the Chinese Government the
employment of a certain considerable per-
eentage Of Chinese IN the crew or in some
capacity on board the vessel.
The tremen not only object to bsing frozen
out by the coolies but they are asking with
great emphasis whether the contract la Dor
| law Is not being Systematically violated.
and whether corporations have rights which
individuals are not permitted TO possess?
Ii Is the firm belief OF the hremen that the
coole crew of the Peru was engaged in
Hong Kong under an irOnc ad contract, and
that the MOngOlisns are simply being held
back on the Peklng under sham or pre-
tense till the result of the Peru's trial trip
is ascertained. and the triumph of an Amer
lean ship built In This port is crowned with
the engagement OF a crew OF MoDgols at S17
month.
The proposition, as the firemen see It,
seems TO be this: If the Union Iron Works
people DO not find the ship comes up to their
expectations in the trial trip in the Santa
Barbara Channel they will undoubtedly
man the vessel with a white crew when she
goes out on her first regular trip on August
her. One white fireman is worth nearly
two Chinese, and the Mail Company would
undoubtedly accept the vessel if her first
voyage is satisfactory. Then the white crew
would go out ana the yellow crew would
! come in. So, too, if the trip in the Santa
| Barbara Channel results so satisfactorily
as 10 induce the Mail Company to take the
| vessel over, then, too, the Chinese crew
| would be put 10. Ii is tOss-up game, as
| the firemen see it, in which the proposition
on the Mail C0mpany's part is Heads we
| win, tails you lose"
The regular wages Of white men on the
| Panama schedule are: Firemen, $40
month; coal-passers. $50; wipers S35; sail
ors, $50 Other companies on the coast
| pay the fremen and coal-passers SO and
| $40 month, except the Occidental and
| Oriental Company, which carries Chinese
| crews exclusively outside OF the officers.
! The average pay OF these Chinese in all de-
! partments on all the lines is from So 10 SIT
month. The hours for fremen, coal
| passers, wipers and oilers are the same
| eight hours on and four hours of, night and
| day, day in and day out.
| IL Is net unlikely that the coast seamen,
| fremen, walters, etc. viii take decisive
| action 10 show that an attempt has been
made In this instance TO violate the con-
] tract-la Dor law