The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-08
LICE IN THE HOPS.
Reappearanee of Vermin Has
tens the Harvest.
VALLEYS SWARM WITH PlckERs.
Every Bost Brings Piekers and Every
Train Takes Them out-foreign
Indians Csn't BE Kept Gut.


in the valleys and has caused the growers
10 begin picking several days earlier than
they had intended. IS the vermin threat
ems serious damage 10 the crop. Ezra
Meeksr, who ives the last TO begin TO har-
vest last year has been the FIRST TO start
his pickers. this year. In an interview
with 3 P0sr-IsTELLISExcER reporter yes
terday. he said that be was among the hop
growers OF Oregon last week and had maze
engagements TO talk with them on Satur-
day and on Monday. Tuesday and Wednes-
day of the present week. Keeping his ap-
pointment on Saturday. he afterwards
visited several hop yards. and close exam
ination revealed the fact that the lice.
which were not supposed 10 be present.
had already penetrated the burrs and were
really doing great damage.
This alarmed the .shop king" and he
Immediately started for home TO examine
into the condition of his own crop. Here
he discovered the same state of affairs to
exist and Immediately gave the word 10
set the pickers at work in the Hedges
yard on Tuesday morning. Sprayers were
also put in operation in the upper yard"
to destroy all the lice possible that were
then infesting the leaves. Yesterday
morning hundreds of pickers were at work
. in the same field, and every kiln belong
ing to the Pnyallup Hop Company is fired
up for drying. The work Of picking. dry
ing and baling will be pushed with all pos
sihle vigor. as in this weather mould
quickly follows the feeding of the lice
within the burr.
This fresh attack of vermin seems to be
quite general throughout the valley. and
picking is beginning in many yards where
not intended for several days yet. :
There is no lack of pickers. The valley
is swarming with them and every train
brings additional numbers. While a few
go into the hop fields for froiic it is
plain to be seen that the great majority
have come for the earnings. While the
merchants of the valley are prepared for a
good run of trade few anticipate extensive
sales. for they realize the fact that the
pickers are intending TO save all the money
possible for the necessities of life during
the hard winter months that are approach
ing. The hop picking season is no longer
the jolly. rollicking season of yore.
The price for picking will be 81 per box,
uniformly. and the pay will be prompt.
the majority of growers having arranged
already for cash or certified checks. But
the growers will demand and will accept
nothing less than clean hops and boxes
we'll filled
Over 125 white pickers came in on the
steamer Willapa yesterday afternoon from
Port Angeles. The steamer attracted a
good deal of attention rs she came up the
harbor, as she was black with humanity
and had the appearance of being on an ex-
carsion. The party included good pro-
portion of women and children, with bas-
kets, bundles, blankets and other baggage
They were bound for the White river and
Puyaliup valleys and came chiefly from
the townsite reserve.
The arrival of so many Indians from
British Columbia TO go into the hop fields
has caused considerable comment and
several inquiries have been made by the
PosT-ISTELLIaEscER as 10 whether it was
not violation of the contract labor law
to allow these Indians to come here.
Judge Mcdonald. deputy collector of
customs, was asked about the matter yes
terday, and replied that if he were practic-
ing law he thought he could clear every
one OF these Indians from The charge of
violating the contract labor law. 1t was
his understanding that these Indians
came here from year TO year and worked
in the hop fields; that they did not come
here under contract, but TO look for work.
To find work they were accustomed to go
to the same locality in which they worked
in former years, although they might have
no other reason for going there than that
they were known.
United States Commissioner Emery said
he thought the question of contract labor
in connection with these Indians was
brought up several years ago and some
correspondence carried on about il with
the department at Washington City. No
arrests were made, and he thought the de.
partment ruled that the Indians could not
be interfered with. He thought they
onght TO be let alone. as the Indians on
both sides of the Straits were much inter-
married aud the hop picking was q big an
nual picnic and potiateh.
Yesterday was the greatest day of the
season SO far for the exodus of hop pickers
from the city. about $50 having gone out
IN various directions. OF these $50 went
- Auburn and over 300 to Kent. chiefly
whites. with a sprinkling of Indians.
About l0o mostly Indians. went to oriilia
and o Brien's, a few went TO Puyallup and
Sumner. and about 100 to Snoauaimie
and Gilman. A band of 80 Indians has
gathered ~ Sedro and will come down on
the Lake Shore road today to 60 to Sno-
quaimie.