The morning call., 1893-06-07
No More White Crews for
Huntington.
AMERICAN LABOR REPLACED.
Pacific Mail Steamers Have Gradu-
ally Got Rid of Their White Em-
ployes and Hired Chinese.


deavor TO curtail the expenses of the
Pacific Mail Company as TO do so at the
expense of white labor. Such, however,
is the case. One by ore white employees
of the Pacific Mail and Occidental and
conspicuousy less, while in their places
reign the cheap Celestial.
No doubt Mr.. Huntington would like to
have Chinese captains, first officers, mates,
pursers and freight clerks. but this, of
course. would be carrying matters little
too far.
When the steamship Gaelic returned
from China on her trip before the last, she
did have few white men in her culinary
department, and employed others as sea-
men. but yesterday a CALL reporter, after
diligent search of nearly two hours, was
unable to locate single white seaman,
waiter. galleyhand, messbOy or cook on
board the vessel.
Some of the company's wharf employees
said that few white men were employed
OF China steamers. but lately Chinese had
been gradually hired TO take their places.
Perhaps the fact that MIR. Huntington
ard his colleagues are gradually wedding
out white cooks, walters and mesSmen
would have escaped notice had not the
complaint of too many Mongols" come
from some of the Gaelic's passengers.
Before going into further details it is
well to mention the fact that the Pacific
Mail steamers have always employed a
number of Chinese among their crews, but
THE CALL has madethe discovery that
within the last four months the company
has been steadily getting rid of as many
while men as possible, seeming bent on
employing Chinese for its vessels, with
the exception of officers.
II was uptown that The CALL reporter
8. hat fha !, hi
Hunting,On'S ASiatic employees needed
investigating. the suggestion being made
that cabin passengers should hereafter
demand that white cooks be employed ex-
clusiveiy and that Chinese walters be re-
placed by white men.
The reporter boarded the Gaelic soon
after the noon hour. A fearful stencil
was waited by the stiff afternoon gale
from the steamers galley to the end of the
Pacific Mail dock. CustOm-nOuSe officers
on duty noticed it. draymen noticed il,
and even the policeman on duty, who is
used to Pacific Mail Chinese smells, knew
that it was no ordinary odor.
At first it was thought that the AGA Chi
Gese tourists" were smoking Chinese
made cigars. but as the reporter boarded
the Gaelic he Immediately discovered that
the smell emauated from the galley-the
saloon galley" it is called by sign over
the door
w ltuiu Luo ndioOh Sdilcy "cIo DluF
Chinese. Two were smoking what looked
ike opium, one was washing his feet in
soup-kette, some were loafing and others
helping the chief cook, a big, sleek-look-
ing Chinese who does duty in place of the
white man who once presided over the
Gaelic's galley.
There were several pots and kettles on
the range. one of which contained
mixture which looked like stew, and was
possibly intended for the members of the
Chinese steerage, though it is seldom
frSt-class steamers saloon galley is used
to pare food for steerage passengers.
The big Chinese cook shOveled ashes and
stirred the stew with the same shovel,
very little care being taken to wipe the
ashes cff the utensll when the stew needed
stirring.
where's the chief cook?" asked the re-
porter of the big Celestial.
"Me ceok," answered the Chinese,
Are you the chief cook?"
''Yes, me cook"
Where are all the white cooks?"
''Oh, him gone. Heep Chinaman cook
now."
How long have you been cook ?"
"On, me no sabe. Thlee months go
heep white man. Now no more. No can
catchem job. Chinaman him belly good
for ship. Heep cheap"
The chief of the saloon galley then
threw lot of old rags into the range and
the vicinity became so filed with all un-
bearable odor that tue reporter was OBJ
lged 10 make his escape.
In the dining-saoon three Monpols
were asserting knives, forks and spoons
and cleaning up the ships tab eware.
Not White man was in sight; even the
position of second steward having appar-
emily been recently filed by a Celestial.
for that officer could not be found and
Chinese who spoke pretty good English
and who appeared to be standing guard
over the ships silver (or pewter, declared
that the second steward had left the shin
before the Gaelic sailed for China, about
two months ago.
This heather, who was of sarcastic
nature. smiled a knowing SMILE wipked
his eve sly y and asked, with no small dis
play of humor
"Wh' for you loOkem Mclean man .
Mclean man no can work China steamer.
Melican man he losem job heep quick"
Having delivered himself of this state
ment the defender of the spoons said
something in Chinese to his assistants and
all laughed heartily. apparently enjoying
a good ke at the reporters expense
An officer OF the ship happened along at
this juncture. and was asked:
Have you white seaman on board
named Johnson"
"We have no white seamen on board"
interrupted the officer gruffly.
What has become Of the white men
who were employed on the Gaelic some
months ago?"
Had the reporter asked this minion of
the Pacific Mail for letter of introd nc
ton TO Calls z. Huntington or a loan of
the Gaelic for couple Of weeks nc could
not have appeared more aghast than he d id
when he was asked that simple question
about the Gdelic's white employees He
gave vent 10 a long sigh, then took in a biz
breath, and as he did so he inhaled a few
tunes from the saloon galley" causing
him to make a mad dive for his pocket
handkerchief
what in b is that to you?'' he fin
ally managed to buster out Then, turn
ing on his heel, he wake ed serenely up the
Gaelic's deck.
In the Chinese steerage galley there were
three Mongois cooking rice and greater
variety of smells than there are in a quar-
antine station. In tbs saloon pantry was
another Celestial, The white pantrymaD
having mysteriously disappeared several
tripS ago.
In the linen-roOm a pigtailed youth pre-
sided over the vessels linen. Between
decks there were Chinese in every depart
ment.
What has become Of all the white crews
of the China steamers?" was asked OF a
Gus stom-house man, for the Pacific Mail
people would answer no questions regard
ing the changes. "Chinamen have been
substituted" was the reply.
IL is true. There was not white man
besides the Gaelic's officers and the steve
dores employed in unloading aboard the
ship.
Silently, surely and slvly the Pacific