The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-11-28
NEwYoRKsp RcAiNAMAN

~
An Ken kisivea from the Celestial King
dem 1hirty-EtRht Years Ago
No battle ships with their guns and
thunder belching forth a welcome
greeted Al Ken when ne arrived on
these shoress no one carried All Ken
down the gang plank. The only police
man whom All Ken met looked at him
with suspicion and told him to move on,
and move quickly. A few persons
looked curiously at the first Chinaman.
So come to this city, and some children
followed the stranger up the street,
wondering what manner OF man the
yellow creature with the brightcol-
ored Jacket and loose trousers was.
All Ken arrived in this city in 1858.
Chinese immigration had never been
encouraged. and the stranger was
looked upon as an intruder. All Ken
hired d small, tlmble-down house on
Mot street and with what little money
he Possessed erected a street stand on
Park row and began in the tobacco busi-
hess. He sold the choicest Havana
goods. imported directly from Con-
necticut and raised in Jersey, at the
moderate price of two for three cents.
Unlike the Cinnamon of the present
day. An Ken seldom smoked the paper
rolled cigarette. He was a slave to to-
hacco, but smoked small cigars. He was
seldom seen without one of these weeds
d his mouth.
From the time that All Ken started in
business the prejudice that was felt
against hinn began to Disappear. His
quiet, unobtrusive manners won him
respect and esteem and his trade began
to grow. All Ken wrote to China of the
success with which he was meeting and
advised his countrymen to follow his
example. The other Cinnamon began to
arrive, and as they came they all
seemed to meet with success under All
Ken's guidance. Like All Ken, they
went to Mott street to live, and soon
there was a score or more Cinnamon in
the city. The small settlement on Mott
street began to be known as Chinatown.
On their first arrival in the city some
OF the Cinnamon established street
stands, just as All Ken had done; others
opened %laundries, and a few who had
some money opened stores on Mott
street. One of the characteristics of
the Chinaman is to attend strictly to
his business. This, together with
their thrift, had a telling effect on the
people of the city during the days of All
Ken and the early Chinese residents of
the town. They began to be recog-
nized as useful citizens. Their laundry
work was superior to the work done by
the Americans, and the Chinese were
soon in demand as laundrymen.
All Ken in the meantime had amassed
what to a Chinaman was a small for
tune. He had an excellent trade, but
he seemed to long for more congenial
surroundings. He sold out his tobacco
stand and purchased a small store on
Mott street. In this All Ken was even
more successful than he had been in the
first venture, His countrymen regarded
him about as the Americans regard Co
Iqmbns. His counsel was sought by
the other Cinnamon, and he BECAME
known as All Ken the Wise.
All Ken, in spite of his associations
with the Americans, did not acquire M
of the American habits. He stuck to
his native dress and encouraged other
Cinnamon to be strictly Chinese.
All Ken is now dead, but he will al
ways be looked upon as the founder of
the Chinese settlement in this city
N. Y. Sun.