The times., 1898-07-31
oNG TOW ENLISTS.
The First Chinaman TO Enter the
United States Army.
From the Chicago ChronieIe)

(From the Chicago Chronieie.)
When the Seventh California Volunteer
Infantry assembled for muster there was
one recruit in the ranks of Company l.
who wore pigtail under his campaign
hat. Several California-born Mexicans
and Spaniards enlisted TO fight SPAN the
first call. but the strangest offer came
from Ong Q. Tow, young Chinaman
born in that State. Ong was a success
full merchant in Santa Ana when the war
broke out; he gave up his business and
entered the army to do battle against
the enemy and take his pittance of $3.50
a month instead.
Ong was one of a bunch of twenty-five
recruits picked up in Santa Ana to fill
the ranks of l. Company. Being of Chi
nese descent he wore the traditional
queue of the Celestial as his father and
Chinese associates still do. But he was
born in Sonoma County. a quarter of
century ago, and is by birth and inclna-
tions an American. He was willing 10
make any needed sacrifice to enter the
army even to the cutting off of his
queue. In all other respects he was little
like the usual chinaman to be seen in
this country. as he dressed in the style
Of the Americans.
He is one Of the very few Cinnamon
who has rights of full citizenship in this
country. He presented himself before the
recruiting officer early in June and de-
manded the right to be examined as to
his fitness to bear arms. He demonstrat-
ed that he is physically able able TO bear
the burdens Of army life. He stands five
feet four and one-haif inches, weighs
147 pounds and has exceptional chest
measurement and expansion. In addition
he has rarely been i'll a day in his life.
his, hA ,ir,iI-
could question was the queue and the
rights of the applicant TO enroll himself
as a citizen.
The doctor accepted him and then il
was the business Of the recruiting officer
to settle the outside matters. Ong qui-
city referred that officer to the voting
register of Orange County as the best
evidence. In the register the officer found
the name of 0ng @. Tow as one of the
citizens and voters of the county in the
Third ward of the city of Santa Ana.
That settled the right of the young man
to be enrolled, for he was a citizen of
sufficient intelligence, patriotism and
physical power to perform all required
duties as a soldier. He voted to make
Mckinley president and felt that he had
the right to respond to his cali for troops
He said he did not want to part with his
queue. but if its continued wearing should
NC a cei hN sfOdiu Sui IL Ou SlduIy. he
was duly enrolled.
The young man is the son of wealthy
parents in the Chinese colony. He is
fairly well educated. as he attended the
schools of San Francisco for a number of
years. His fathers wealth did not pre-
vent him from acquiring industrious hab-
its. as the elder Ong set him to work as
soon as his school life ended. He is a
man OF mechanical ability and had
small brass cannon and model of the
Maine exhibited in his store window in
Santa Ana. HIS father established him
in business a couple of years ago and he
was doing well when he entered the army
He has taken an active interest in the
war ever since the destruction of the
Maine. He denounced that as an act of
treachery on the part of the Spanish and
his response to the call to arms was mad
in all sincerity.