Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-11-15
COMING BY STEALTH.
Hundreds of Chinese Smugglet
Through from Canada.
Each One brings from Five to Ter
Pounds of Opium Across the BOr-
der-Laxity of Canadian
Laws to blame.

Three hundred and fifty Chinese, SO
Japanese and thousands of dollars
worth of opium have been smuggled
into Canada from the United States on
an average each month for nearly a
year, according to discoveries made by
the American agents of the immigra-
tion department at the boundary line.
The smuggling has been carried on de-
spite the utmost vigilance of the Off
cials, but so extensive is the open boun-
dary line that a thorough scrutiny is
impossible. American officials recent
ly redoubled their efforts to arrest
smugglers and smuggled orientals.
During the past month 200 have been
captured while endeavoring to cross
the boundary, but it was only during
the last few days that the extent of
the system was ascertained. Now every
effort is being made to cope with it,,
says the San Francisco Call.
X. Il. Tatlow, member of parliament
for Vancouver, obtained the first clew
to the illegal operations at the boun.
Diary. The details he gave have been
investigated and are found by the
American officials to be practically cor
rect. Most of the Chinese are taken
through in parties of from 10 to 20.
There are in all a score of roads and
trails across and around Mount Baker,
between Chilliwack and Whatcom.
Only six are watched, and even these
are insutficiently guarded. So nicely
has the underground railroad system
been worked that well-drawn maps,
containing plans of all trails and roads,
are supplied to men going across the
line, SO that there is no possibility of
their losing their way. The guarded
roads are marked and the secret paths
are outlined, so that fully two-thirds of
the 600 or 700 japanese and Chinese
who try to get through each month
are successful in their endeavors
While the Chinese are taken through in
large parties under the personal SUI
pervision of Canadian guides, the Jap
anese are usually sent through by
themselves.
The Chinese pay $25 each, or only ten
dollars apiece if the party is large
one, while the japanese are given
map and the direction of the sun At
noon for the modest sum of five dollars.
The Japanese are usually strung out
in a long line, sometimes quarter of
mile from one another. and each
shows the succeeding one the trail by
marking the trees on either side of the
path. Thus they get through, and if
one happens to be captured the others
have time to get away. 1t takes three
days to make the trip, travelling at
night and sleeping in the daytim
Three Chinese were lately drowned
near the boundary line at Point Rob-
erts. a revenue launch on patrol near
ly ran down their craft, which had
been watched for some time. When
the Chinese saw that they could not
get away they pulled the plugs in the
bottom of the boat and threw them
selves overheard. About $1,000 worth
of opium was found slowed in the sink
ing craft.
All of the Chinese who Illegally cross
the boundary carry from five to ten |
pounds of opium. There are several !
opium factories in Vancouver and the |
poppy product is smuggled in small |
boats around to Blaine and Whatcom. !
The real trouble lies, according to
the customs officers, in the laxity of |
the immigration laws of Canada. The /
orientals know they cannot land di-
rectly in the states, and they come
through Canada simply to find the
easiest route to the desired point in
the states. Canadian laws are com
planned of as being lax in other par
ticulars, for no punishment can be in
ficted upon the guides, who live on
that side of the line and who take good
care never to be caught in the United
States.