Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-09-04
SMUGGLING CHINESE.

Addison 81. King, United States
customs officer stationed at Richford,
is visiting friends in Springfield,
Mass, and was recently seen by
Republican reporter as to the Chinese
smuggling on the border. Mr.. King
has had long experience as an
immigration officer for the govern
ment and he has told some interest
ing stories about the smuggling of
Chinese into this country across the
Canadian border, as well as how
attempts are made by Canadians to
smuggle wool and maple sugar into
this country. Mr.. King said that the
Chinese are very anxious to get into
the United States because when they
are here they can earn money
enough in five years to return to their
native land and live comfortably for
twenty years. These Cinnamon land
in Vancouver and are transported
across Canada under bond by the
Canadian Pacific Railroad company.
The British government imposes a
head tax of $500 on every Chinaman
that comes into Canada, bnt if they
claim that their destination is the
United States they are allowed to
cross the country under bond, and
are watched by the immigration
officers to see that they do so. When
the Cinnamon come to this country
they have to establish proof that they
are either merchants or travellers, or
that they have lived in the country
before and left it with an unliquidated
debt of $1,000 or more. They are
subjected to a critical examination as
to their physical condition and if they
answer all the requirements they are
| allowed to enter the country. The
Cinnamon, if they are refused ad-
mission into the country, make every
effort to get in. Mr.. King cites an
instance of an attempt to smuggle
two Cinnamon across the border
disguised as nuns. There are
number of persons along the border
actively engaged in smuggling these
foreigners into the country and they
have formed a chain of stations
through the Green Mountains by
means of which large number were
gotten through before the trail was
discovered.
The work of the customs officers as
told by Mr.. King is still more inter-
esting. The Canadians and Ameri-
cans along the border find that it is
profitable business to smuggle wool
and maple sugar across the line
and when they are successful they
are we'll paid for their work. The
\ duty on wool is II cents pound and
a ton Of this material can easily be
hauled on one load. A smuggler sue
cessful in getting a ton of wool
across the border could make over
5000 besides being paid for the use of
his team. The government customs
officers are stationed at points from 6
to IA miles apart all along the line
between this country and Canada.
Between these points there are
numerous roads. The smugglers do
their work at night and run chances
in getting across the line without
being caught. Once the material is
across the line it is hard for the gov
eminent officials to prove that it was
Struggled unless they had it marked
before it crossed the line or one of
them saw it coming. Mr.. King tells
also of what are called line houses.
These are buildings built Immediately
on the line between the two countries
so that one half of the building is in
Canada and the other half in this
country. In these structures intoxi-
eating liquors are sold and the bar is
constructed so that the line passes
across the middle of the board its
entire length. In this way the liquors
are sold by the bartenders in Canada
and Americans can buy it in the
United States. Customs officers make
raids in these houses but when they
enter them every thing is before their
eyes and within the reach of their
hands, but they must not touch them
because they are in Canada.