Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-12-02
JuNKS IN FRISCO BAY.
Chinese Craft That Ply the Waters
of the Golden Gate.

OF the Golden Gate.
OF all the craft that pillow the waters
OF San Francisco bay none are more
curious ar more picturesque than the
Chinese junks. Probably few people
are aware OF the existence within the
portals of the Golden Gate Of tleet
OF these strange little boats. built on
almost precisely the same lines that
fashionable many long centuries ago.
They frequent the byways rather than
the highways of the harbor. One might
visit the busy water front section every
day for u month and not be rewarded
with the sight OF junk.
The greater part OF this oriental fleet
In occidental waters Is employed in the
shrimp fishing industry. branch OF
human activity which In this city IL
almost exclusively In the hands of the
Chinese \ few. indeed. journey among
the townships located around the bay
and collect old horseshoes. kelp and
broken glass. the latter utilized In the
manufacture OF sandpaper. Others are
used az fishing smacks. Many of them.
IL is said. are available when there Is a
chance TO smuggle little opium. From
vessels arriving from the east parcels
OF the drowsy drug. with floats attach
cd. have been dropped overheard. and
n keen eyed junk captain has general
~ been near enough to secure the val
liable contrubnnd But the vigilance
of the customs authorities has pretty
well put an end to this practice. and
the junks are now perforcc engaged in
legitimate business. The other Is too
risky
The Chinese junk Is In itself an Illus
tration of the characteristic Celestial
impcrviousncss TO all change. Ii IL
built along lines that have remained
practically unchanged for hundreds Of
years. Yet. though apparently Il reli,
of past ages. this craft is not to he
despiscd as "A useful boat for bay pur
poses. II Is very fast sailcr. is capa-
BILE of resisting squally weather and il
easily handled.
The laws of Uncle Sam take no more
cognizancc of the average Chinese junk
In this harbor than of floating log Of
wood. The vessel Is. rs n rule. 40 feet
long by IL feet on the beam. II ear.
rics one nlast thirty feet high. The
crew OF shrimp boat comprises six
men.
The unnistakable. distinctive ear.
mark of the junk Is its sail. II IN
typically Chinese "a huge. nearly
square thing. measuring perhaps %
feet by 30 feet Nothing is more odd
about this sail than the fact that II IL
stayed or Stated with cane sticks ut
regular intervals. three or fonr feet
apart. over It's whole length. The effect
IL something on the lines of Il Venetian
blind stiff instead of limp. like the ev-
eryday European and American sail.
This Is another very old idea carried
down to these modern times by Chi
Stats Is not clear Probably they are
meant 10 obyiatc the necessity of care
fully furlng and folding the sail when
IL Is down. The junk sail IL run up
and down by pulley instead OF by
means of ring. Wien lowered 1t re-.
mains where II falls. does not become
tangled and may he hoisted again in.
stantly and without trouble.
4 junk Is built on the beach by Chi
nese shipbuil,lcrs. During last sum-
mer new nnc was constructed ut
Hunters Point. II took three months
TO put II together. The builder charged
$3.50 for IL. inclusive Of labor and ma
terial.- San Francisco Chronicle.