St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-08-30
SMUGGLING CHINESE.
Profit in Bringing iu Wool and Other
Matters Described by a Vermont
Customs Officer.

Matters Described by a Vermont
Customs Officer.
Addison H. King, a United States Gus.
toms officer stationed at Richford, VT, is
visiting friends in this city. Mr.. King
has hac long experience as an immigra-
ton officer for the government and he
has told some interesting stories about
the smuggling of Chinese into this coun-
try across the Canadian border, as we'll
as how attempts a. e 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 enough money in FIVE
years to return to their native land and
live comfortably for 20 years. These
Cinnamon land at Vancouver and are
transported across Canada under bond
by the Canadian Pacific railroad com.
pany. The British government imposes
head tax of $500 on every Chinaman
that comes into Canada, but if they
claim that their destination is the United
States they are allowed to cross the
country under bond, and are watched by
immigration officers to see that they do
so. When the Cinnamon come to this
country they have to establish proof
that they are merchants or travellers, or
that they lived in the country before and
left it with an unliquidated debt of $1,000
or more. They subjected to critical
examination as to their physical con-
dition and it they answer all the require.
ments they are allowed to enter the
country. The Cinnamon, il they are re-
fused admission to the country make
every effort to get in. Mr.. King cites an
instance of an attempt to smuggle two
OF the Cinnamon across the border dis
guised as nuns. There are number of
persons along the border actively en-.
gagged in smuggling these foreigners into
the country and they have formed a
chain of stations through the Green
mountains by means of which a large
number were gotten through before the
trail was discovered.
The work OF the customs officers as
told by Mr.. King is still more interesting.
The Canadians and Americans along the
border find that it is a profitable bust.
ness to smuggle wool and maple sugar
across the line and when they are success.
ful they are well paid for their work.
The duty on wooltis II cents a pound
and ton OF this Bacterial can easily be
hauled on one load. A smuggler success.
full 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 station.
ed at points from 6 to Is miles apart all |
along the line between this country and |
Canada. Between these points there are |
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 government 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 put immedi-
ately on the line between the two
countries so that one.haf of the building
s in Canada and the other half in this
country. In these structures intoxicating
liquors are sold aud the bar is construct.
ID so that the line passes across the
middle of the board its entire length. In
his way the liquors are sold by the bar.
ender in Canada and Americans can buy
t in the United States. Customs officers
make raids on these houses, but when
hey enter them everything is before
heir eyes and within reach Of their
lands, but they may not touch them
because they are in Canada Springfield
Republican.