The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-02-08
HOW The cinnamon
FOOL THE INSPECTOR
Frisco Officials Discover a Willy
Scheme Devised by Chinese
Emigrants.

! Emigrants.
! SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Feb. s.
Despite. the rigid examination given
by the immigration inspectors to in
coming Chinese it mas been known for
some time that the inspectors were
being deceived by Asiatics who alleged
they were born in San Francisco, and
now one Of the schemes used to de-
lude the inspectors has been discov-
cred. Hart N. North, United States
commissioner of immigration, discov-
cred a map on an immigrant showing
Chinatown as it was before the fire
and the fraud was then made clear
1t carried instructions how to answer
questions regarding the plan of the
city and of important events Of the
! past.
Previous to the passage Of the Chin
ese exclusion act in 1882 the imimgra-
tion department kept no record Of i'm
migrants admitted at San Francisco.
The Chinese knew of this and when
questioned by the inspectors they
claimed that they were born in the
! United States before 1882, and that
they went back to China just before
the passage of the act.
In order to prove that the Chinese
did live In San Francisco, as claimed
by them, the inspectors have been in
| the habit OF asking the location of
| well-known buildings, streets, and car
lines. To these questions many Of the
| Chinese were able to give a satisfac-
tory answer and the inspectors had
nothing else to do but to admit them
Commissioner North believes that
copies Of these maps have been sent to
China and that after having been
studio one Of these Chinese immigrants
would come to the United States,
claim to have been born here, and de-
mand the right to land. The Chinese
would not be expected to know, the
appearance of the city as it is now,
but the inspectors felt that they would;
have remembered the Chinatown Sec
ton as 1t looked several years ago.
the cunning Chinese were not slow in
taking advantage of the methods used
by the inspectors, and maps were
made in a, local Chinese printing es-
tablishment and copies sent to "cous-
ms in China who wanted to come to
this country.
The map confiscated started at Sac
ramento street and showed buildings
and streets as far south as Pacific
street., taking in the west side, OF
kearney, and showing the general ap-
pearance as far west as the east side
or Stockton. street. At the top Of the
map were the following instructions:
Questions Answered for Immigrants.
If asked what year the fair was
held and where, answer Kwong Sui,
nineteenth year, fifth or sixth month.
The buildings were at the park. If
asked the year of the registration say
also from the nineteenth year of
Kwong Sui to the twienth year, fourth
or. fifth month. If asked the year the
doctors quarantined Chinatown and
tor how long say Kwong Sui to twen-
tieth year, fifth month, for about two
weeks. If asked the location Of the
government postoffice and custom
house answer. The postoffice and the
custom house are at the corner, Of
location Of the Pacific hotel say in
Market street In the American part Of
the town" .:s.-,5 @. b 4
The map Of the Chinatown district
showed the puslic square in Kearney
street, the hall Of Justice, .which was
further described BY the words, There
is q clock ON the tower" the famous
Dan Kwai stheater, and the sYuen Fone
restaurant. The cable lines were all
pointed out. The instrnct ions were
printed in Chinese. Dr.. John Endicott
Gardner, one Of the immigration In
spectors, translated the characters. 81
"a more rigid examination will be
given Chinese in future, and the In.
spectors expect that among those who
will arrive in this port within the next
two weeks will be many who have
prepared themselves for the questions
by using q copy OF the map. New
methods will he adopted BY the in
spectors. ssi