Ethnic Groups

:''Chinese immigrants came over in large numbers to work on the railroads, and when that work dried up, they spread around the northwest and in the larger cities, including New York City. They found that they could compete successfully in domestic services, women being traditionally paid less than men, and Chinese laundries popped up everywhere. Some began working for mines, others harvested crops. Because they would work so much cheaper, the fledgling Labor movement reacted violently. The threat of taking jobs, of driving down wages, the natural tendency to look down on people whose culture was different and the associated proliferation of opium dens, and the surge in crime caused whenever a group is downtrodden and forced to survive on next to nothing, combined to create a hostile attitude and movement wherever Chinese settled. Newspapers of the period are filled with articles that exposed Americans to the Chinese culture (in simplistic and often wrong terms), as WASPs cast their attention to their new neighbors. Many missionary programs were active in China, as well, and some of them suffered similar conditions in China as did the Chinese in America. The Chinese emperor was somewhat sympathetic and readily decapitated the guilty parties and reimbursed the Americans, but he expected the US to reciprocate. While our justice systems worked differently, the US government did make restitution payments in some cases.''

18 Oct 1882: The "Last Chance" boasts of a Chinese bartender.

18 Oct 1882: [[Sam H. Can]], the "Chinese King", has opened a bath house and wash shop at Billings.

26 Oct 1882 At Miles City Chinaman has become thoroughly Americanized. He can be seen any evening, in his laundry, playing on a piano.

[[7 Feb 1883]] Chinese New Years, typically celebrated with townsfolk visiting certain Chinese households and being treated to whiskey, cigars, opium, tobacoo, cigarettes, confectionery and straight dinners. Households included those of [[Gee Lee]], [[Sam Lee]], [[Sa Wo]], [[Sam Can]] and [[Chong Wo]]. At Sa Wo's house, imported sea weed, birds nest pudding, rice and imported Chinese tea was set out. In several houses, an aromatic herb was burning to keep away bad spirits, devils, disease, etc. The going rate for a washed shirt was "two bits".

[[4 Nov 1883]] "Mrs. M. McCarthy has opened a laundry at Mrs. McCanna's house and proposes to compete with John Chinaman in both price and excellence of work. Give her a call."

27 May 1884 Sam Can had his 29.5 inch queue cut off and he kept it in case he returns to China, for only convicts have short hair. He is not the only Chinese in Miles City to do this.

Jun 1884 [[Fires|Fire]] damages Gee Lee laundry on Main street.

 

[[10 Jun 1884]] [[Fort Keogh]] is to have a Chinese laundry and there is a general wail of discontent, it is said, on the part of the laundresses.

 

12 Jul 1884 Sam Can, a Chinaman who was so successful in the laundry business here, is at Livingston but will return here soon.

 

13 Aug 1884 Bert Potter is now the manager of the Miles City Steam Laundry and is taking lessons in Chinese to enable him to talk "washee washee" to his patrons.

 

23 Nov 1884 A rice-eating match is to take place on Thanksgiving day between two Chinamen at a laundry on Main stree. Pekin chop-sticks and Canton rice are to prevail. $25 a side are staked. "Melican" (American) man hopes best Chinaman win.

 

[[25 Dec 1884]] Two [[Ethnic Groups#Chinese|Chinamen]] got into court over the theft of some chickens.

 

[[Judge Brown]] in district court. 4 pm trial begins. [[Sam Lee]] is defendant. Dr. [[W. A. Burleigh]] represents the defense. Prosecuting Attorney is [[William H. Ross]]. County [[physician]] Dr [[J. J. Wood]] testifies that he can't tell whether residue is opium or not. Several Chinese testify that the most of the pipes taken as evidence are not suitable for smoking opium. Burleigh argues that even if they were, presence does not necessarily mean usage. Both attorneys fought vigorously for their cases. The judge postponed action until the next grand jury, where he hoped that the true nature of the compounds could be determined, bond set at $300. The other four will be tried the next day.

 

 

 

654 Chinese in Butte, about half in laundries, many in domestic service, many have little stores, many are "gamblers, toughs, loafers, and hatchet masons", the remainder work at gardening and odd jobs. They feel that the Chinese will go quietly and make room for about 200 or 300 girls and women as house servants, laundresses, etc and "for a good many more men in various positions". Their reasons include unfair labor competition, as they work for almost nothing, their introduction of opium to the white community, corrupt the youth and are unsanitary. (But in May 1887, in NYC two assemblies of the Knights of Labor are created entirely of Chinese, one for cigar makers and the other for laundrymen.)

2 Sep 1885 White miners in Rock Creek, WY massacre over 50 (28 actually) Chinese miners. In Seattle, WA local Indians, who lost jobs picking hops to Chinese workers, attack them, killing two and wounding four. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Springs_massacre]

===1886===

24 Feb 1886 District court, spring term, 5th day: Judge [[Charles R. Pollard]].

US vs. Ah Ki, grand larceny, accused of robbing another Chinese person at knife point at [[Fort Keogh]] of a few dollars. Jury heard the case and were discharged for the day.

24 Feb 1886 Two interpreters were sworn in to watch each other. Even so, a big row started when one of the witnesses called one of the interpreters a liar. After several hours, the jury deliberated and took only 5 minutes to return a guilty verdict.

 

[[29 Apr 1886]] A fire started in the back of [[W. A. Burleigh, Jr.]]'s building about 9:30 pm. After about three buildings had been burned, the Chinese laundry was dynamited which stopped the spread of fire.

 

24 Jun 1886 With so many laundries in town, one of the Chinese has purchased a windmill from Whiteside Bros. and is starting a garden on Tongue River.

 

 

[[10 Aug 1886]] A. G. Schmalsle received a prompt adjustment of his fire losses in the amount of $400 by the San Francisco Insurance Company. The building was the one adjoining the Chinese laundry on 6th street.

[[30 Oct 1886]] Fred Schmalsle is building a brick Chinese laundry back of his new block.

[[6 Dec 1886]]

"It has long been known by the officers that a resort of opium smokers was being conducted in this city, but until Sunday night the locality of the opium den was only guessed. At about midnight officers [[Milton M. Russell]] and [[Frank Westervelt]] by chance dropped upon the exact location of one of these dens, and watching their opportunity the officers gained an entrance to an apartment of Ah Sam's laundry on Bridge street near Sixth and the curtain rose upon a crowded house. As the officers appeared upon the scene two of the Chinamen made a run and escaped, the others, utterly dumbfounded remained, apparently too much surprised to attempt escape. Four of the visitors to the den were lying upon the wooden bunks engaged in the pernicious occupation of "hitting the pipe a lick," and six others were bucking a Chinese game, the proprietor, [[Ah Sam]], attending to the frequenters of his house. No trouble was encountered in effecting the arrest of the entire delegation; they were herded by officers Russell and Westervelt and driven like sheep to the county jail, where they were taken care of for the remainder of the night. Yesterday afternoon the prisoners were arraigned, and the probate court room was crowded by the heathen and a few of their swarthy friends. [[Charlie Chung]], the "[[celestial]]" gambler, was secured by the court to act as an interpreter, and the names of the offenders were thus obtained. They are [[Ah Sam]], the keeper of the den, [[Ah Yoht]], [[Ah Song]], [[Ah Guong]], [[Ah Guing]], [[Ah Young]], [[Ah Chong]], [[Gee Bob]], [[Jim Shaw]], [[Jim Twoy]] and [[Hop Gee]]. The first seven named could not furnish the bail of $100 and were after arraignment returned to the care of the turnkey. Gee Bob, a boss laundryman of Bridge street, was released upon personal recognizance; Jim Shaw and Twoy, employed by [[Macqueen]] at the post were bailed by [[Louis King]] and Hop Gee, who is a big chief among the Chinamen and proprietor of an oriental store at Bozemen, was released upon collateral security which was deposited in the Sheriff's safe the night before. The Chinamen were provided with an [[attorney]], Judge [[J. W. Strevell]], and the case will be commenced this morning at ten o'clock, before [[Probate Judge]] [[Stable]]. There is one Chinaman yet at large who was in the den at the time of the raid, the other, Chong, being captured by Russell yesterday and arraigned, and [[Jim Chung]], a cook working at [[Annie Gurner]]'s place, for whom she went good but who will be tried along with the others today. A lot of opium, pipes and et cetera found in all well regulated opium dens was captured and also a small quantity of money for which the gamblers were playing. Hop Gee had upon his person when arrested about $200 in money and jewelry, he was running the bank at the den against which the games were bucking. The officers were somewhat disappointed in the countenances of the prisoners as it was thought when the raid was made that probably there would have been some devotees of the pipe who had claims to a whiter skin. Tomorrow Charlie Chung and [[Tommy Tong]] will act as interpreters and the trial will be quite interesting, especially to those acquainted with the sing song ?inigo? of the orient."

 

 

 

 

 

===1887===

 

 

 

===1888===

 

 

===1890===

 

 

===1891===

20 Oct 1891 The Chinaman who conducts the laundry on Bridge street is a nephew of Sam Lee, who was murdered at Fort Custer last week. It appeared that someone killed him with an ax after hours in the front of his shop, burglary the supposed motive. Deputy US Marshall Jones of Miles City is investigating, assisted by Deputy Foster.

 

[[29 Jan 1892]] Chinese New Year celebrated in the usual manner of entertaining visitors with cigars and delicacies, and wishing them enough luck to be able to pay their standing wash bill.

===Misc===