Ethnic Groups

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:''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.''
 
:''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.''
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26 Oct 1882 At Miles City Chinaman has become thoroughly Americanized. He can be seen any evening, in his laundry, playing on a piano.
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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.
 
Jun 1884 [[Fires|Fire]] damages Gee Lee laundry on Main street.
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[[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.
 
12 Jul 1884 Sam Can, a Chinaman who was so successful in the laundry business here, is at Livingston but will return here soon.
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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.
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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.
 
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.
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20 Jul 1885
 
20 Jul 1885
 
Probate court, Judge Staehle. [[Frank Parker]] and [[William Brearly]] charged with impersonating an officer. Brearly was at the wash house of [[Charley Chung]] and purchased $1 worth of opium, then threatened to arrest him. Chung paid him $5 to release him. The story got out and [[Ed Creely]] "Frenchy" arrested both defendants. Parker was found not guilty but Brearly was fined $50 plus court costs.
 
Probate court, Judge Staehle. [[Frank Parker]] and [[William Brearly]] charged with impersonating an officer. Brearly was at the wash house of [[Charley Chung]] and purchased $1 worth of opium, then threatened to arrest him. Chung paid him $5 to release him. The story got out and [[Ed Creely]] "Frenchy" arrested both defendants. Parker was found not guilty but Brearly was fined $50 plus court costs.
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23 Aug 1885 Sam Lee was making a big commotion in front of his wash house last night, claiming that the devil visited him while he was sleeping, changing form from a little dog, a cat and a little boy, tormenting him and pulling his hair and scratching his face, though no marks were visible. The devil made him get up cook rice and chicken which he devoured. He claims that he has received these visits several times the last time being this past Chinese New Years and he showed the bare spots on his scalp where the Devil pulled his hair out.
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14 Dec 1887 [[Fires|Fire]] breaks out at 6 am in [[Charlie Can]]'s wash house opposite the office of the [[Yellowstone Journal]] on Main street. The Chinese residents were all asleep and the source was thought to be from a stove in the annex. The wind was strong from the west so the frame building six feet to the west, owned by Anderson, was unharmed. Sparks threatened the roofs of buildings across the street, but men used hoses attached to the steam pump to protect them from the roof of the YJ. The laundry was a complete loss, but its value was small, being quite old. Owned by [[Major Logan]], erected in 1879, it was the public [[school]] in 1882 and has been rented to variety of businesses. The workers saved as much laundry as they could.
 
14 Dec 1887 [[Fires|Fire]] breaks out at 6 am in [[Charlie Can]]'s wash house opposite the office of the [[Yellowstone Journal]] on Main street. The Chinese residents were all asleep and the source was thought to be from a stove in the annex. The wind was strong from the west so the frame building six feet to the west, owned by Anderson, was unharmed. Sparks threatened the roofs of buildings across the street, but men used hoses attached to the steam pump to protect them from the roof of the YJ. The laundry was a complete loss, but its value was small, being quite old. Owned by [[Major Logan]], erected in 1879, it was the public [[school]] in 1882 and has been rented to variety of businesses. The workers saved as much laundry as they could.
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==1888==
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[[11 Feb 1888]] Chinese New Year. During the day the 3 Chinese establishments in town were visited by the townspeople and were treated to delicacies and rice liquor (also American rye). The Chinese took a sleigh ride and set off lots of pure quill Chinese fire crackers. The next day will conclude with roast pork and a general display of fireworks.
  
 
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Revision as of 01:43, 28 January 2014

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