Blogs by Jim1 Comment

A Pygmy Monopolist & Chinese Workers

jimchiao

Today, Robert D. Hume’s life and writings help us better understand the origins of the Pacific Coast salmon industry and the people who built it. His autobiography “A Pygmy Monopolist” offers insight into early industrial practices, labor systems, and conservation ideas—many of which continue to influence public conversations about fisheries, sustainability, and community history. For us interested in Chinese immigrant histories, A Pygmy Monopolist provides an important window into the mindset of an era when industry, natural resources, and community development were deeply intertwined. In this article, we will examine a few minor details of his working relationship and encounters … Continue reading A Pygmy Monopolist & Chinese Workers

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, history2 Comments

Canned Salmon During World War I

Kristin Wong

This image, from around 1913, offers a glimpse into the operations of a salmon cannery situated in either Oregon or Washington. It features eight men engrossed in the precision-driven task of manually weighing one-pound cans of salmon, a process essential to maintaining consistent product quality and compliance with industry standards. The backdrop reveals neatly stacked cans of salmon, a testament to their laborious efforts. This snapshot captures the rigorous, hands-on nature of food processing in the early 20th century, emphasizing the reliance on human skill and meticulous attention to detail during an era when automated machinery was limited. Beyond its … Continue reading Canned Salmon During World War I

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Sanborn Map of FIPC in Ketchikan, 1914

jimchiao

Fig 1: 1914 map of The Fidalgo Island Packing Company (FIPC) in Ketchikan, cropped to show the main facility of the cannery. (Ref. 1) A map, and a Moment in Time: Exploring the 1914 Fidalgo Island Packing Company in Ketchikan Sometimes history surprises you. You open an old document—say, a 1914 Sanborn fire insurance map—and suddenly you’re staring straight into the everyday life of a century-old salmon cannery. That’s exactly what happens with the Sanborn map of the Fidalgo Island Packing Company (FIPC) in Ketchikan. At first, it looks like a simple drawing of buildings and labels. But look closer … Continue reading Sanborn Map of FIPC in Ketchikan, 1914

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SONG OF SALMON GANG

Philip Chiao

At the  end of the 14th article published by Max Stern in the San Francisco Daily in 1922, he gave us a song of the salmon gang: We’re a frousy, lousy crew, As headwind ever blew,           The scrapins of five continents and more; They have gathered us and shipped us, And a dirty job they slipped us,          A good two thousand miles from home ashore. To Naknek, Kvichak, Ugashik, To Togiak and Coofee Crick,            To tundra flats and mud o’ Bristol Bay, To Kagione and Igigak, … Continue reading SONG OF SALMON GANG

Blogs by Kristin, Chinese Contract System, Contractor, WashingtonLeave a comment

Chun Ching Hock (1844-1927)

Kristin Wong

Chinese immigration to the West Coast began in the 1850s with the California gold rush. As gold prospects faded, Chinese labor became essential to western expansion—building railroads, working in mines and mills, and providing domestic services. Language barriers made direct hiring difficult, so employers relied on labor contractors to recruit Chinese workers. Before 1882, a small number of Chinese migrants settled in the San Juan Islands in Washington state, working as cooks, fishermen, or in local businesses. After the Chinese Exclusion Act banned immigration for ten years in 1885, many still sought work in the U.S. and entered through Canada, … Continue reading Chun Ching Hock (1844-1927)

Blogs by Jim, history, Webinar/TalkLeave a comment

Saratoga Library AAPI Heritage Month Talk 5/2025

jimchiao

It was a picture-perfect Memorial Day weekend in May when my brother Philip and I headed to the Saratoga Library for a special talk. The timing couldn’t have been better—it was AAPI Heritage Month—and our topic, “Two Waves of Chinese Immigration and the Salmon Canning Industry,” fit right in. We explored the two major waves of Chinese immigration, then dove into the story of the salmon canning industry, using it to bring to life the struggles and triumphs of Chinese immigrants through vivid, personal examples. The afternoon was made possible thanks to the Saratoga Library and the Chinese Historical & … Continue reading Saratoga Library AAPI Heritage Month Talk 5/2025

Blogs by Kristin, Columbia River, OregonLeave a comment

Kinney Salmon Cannery in Astoria

Kristin Wong

In 1887, the Kinney Salmon Cannery in Astoria, Oregon, was the largest salmon-packing facility on the Pacific Coast, processing 7,500 cases valued at nearly $40,000, or over $1,353,000 today. Constructed in 1879 by Marshall J. Kinney and operated by the Astoria Packing Company, in which he was president. By 1890, the cannery expanded into a sprawling complex on pilings between 5th and 6th Streets. This growth mirrored the broader boom in the Columbia River salmon industry, which had become a global hub by the 1880s. Chinese immigrants, first hired in 1872, quickly became the backbone of the labor force. By … Continue reading Kinney Salmon Cannery in Astoria

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Bark and/or Full Rigger, Two Lives of Emily F. Whitney

Philip Chiao

Picture source: Emily F. Whitney, Digital Commonwealth In his articles in 1922, titled The Price of Salmon, journalist Max Stern recorded his adventure aboard what was called The Hell Ship to work in Alaskan canneries. At the beginning, he was hoping to board one of the APA’s (Alaska Peckers’ Association) famed Star Fleet, something liked Star of Alaska. Star of Alaska is a steel-hulled full-rigged ship that was built in 1886. “It is 301 ft in length, 38.6 beam, draught 20.3 ft, depth of hold 22.7 ft. 145 in height. It is a three mast ship. The sail plan is … Continue reading Bark and/or Full Rigger, Two Lives of Emily F. Whitney

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Early Days of the Firm of Quong Ham Wah

Philip Chiao

As much as we are interested in the history of the salmon canning industry and the Chinese cannery workers, our approach to the subject are more like hobbyists than historians. We do not conduct first hand researches and study original historical documents. However,, occasionally, we do come across a piece of document or evidence that allows us a moment of historical speculation. So here is the story of the firm of Quong Ham Wah. We have learned from historians that “During the period 1892-1908, the APA (Alaska Packers Association) worked with a total of 46 Chinese contractors to recruit workers … Continue reading Early Days of the Firm of Quong Ham Wah