Author: Philip Chiao

I am a retired architect. I had. successful architectural career. Currently I am devoting time to family as well as volunteering work. Together with my brother, James, we are working on projects to promote the history of Chinese workers in the salmon canning industry.
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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

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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 We do not conduct first hand researches and study original historical documents.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

Blogs by Philip, San FranciscoLeave a comment

Emily F. Whitney: The Untold Stories of a Downeaster Ship

Philip Chiao

The wooden full rigger, Emily F. Whitney, an American downeaster, had a long and interesting history: The clipper ship was built in East Boston by Abiel Grove in 1880 for J. H. Flitmer of Boston & Leonard Whitney of Watertown Massachusetts, & L. A. Roby of Nashua New Hampshire. Her first commander was Captain Henry B. Rollins. It was 1207 net tonnage and 193 feet in length, with a 37.8 ft breadth and 23 ft depth. For her first 17 years, she was managed by J. H. Flitner & Co. of Boston and was in trade to San Francisco and … Continue reading Emily F. Whitney: The Untold Stories of a Downeaster Ship

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Wing Luke Museum

Philip Chiao

It must be a twin brothers’ magical connection, I and James, without coordination, booked our trips to Seattle independently, only to find out we were to be there the same week and our schedule overlapped for a few days. We took advantage of the shared time to visit our alma mater, University of Washington together, and had dinner with our niece and her husband, both are currently working at the University Hospital in the last leg of their medical fellowship program. Due to schedule conflict, I and James visited the Luke Museum separately. I and my wife went on a … Continue reading Wing Luke Museum

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Star of India

Philip Chiao

On your recent trip to San Diego, our hotel happens to be located on the waterfront facing the ocean and N. Harbor Drive. From the hotel window, we can see a collection of historical ships on display at the dock including the Star of India — one of the last two remaining ships from the famed Star Fleet owned by the Alaska Packer’s Association back in the early 20th century. The ocean was calm, and the wind mild; it reminded me of Max Stern , his ship stuck on the high sea during his 1922 voyage to Alaska, when he … Continue reading Star of India

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Windjammer vs. Steamer

Philip Chiao

One of the dark secrets of the west coast salmon canning trade in the early 20th century was the notorious life aboard the Hell Ships, made infamously known by Max Stern’s detail expose in 1922. Gambling, bootlegging, profiteering, exploitation, disease, even death marked the voyage that Stern took aboard the wooden clipper Emily F. Whitney. It took one month to reach Bristle Bay, Alaska. However, the drama allowed Stern to fill pages of San Francisco Daily with his month-long adventures on the high sea. But just imagine how the story would turn out if the mode of transportation were different … Continue reading Windjammer vs. Steamer

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Chinese Laborers or Coolies?

Philip Chiao

We have just returned from a tour of Machupicchu and other cities and sights in Peru in South America. Machupicchu is certainly one magnificent human creation that is worth of our admiration. Along the way, we also learned from our tour guide many fascinating facts about the history and geography of Peru. One interesting fact was the popularity of Chinese restaurants. They are identified as “Chifa” not restaurants. Chifa means “eat rice” or “have meal,” in Chinese – a most direct invitation to woo customers. Our guide made mention of the historical import of Chinese laborers in the 19th century. … Continue reading Chinese Laborers or Coolies?

Blogs by Philip, California, San Francisco, Webinar/TalkLeave a comment

Stern’s Morality

Philip Chiao

We have given a webinar recently at the invitation of the Bristol Bay Historical Society. The subject of our talk was the book “The Price of Salmon,” by Max Stern. It is a collection of 37 articles penned by Stern and published by the San Francisco Daily in 1922. It was an expose of the west coast salmon canning industry, and according to San Francisco Daily News, “Gambling, bootlegging, profiteering, exploitation, disease, even death, marked the voyage that Stern took for the readers of the Daily…”and “…work in the Alaska salmon canneries under conditions as near to slavery as anything … Continue reading Stern’s Morality