Category: Contractor

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, Chinese Contract System, Contractor, history, Oregon, PortlandLeave a comment

Kwong Shew Lung Company in Portland, Oregon

Kristin Wong

Chong Wong Chong, born in 1864, immigrated to the United States around 1882, arriving in Portland on a small steamer from Vancouver, British Columbia, as a laborer. After nine years working for Kwong Shew Lung Company (also spelled as Quon Shew Lun Company), he became its manager in 1909. It was a general merchandising business located first at 94 North 4th Street and later on North 3rd Street and was in business until the 1930s. It was capitalized at $10,000, with Chong holding a $2,000 share. He and the bookkeeper, Jung Ho Yip (who invested $600), each earned $60 per … Continue reading Kwong Shew Lung Company in Portland, Oregon

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)

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, Chinese Contract System, Contractor, history, San FranciscoLeave a comment

The Chinese Labor Contact System- Similarities between Salmon Canneries and the Transcontinental Railroad

Kristin Wong

While researching information on salmon canneries in the Columbia River in Oregon, I came across some interesting information regarding Sisson, Wallace & Co. based out of San Francisco, California. They were an agency specializing in supplying the railroad companies in Northern California and Nevada not only with construction material, but also for procuring Chinese labor for the transcontinental railroad. They also were responsible for providing the Chinese workers with food and clothing along with room and board. Now, how is this related to the salmon canning industry in Alaska you may ask? The company called Sisson, Wallace, and Co. was … Continue reading The Chinese Labor Contact System- Similarities between Salmon Canneries and the Transcontinental Railroad

Blogs by Jim, Columbia River, ContractorLeave a comment

Lee Mee Gin’s story

jimchiao

After publishing of the book “The Price of Salmon” in the summer of 2022, I received a message from Debbie Jiang who read about the news. In her email, she told me of a Portland Chinese contractor by the name of Lee Mee Gin. Debbie wrote: “I accidentally discovered the cannery middleman when I was researching my cousin’s father-in-law. Have you heard of Mr. Lee Mee Gin?  He owned and operated Kwong Lun Tai, a dry goods store, among other things.  He also was a contractor for Chinese workers heading to the canneries in Alaska. Mr. Lee was Portland’s Chinatown’s mayor and … Continue reading Lee Mee Gin’s story

Blogs by Jim, California, ContractorLeave a comment

Contractor Lem Sen’s Story

jimchiao

It was exactly a year ago when we gave a talk at CHSA (Chinese Historical Society of America) in San Francisco. The talk was originally planned in early 2020 as an in-person event; however, it became a virtual event because of the pandemic. Because it was a virtual event, we were able to reach out to a wider audience. After the talk, I received an email from Deborah Lem, telling me that her grandfather was a labor contractor and she has some of Lem Sen’s documents in her possession. I was overjoyed to hear that because Lem Sen was one … Continue reading Contractor Lem Sen’s Story