Category: Contractor

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