Blogs by Jim, Columbia River, OregonLeave a comment

Rudyard Kipling’s Description of a 19th Century Oregon Salmon Cannery and Chinese Laborers

jimchiao

Who is Kipling? If you don’t know his name, you might have known him through the popular Disney movie The Jungle Book or the classic movie The Man Who Would Be King. Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), born in British India, was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short story writer. He was a hugely-popular author of The Jungle Book and Kim, and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King. In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a surprise to find his writing about a salmon cannery and Chinese workers, but it all happened on a trip … Continue reading Rudyard Kipling’s Description of a 19th Century Oregon Salmon Cannery and Chinese Laborers

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, California, San FranciscoLeave a comment

“Illness among Chinese recently returned from Salmon Canneries of Alaska” -October 30, 1900

Kristin Wong

The journalist Max Stern, of the book “The Price of Salmon” edited by James and Philip Chiao, may have given the readers of the San Francisco Daily News in 1922 his own first hand accounts of the horrible living conditions aboard the Emily F. Whitney as it travelled from Pier 29 in San Francisco to the salmon cannery in Bristol Bay that summer. He went on to describe the the unsanitary conditions, segregation by ethnicities, and the awful food that they were given. It seems like things did not change by the time he boarded that ship because 22 years … Continue reading “Illness among Chinese recently returned from Salmon Canneries of Alaska” -October 30, 1900

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, San Francisco, Webinar/TalkLeave a comment

San Francisco Maritime Museum “The Price of Salmon” Book Presentation

Kristin Wong

On June 2nd, 2024, James, Philip, and I were invited by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park to participate in their Labor History Talks Series, which focuses on the nuances of … Continue reading San Francisco Maritime Museum “The Price of Salmon” Book Presentation

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, California, history, San FranciscoLeave a comment

San Diego Maritime Museum- Star Of India

Kristin Wong

Star of India was built by Gibson, McDonald, and Arnold in 1863 in Ransey, Isle of Man in England as was one of the first to use iron in the hull rather than the usual wood. This vessel was originally named Euterpe after the Greek muse of music and poetry. She made several voyages between Great Britain and India carrying cargo. Then in 1872 she was sold to Shaw Saville Line of London and was used to transport emigrants and cargo to New Zealand and Australia. Between 1872 and 1898, she eventually travelled the distance equal to circumnavigating the globe … Continue reading San Diego Maritime Museum- Star Of India

Alaska, Blogs by JimLeave a comment

1952 ILWU Yearbook

jimchiao

For the last 4-5 years, I have established a friendship with Fred Wong, the legendary foreman who had worked in Alaska canneries for more than 50 years, starting in 1953 when he was 18 years old. Except for two and half years service in the army, he continued his work in Alitak cannery from 1954 to 2008. I have never met him in person, but I love to chat with him about his experience and trade cannery stories. We have communicated by phone, through Zoom and emails over the years. I have also exchanged holiday greetings with him the past … Continue reading 1952 ILWU Yearbook

Blogs by PhilipLeave a comment

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

Alaska, Blogs by Kristin, California, Chinese Contract System, history1 Comment

The California Schooner Sails to Klawock, Alaska in 1878 with 18 Chinese Laborers

Kristin Wong

With the first salmon canneries set to open in southeast Alaska in 1878, the transcontinental railroad labor contractor Sisson, Wallace, and Co. in San Francisco created a new company called the North Pacific Packing and Trading Company. They intended to transform some of the existing fish salteries in Alaska into salmon canneries. They prepared the schooner California with needed supplies and also Chinese laborers which they had plenty of from the completion of the railroad construction. This included 120 tons of equipment for a steam sawmill and cannery, 50 tons of tin, along with the first 18 Chinese laborers to … Continue reading The California Schooner Sails to Klawock, Alaska in 1878 with 18 Chinese Laborers

Blogs by Jim, San FranciscoLeave a comment

Grant Ave. SF, now and 100 years ago

jimchiao

Two weeks ago, on Nov. 15th, I visited San Francisco downtown. It was my first visit to downtown area since the start of the pandemic, and it just happens to be during the week of Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). I decided to trace the route on Grant Ave as described in Max Stern’s 1922 articles The Price of Salmon, which my brother & I re-published as a book last year. Stern was an investigative newspaper reporter who was assigned to join a Chinese gang and sailed to Bristol Bay to work in Wood River salmon cannery — in an effort … Continue reading Grant Ave. SF, now and 100 years ago

Blogs by PhilipLeave a comment

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?