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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 30, 1963)
it 2 1 i Q n SUNDAY. JUNE 30. 1963 MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON Colorful Chapter in History Washed Away Br DORIS ROBINSON M1 Tribuna CorrMpondtni Yreka-One of the most col orful chapters in the history of Siskiyou county, and neigh boring Shasta county to the south, unfolded during a pe riod of some 40 years of the 19th Century, when the area had quite a large Chinese population. The chapter began in the early 1850s, when large num bers of Chinese poured into northern California, lured by reports of vast wealth in the gold mines of the area. It reached a climax in 1890, when Yrcka's Chinatown was washed away in a flood. The Chinese who came larger numbers of their coun trymen in to work for them In fact, it was said that 90 per cent of the Chinese were slaves to the other 10 per cent. The average Chinaman was accustomed to working for a maximum of 10 cents a day in China. His services, therefore, could be obtained for considerable less money than those of the native Call forma, who was used to get ting from $2 to $3 per day As a result, relations be' tween the Chinese and the Californians were not always good. Some of the whites were alarmed at the influx of Chi' ncse and felt the newcomers were getting a stranglehold teeking wealth brought even on the area's commerce. I . 0 - ; . II RESCUED This stand was rescued from Chinatown before it was destroyed, and was later donated to the Siski you County museum by the late Clyde Turner. For some time It was used at the museum to hold the register for guests. The little Chinese hat on top of the stand was do nated by a Mrs. Balfrey of Etna, Calif. TAKES FIRST JUMP O'Brlcn-Pfc Larry Smed ley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Barnes of O'Brien has been stationed in Georgia. He re cently took his first Jump from a helicopter In exercises of this paratroop division. His outfit Is known, as John F. Kennedy's Minute Men and was given the title by the President himself. s EYES BURN? 1 3' BUT FIRST give your eyes the glare protection they need. Wear COLUMBIAN SUN GLASSES. Summer time is the hardest season of the year on your eyes . . . your vision is priceless, guard it well. COLUM BIAN SUN GLASSES are available in your prescrip tion, with or without bifocals. Convenient Credit W give J$ Grean Stamps COLUMBIAN OPTICAL CO. MEDFORD SHOPPING CENTER casual shopping with convenient parking It was said that every claim sold to the Chinese was for ever lost to the community. as no proceeds from that claim ever went in any chan nel of trade, save the one which went directly to China. It paid for all their fish, rice, clothing, in fact everything commercial. If there was a delay in a cargo arriving, they would buy as little flour as would sustain life, a few pair of gum boots, and what lumber they needed, but in return they would take every chick en and hog within the range of their acquaintance, the natives claimed. Or while one was buying boots, another would steal two pair. Numbers Increase Their numbers steadily in creased. Stores began to close, to be succeeded by "Ching "Chong," "Cha" stores, and the produce was replaced with queer fish, little beans, dried snails and beetle bugs from China, much to the gratific' tion of the San Francisco ship owner. Many thousands of Chinese worked on the railroads about 1883 in Shasta county. One newspaper clipping reported that some of the Chinese working on the railroad were killing all the fish In the river by means of powder. The article also reported that about SO Chinese com plained bitterly of the treat ment they received from the company. They were com pelled to work for low wages and to buy their supplies from Sisson and Crocker, pay ing In some Instances double prices. They said they were charg ed 4 cents a pound for rice, 13 cents a pound for pork. Purchases Straw Hal One case related about a Chinaman who had purchased a straw hat in town and hap pened to have it on while in Sisson and Crocker's store. A clerk reached over and grab bed It, exclaiming, "Where you get him?" and put it up on the shelf, compelling the man to purchase it over again of them. In every race of people one finds both the good and the bad, and this was true of the Chinese. There is a story of a man who came to i his coun try when 21 years of age, by the name of King Sing Wong. He lived to be 90 years old. He worked for an English man named Luke Shaw, and after working for him in Quartz valley for 20 years, teaching hydraulic and other typos of mining and serving faithfully, he took the name of Luke Shaw. He worked for many years for others in the area and then retired In Oakland, Calif. He was married to Louie Len Gcw, who died In 1909. They had seven children. Tribute Is Paid Frank W. Hooper paid him a great tribute at the time of his dcutli mid recalled his act of heroism at the time of a mining accident on Indian creek. He was presented a walch as a token of appre ciation by his American friends and lie was always proud to exhibit it In later years. Two Chinese of Yrcka, a Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, also were highly tliouKht of by the community as fine people. They were remembered espe cially by the citizenry at limes ! of Chinese (uneruls. They always rode in a horscdrawn buggy, bowing i and smiling to the people as ttie procession wound Its way through town to the cemetery. The Chinese burial custom was odd compared to the American way. Everyone was Invited, a brass band played and thousands of red papers with tiny holes punched in I them were strewn from the i home of the deceased to the ..7. .., "' 1 "'-,-' V . 1 I a pawn- .t . ' ., TTV-Ar.c -w ,, - THE END OF CHINATOWN Yreka, Calif., once had its own Chinatown, located near Highway 99 in the block now occupied by the Yreka laundry and other business firms. It burned several times, but was finally wiped out by a flood in 1890. The above photo was taken during the flood, on Feb. 4, 1890. Susequently, all the buildings were washed down Yreka creek. (Siskiyou Coun ty Museum photo). v I. NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION Siskiyou county once had quite a large Chinese pop ulation, so large that a Chinese new year's celebration was held annually. This photo, ml (I "; i Ill aiMIIIMUll IIIIMM I loaned through the courtesy of the Siskiyou County Museum, depicts a celebration at Yreka one year. cemetery. The belief was that the devil had to pass through the tiny holes in the paper before he could reach the de ceased, who thus was safe If he reached the cemetery first. Huge quantities of food were cooked and left at the ceme tery on the grave. A whole roast pig and plates of food and liquor were left to assist the deceased on his journey to "Chinee" heaven. Chinese Cemetery The Chinese cemetery for Yrcka is on the Montague rd. Just across the railroad tracks north of the highway. All that is left is a broken down fence and a brick altar on which the Chinese burned incense and hung red paper streamers as part of the ceremony. They buried their dead for a while, then opened the grave and shipped the remains back to China. It has been said thai the shipping line shipped back the dead and brought back a cargo ot live Chinese to take their place. The Chinese New Year cele brations lasted about two weeks and were another col orful affair. Six prominent Chinese companies headed the mining operations in Yrcka, and each belonged to a dif ferent "Tong." Headquarters for the companies and their stores were located in China town. All Chinese working for the companies did their shop ping, smoked opium, and gam bled on the premises. The games played consisted of RAY CASEBEER AT PADGHAM GLASS SAYS: WE'VE E-X-P-A.N-D-E-D to offer you SHAT-R-PROOF Auto Glass Loaner Car Service The Best of EVERYTHING IN GLASS PADGHAM GLASS COMPANY 1309 COURT STREET MEDFORD v Fan-Tan, Lotto, draw poker played (American style). If a Chinaman had not paid his last year's debts, he was not allowed to gamble. During t',:e New Year cele bration a game played by Chi nese boys was called "Fights" and compared somewhat to the American football. There were two teams of about eight boys each. An explosive which was wrapped in padding look ing something like a pincush ion, was shot into the air and a mad scramble ensued. The ob ject was for a player to carry it to the "Joss House" safely. First Prist A round trip to China for the lucky player was first prize and $500 was divided among his teammates. Fire crackers exploded from tall poles and the Americans join ed with the Chinamen in their noisy and colorful celebration. Yrcka's Chinatown burned several times during its exist ence but was always rebuilt. The area covered was from Highway 99 in the block now covered by the Yrcka laundry, Boyd and Fransun and cast to the railroad tracks. A flood in 18H0 carried the shacks down Yrcka creek and now none of the original homes re main. At present there is only one family tracing their ances try from Chinatown still liv ing in Yreka. They own and operate the White Circle Cafe on Miner st. Only one family is left in Weavervillo, Moon Lee, who operates a store there and watches over the "Joss House." In 1852. 2.500 Chinese were living along the Tiir.i'y river In the Weaverville district, and the foreign miners tax totaled $8,000 a month. Al though they were thousands of miles from their homeland Ihcy built their house of wor ship and followed ancient cus toms and religion. They called their temple "Temple Amongst the Forest Benealh the Clouds." Inside altars, carvings, gongs, panels, lanterns, tables, drum, tapes try and banners were found, as well as images of Chinese deities, including those of Medicine and Wealth. The deities numbered three and were made of clay. There were three elaborately carved altars. Food and incense and red candles were placed in front of the images; whiskey and tea were kept before them to satisfy their thirst. Lee still keeps up this old custom. 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