Volume 033-1 - January 1979 (6 pages)

One of the statues at the Chinese Temple in Grass Valley. Sargent, considered one of Nevada City’s own sons for his long and honorable residence in this town, raised a lusty voice in support of the bill and was believed highly instrumental in achieving its passage in the Senate in February. The Transcript carried a fine tribute to Sargent, commending him for the leading role he had played in pushing through the bill. But less than two weeks after its passage, the restriction bill was vetoed by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The feeling of jubilation switched overnight from the Occidentals to the Orientals, but expression of it was very low key. The Chinese knew that the modest little victory won in Washington was not indicative of the national mood and/or desires. Strict immigration laws would soon be introduced, and even more strict provisions for controlling the lives of Chinese already here would find their way into written law before long. The Chinese continued to keep a low profile throughout the spring and summer of ’79. They saw the new constitution passed by a thin majority. One of the few towns to vote against it, though the margin was slim, was Nevada City. The constitution was highly discriminatory. It forbade any corporation from hiring Chinese labor. It forbade the state, all counties and municipalities from making use of the Chinese (except in punishment of crime). They were not permitted to become citizens and were denied the right to inherit or to own land. These restrictions, some of which were so blatantly unacceptable as to be frowned upon by many who lived inthe state where they had been birthed, obtained throughout 1879, casting the foreigners in a position of almost unbearable indignity. Fortunately, a measure of justice was restored to the state’s administration when the United States Circuit Court declared several of the newly introduced acts in conflict with the Burlingame Treaty and in Tunnel No. 12 near Truckee of the Central Pacific Rail Road. These Tunnels were built mainly with Chinese labor. Totapt Metre eh Jit tp Prerieneere nS . Interior of a snowshed near Truckee of the Central Pacific Rail Road. These snowsheds were built mainly with Chinese labor. open violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. This rather modest nod to fair treatment did nothing to stop the still growing agitation to rid the country, and especially California, of the Chinese. Nevada City’s Chinatown came close to being wiped out in June whena fire swept along the west bank of the ravine between Chinatown and Pine Street. There was speculation that a deliberate effort had been made to destroy what remained of the once thriving Chinese center, but it developed later that the fire apparently had been set by the Chinese themselves. The building was an old shanty that had been vacant for some time, but recently had been taken over by a Chinese wood chopper who was very ill and knew he had not long to live. When he expired, the Chinese shunned the little shanty because it was one of their superstitions that if one of their number died in a house it henceforth was inhabited by evil. On the day the fire broke out in the ravine, a ‘‘crazy Chinaman’’ was seen watching it with approval and encouraging nods from the hill behind the flames. He was arrested as a suspect. No more was heard about the fate of the suspect so it can be assumed that whether he set the fire or only approved its setting, blame for the deed was placed on his shoulders. The shoulders of the Chinese were called into this service often in 1879. They were offered very little in the way of protection against abuse. It is true that when the Highbinders (Chinese gangsters who practiced their villainies on their own people) became too provocative, the local police force

One of the statues at the Chinese Temple in Grass Valley. Sargent, considered one of Nevada City’s own sons for his long and honorable residence in this town, raised a lusty voice in support of the bill and was believed highly instrumental in achieving its passage in the Senate in February. The Transcript carried a fine tribute to Sargent, commending him for the leading role he had played in pushing through the bill. But less than two weeks after its passage, the restriction bill was vetoed by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The feeling of jubilation switched overnight from the Occidentals to the Orientals, but expression of it was very low key. The Chinese knew that the modest little victory won in Washington was not indicative of the national mood and/or desires. Strict immigration laws would soon be introduced, and even more strict provisions for controlling the lives of Chinese already here would find their way into written law before long. The Chinese continued to keep a low profile throughout the spring and summer of ’79. They saw the new constitution passed by a thin majority. One of the few towns to vote against it, though the margin was slim, was Nevada City. The constitution was highly discriminatory. It forbade any corporation from hiring Chinese labor. It forbade the state, all counties and municipalities from making use of the Chinese (except in punishment of crime). They were not permitted to become citizens and were denied the right to inherit or to own land. These restrictions, some of which were so blatantly unacceptable as to be frowned upon by many who lived inthe state where they had been birthed, obtained throughout 1879, casting the foreigners in a position of almost unbearable indignity. Fortunately, a measure of justice was restored to the state’s administration when the United States Circuit Court declared several of the newly introduced acts in conflict with the Burlingame Treaty and in Tunnel No. 12 near Truckee of the Central Pacific Rail

Road. These Tunnels were built mainly with Chinese labor. Totapt Metre eh Jit tp Prerieneere nS . Interior of a snowshed near Truckee of the Central Pacific Rail Road. These snowsheds were built mainly with Chinese labor. open violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. This rather modest nod to fair treatment did nothing to stop the still growing agitation to rid the country, and especially California, of the Chinese. Nevada City’s Chinatown came close to being wiped out in June whena fire swept along the west bank of the ravine between Chinatown and Pine Street. There was speculation that a deliberate effort had been made to destroy what remained of the once thriving Chinese center, but it developed later that the fire apparently had been set by the Chinese themselves. The building was an old shanty that had been vacant for some time, but recently had been taken over by a Chinese wood chopper who was very ill and knew he had not long to live. When he expired, the Chinese shunned the little shanty because it was one of their superstitions that if one of their number died in a house it henceforth was inhabited by evil. On the day the fire broke out in the ravine, a ‘‘crazy Chinaman’’ was seen watching it with approval and encouraging nods from the hill behind the flames. He was arrested as a suspect. No more was heard about the fate of the suspect so it can be assumed that whether he set the fire or only approved its setting, blame for the deed was placed on his shoulders. The shoulders of the Chinese were called into this service often in 1879. They were offered very little in the way of protection against abuse. It is true that when the Highbinders (Chinese gangsters who practiced their villainies on their own people) became too provocative, the local police force