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New York Times,Thursday, 1870/09/22
Arrival of One Hundred and Fifty Chinamen at Pompton,N.J. -Three Hundred more on the Way-What the contractors Pay for Their Services
The arrival of 150 coolies in New Jersey yesterday, is a event that excites a great deal of interest among all classes of white labors. Particularly among those who have hold a monopoly of railroad labor, a field of industry that the Chinese will enter immediately. The company now on the ground is the first installment of a gang of 500 coolies to be furnished, according to contract, by Mr. Koopmanschap to Messrs. S. P. SIMPSON & Co., who are contractors for the building of a section of the Midland Railway.
In January last a Messrs. S. P. SIMPSON & Co., of Munch Chunk, Penn., entered into a contract for the importation of these coolies for work upon their section of the road from Pompton, N.J., to Middletown, N.Y. The coolies were hired from Mr. Koopmanschap, for a term of five years, the firm of SIMPSON & Co., having contracts with several roads that would enable them to give employment to that number of men for five years. Each man receives, according to the terms of the contracts, $9 per month, with rations of pork, beans and rice to the value of $9 per month, and suitable shelter. The men are to work in gangs under a native foreman, who is, of course,under the direction of SIMPSON & Co.'s superintendents.
The part of the road for the building of which the firm has the contract, is one of the most difficult of construction of any on the line, there being many deep cuts and heavy grades. A severe loss has been occasioned by the employment of white labor from the New York employment houses. When the work was difficult the men would desert their ranks, and often a foreman who had appliances for working thirty or forty men would have to continue work with only fifteen or twenty. The reports coming from he Pacific relating to the qualities of the Chinese as railroad labors, led to the opening of the negotiation with Koopmanchap for large force. The latter after arranging the terms, telegraphed agent in China, ordering the coolies to be sent via Suez Canal, so that they could be here ready for the opening of work in Spring. Unexpected delays have occurred, and now they have arrived by the overland route from San Francisco.
Coolies in New Jersey
New York Times,Thursday, 1870/09/22
Arrival of One Hundred and Fifty Chinamen at Pompton,N.J. -Three Hundred more on the Way-What the contractors Pay for Their Services
The arrival of 150 coolies in New Jersey yesterday, is a event that excites a great deal of interest among all classes of white labors. Particularly among those who have hold a monopoly of railroad labor, a field of industry that the Chinese will enter immediately. The company now on the ground is the first installment of a gang of 500 coolies to be furnished, according to contract, by Mr. Koopmanschap to Messrs. S. P. SIMPSON & Co., who are contractors for the building of a section of the Midland Railway.
In January last a Messrs. S. P. SIMPSON & Co., of Munch Chunk, Penn., entered into a contract for the importation of these coolies for work upon their section of the road from Pompton, N.J., to Middletown, N.Y. The coolies were hired from Mr. Koopmanschap, for a term of five years, the firm of SIMPSON & Co., having contracts with several roads that would enable them to give employment to that number of men for five years. Each man receives, according to the terms of the contracts, $9 per month, with rations of pork, beans and rice to the value of $9 per month, and suitable shelter. The men are to work in gangs under a native foreman, who is, of course,under the direction of SIMPSON & Co.'s superintendents.
The part of the road for the building of which the firm has the contract, is one of the most difficult of construction of any on the line, there being many deep cuts and heavy grades. A severe loss has been occasioned by the employment of white labor from the New York employment houses. When the work was difficult the men would desert their ranks, and often a foreman who had appliances for working thirty or forty men would have to continue work with only fifteen or twenty. The reports coming from he Pacific relating to the qualities of the Chinese as railroad labors, led to the opening of the negotiation with Koopmanchap for large force. The latter after arranging the terms, telegraphed agent in China, ordering the coolies to be sent via Suez Canal, so that they could be here ready for the opening of work in Spring. Unexpected delays have occurred, and now they have arrived by the overland route from San Francisco.
The temper of the Irish railroad labors, thousands of who are now at work in Northern New Jersey and in New York State, near the border, threatens serious consequences to the unoffending Chinamen. The latter are peaceably disposed, as all Chinamen are. They have come with their baggage to stay, and propose to go to work immediately under orders.Only two out of the 150 speak English.They are all dressed in the Chinese costume, the wooden shoes, loose trousers, blue blouses and broad hats. Their personal baggage filled one car as they came down on the Erie Railroad, and was transferred with them to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Branch, over which they were carred to Pompton. Shanties will be at once erected and active operations will commence.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middletown_and_New_Jersey_Railroad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middletown_and_New_Jersey_Railroad
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