Mining Conflict at the Swauk
Tensions rise in the Kittitas Valley as miners clash over labor practices and claim ownership.
The story, cleaned up
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L. H. Jansen of Tacoma, general manager of the Swauk Bed Rock Flume Company, reported that claim-jumping is currently taking place in the Swauk valley in Kittitas County. While rumors circulated that his company prompted the disputes, Jansen denied any involvement. He noted that significant tension exists in the camp over the employment of Chinese laborers, who are being leased claims for eight dollars per month. While the Green Tree Company has utilized such labor, Jansen’s firm intends to hire white men for the coming year. Complex legal questions are expected to arise, as some claimants argue they are not required to work each individual claim if they perform assessment work for the entire group collectively.
“There is considerable feeling over there in regard to employing Chinese in the mines.”
The Swauk mining district, once a site of violent economic and racial tension, is now a largely preserved historical area. The conflict over 'assessment work' and the systemic exclusion of Chinese miners by competing groups reflects the era's volatile mix of labor competition and xenophobic policy that defined the Washington frontier.
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