The Emerald's Cargo: Opium and Chinese Laborers Seized in Puget Sound
Federal authorities seize a sloop carrying banned opium and undocumented Chinese immigrants at Port Discovery Bay, highlighting the harsh enforcement of exclusion laws in Washington Territory.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
In the District Court of the Third Judicial District of Washington Territory, sitting at Seattle, the United States of America vs. The Sloop "Emerald" has been filed for seizure and condemnation.
The libel of information alleges that on January 10, 1890, at Port Discovery Bay in Jefferson County, Washington Territory, the Collector of Customs seized the sloop "Emerald," of less than thirty tons burden, along with her tackle, apparel, furniture, and cargo. The vessel was held in custody at Port Townsend as forfeited to the United States.
The cargo included two breech-loading rifles and 150 tael tins of prepared opium, valued at $2,055.95. The government alleges that Ben Lundy and Joe Hall, who had sole control of the sloop, knowingly and fraudulently brought these foreign-manufactured goods into the United States without paying duties or invoicing them.
Furthermore, the libel charges that Lundy and Hall unlawfully brought twelve Chinese laborers onto the vessel at Victoria, British Columbia, and transported them to Port Discovery Bay. These laborers were not entitled to enter the United States under existing statutes, yet no list of passengers was delivered to the collector of customs as required by law.
The court has ordered a hearing for Thursday, February 12, 1890, at 11:00 a.m., where all persons claiming interest in the sloop or its cargo must appear. Notice is published in the Seattle Daily Post-Intelligencer.
This 1890 federal seizure illustrates the intense legal and physical enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Act in the Pacific Northwest, a dark chapter often overshadowed by stories of economic boom. While today we focus on modern immigration debates, this document serves as a stark reminder of how federal power was used to police borders and racial identity in Washington's early history.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.