The Siege of the 'Standard Theater' Meeting
A Seattle labor group, barred from its intended hall, holds an indignant public meeting to solidify their boycott against Chinese workers.
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.
Handbills were circulated about the city Tuesday morning announcing that a meeting would be held at Yesler Hall last evening for the purpose of appointing a finance committee to collect funds to defend those indicted by the Grand Jury for conspiracy. By 7:30, the crowd began to assemble, only to find the hall closed. Mr. Yesler was waited upon, and stated that the hall had been let to the Arion Club for the evening. The intention was then to wait till later in the evening and hold the meeting. The crowd grew larger and larger, and still the hall remained as dark as a dungeon. Finally another committee went to Mr. Yesler’s residence to interview that gentleman, but he had retired. An indignation meeting was then held in front of the hall, and a committee, consisting of B. F. Day, C. J. Clark and Mrs. W. H. Black was appointed to secure a hall for a meeting this evening. The committee soon returned and reported that they had secured the Standard Theater. This announcement was greeted with loud applause. Mr. B. F. Day said, 'Mr. Reporter, tell the people to come to the Standard Theater this evening. We have arranged with able speakers and will try and make it interesting for all who come. We are convinced that the Post-Intelligencer’s idea of withdrawing patronage and support from the Chinese is the correct way to get rid of them. We will endeavor to induce all good citizens to co-operate with us in this matter. If they will, we can starve the Chinamen out, and they will leave our city without contravening any law.'
“We will endeavor to induce all good citizens to co-operate with us in this matter. If they will, we can starve the Chinamen out, and they will leave our city without contravening any law.”
This 1885 report captures the ugly, xenophobic fervor of the anti-Chinese movement that gripped Seattle in the 1880s. While today's civic protests in Seattle often revolve around housing or labor rights, this historical moment highlights how early labor organizing was frequently weaponized against immigrant communities, a stain on local history that serves as a reminder of the need for inclusive solidarity.
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