CHINESE CAMP
No trace is left of the 5,000 Chinese who mined
here in the 1850's. It is not known where they
came from or where they went. It was at the
foot of Table Mountain that the first tong war
was fought in California, on Sept. 26, 1856.
Members of the Yan-Wo Tong and the Sam-Yap
Tong were mining near one another when a
large rock rolled from one property to the other.
Words soon ensued and American blacksmiths
were soon engaged in the production of crude
weapons. When the battle became slow the
whites urged it on. Since the combatants had
never used weapons before, of the 2,000 en-
gaged there were four killed and four wounded.
Some said these were shot by whites who
wanted the fight to liven up .. M.P.
Photo-color by Merle Porter
& published by Royal Pictures-Colton, California
#C-320
44710
