Lee Tong

Chinese camps, Santa Rosa Island

Lee Tong

TONG, Lee (1852- ), Chinese fisherman on Santa Rosa Island in 1903. According to Chinese historian Linda Bentz: “Lee Tong came to Santa Barbara circa 1887. He gathered abalone on San Clemente and Santa Rosa Islands. Soon Poy was his partner in the abalone business. Their fishing outfit consisted of crow bars, boats, kettles and tents (Chinese Exclusion Act Case File 277 dated 1897).”

In the News~

November 24, 1903 [Letter from Vail & Vickers (author unknown), LA to Lee Tong, SB]: “[I]t is so risky, sending our boat to the back end of the Island for you when you are ready to leave, to get you and the catch, that we do not care to do any business there this time of the year and next Spring we will make up our minds what we will have done there.”

November 25, 1903 [Letter Walter Vail to C.A. STORKE, Esq., Santa Barbara, Cal.]: “Dear Sir: Yours of the 22nd received and in reply would say that it is our opinion that it would not be policy to make any arrangement with the Chinamen at the present time. I had a letter from them two days ago to which I replied at once. The facts are we ran a great risk of losing our boat getting them off the Island last time, and at this season of the year we would not care to run the risk with it for the sake of the little profit there is in the abalone business, and from reports we have it would be more lucrative to us and to them to let the abalones go over for a year as the majority of the abalones are too small to be taken, according to our California fishery laws. We have no objections to these men as to their honesty and we, no doubt, would be willing to make some arrangement with them whenever we think the proper time has arrived, but it is our opinion that it is not policy to do anything this season. Later on, next Summer, we might decide differently.

Mr. Vickers is in the East [Texhoma, OK] at the present time so I cannot confer with him but we had a long talk on the subject just before his going and we decided not to allow any fishing this season. As you know we have had many applications for this privilege and I will say that we will give them the first chance next time on the same basis we would give anyone else. I have been unfortunate lately, and on account of an accident have been laid up at my house. My horse fell with me on the street in Los Angeles and crippled me up pretty badly for the present, but my doctors say when I get well I will be alright.

Believe me,

Yours truly,

Walter L. Vail”