Fan Jiao
Thomas Foon Chew (赵灿垣) was born in Longkou, Guangdong (龙口, 广东) in1889. His father Sai Yen Chew (赵世贤) brought him and his wife to California when he was 8-year-old in 1897 during the period of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 through an expensive work visa specifically designated for Chinese merchants.
Over the next 34 years, the Chew family established three canneries in CA. At its zenith the Bayside Canning Company managed by Thomas Foon Chew was the 3rd largest cannery in the United States employed thousands of cannery workers.[1]
1 Early Years
Thomas Foon Chew attended Los Gatos Elementary, excelling as a student, particularly in language skills, and adeptly assimilated the American way of life. In a later interview, a close associate remarked, “one would be certain he is talking to a white man if they were separated by a non-transparent screen.” [1]
In 1900, Sai Yen Chew, Thomas Foon Chew’s father, founded his first business, Presita Canning, in the old San Francisco Chinatown. Unfortunately, this tomato canning factory was destroyed by the 1906 fire. Subsequently, the family relocated to the South Bay to embark on their second venture, Bayside Canning in Alviso. Alviso, situated at the south end of the San Francisco Bay and the northernmost point of the City of San Jose, was founded in 1845 and incorporated in 1852. It stood as one of the oldest towns in Santa Clara County until its annexation by the City of San Jose in 1968. [2]
There are seven structures and clusters of buildings linked to the Bay Side Canning Company in Alviso. The primary cannery, previously the Alviso Watch Factory, comprises four brick and concrete buildings showcasing Mission Revival details. These structures are situated on the northwest corner of Hope and Elizabeth streets and are presently under the ownership of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.[3]
2 Running Bayside Cannery
The father systematically imparted knowledge to his son about the cannery business, covering the canning of apricots, asparagus, cherries, catsup, fish sauce, fruit cocktail, hot sauce, peaches, pears, plums, spinach, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato puree.
Having vivid memories of the 1906 California Earthquake, the young Chew emphasized the importance of constructing an earthquake-proof factory to his father. During the building process, trusses were extensively employed to ensure robust roof support. [1,3]
https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ca2390.photos/?sp=23&st=image
Taking charge of the factory at the age of 17, Thomas Foon Chew initially focused on producing tomato cans. However, he, along with his foremen, began exploring the canning of various other vegetables and fruits.
2.1 Asparagus King
Asparagus, a hardy perennial vegetable with roots in the Greek and Roman Empires, found its earliest recorded cultivation in California’s northern Delta in 1852. Flourishing in the Delta’s peat soil, it became a major hub for asparagus production, accounting for 90% of the world’s supply at its peak. Initially confined to California, asparagus gained popularity back East by 1900, prompting Thomas Foon Chew to establish another cannery in Isleton, Sacramento, in 1919.[4]
Recognizing the strategic advantage of the Alviso waterway connecting to the Bay for shipping, Thomas secured funds from Italian bankers to purchase riverboats and developed specialized equipment for sorting and processing asparagus.
He overcame various challenges in processing asparagus. Initially, asparagus was canned in round cans, but this caused damage due to the easy rolling of the stalks. Foon and a worker introduced square cans, reducing the movement of stalks, and minimizing damage. Moreover, square cans proved to be efficient in saving storage space. Additionally, the slow transition of asparagus from green to white affected the speed of canning. They accelerated the canning process by pre-cooking the vegetables, allowing them to can green asparagus more quickly.
These innovations propelled the Bayside Canning Company, led by Thomas Foon Chew, to become the third-largest cannery in the United States by 1931. Pioneering the canning of green asparagus, the company expanded its facilities, including warehouses, cabins, homes, apartments, and boarding houses, accommodating around 500 seasonal workers. During its prime, Bayside Canning Company achieved an annual canning volume surpassing 6,000 cases. Despite the demanding nature of the work, the Chinese labor force found satisfaction in having employment opportunities.
2.2 Caring of Others
In the twenty-first century, major tech companies in the Bay Area, such as Google, Facebook/Meta, and Amazon, offer their employees complimentary shuttles for commuting between their homes and workplaces. However, this practice was not pioneered by Google; it traces back to Thomas Foon Chew’s investment of four transportation trucks over a century ago. These trucks facilitated the transportation of his workers residing in Milpitas, Fremont, Sunnyvale, or Mountain View to and from their homes. They initially used for shipping cans to various groceries and railway stations, served a dual purpose.
Foon was known for his fair and compassionate treatment of his workers. The wages were generous, and he implemented a practice of deducting 10 cents from each worker’s monthly salary for a brief period, ensuring they had some money left to send back home.
To accommodate workers who came from San Francisco and other distant cities, the Chews constructed a spacious dormitory equipped with kitchens. This building, known as “China Camp”, during the cannery’s operations, provided dorm rooms, a kitchen, and a dining hall. Thomas took personal responsibility to ensure his workers had sufficient food, even during the canning off-seasons. Meals were provided free of charge, and the workers were allowed to engage in gambling activities.[5]
Foon not only treated his workers with kindness but also extended his generosity to the local Alviso residents. A resident expressed her surprise when she received a bill from the local water district after the closure of the cannery in 1936. However, upon inquiry, she discovered that all water bills for residents had been covered by Thomas Foon Chew. [5,7]
3 Successful Businessman
Possessing excellent English skills and being a relatively tall Chinese individual, Foon excelled in negotiating business deals, including securing bank loans, and acquiring land. He successfully navigated transactions for purchasing canning equipment, transportation riverboats, and trucks.
After running the Bayside Cannery in Alviso for 12 years, he expanded his business in 1918 by constructing a larger plant adjacent to the small Chinatown in the town of Mayfield (annexed by Palo Alto in 1925).
The Bayside Cannery/Mayfield employed a diverse workforce, including hundreds of Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking workers, and white workers, with a significant majority being women. Occasionally, conflicts arose between Chinese and non-Chinese workers, but Foon adeptly resolved the issues fairly.
In 1919, a year later, Foon expanded his operations by establishing his third cannery in Isleton of Sacramento County, situated in the heart of the California Delta farming lands. His company evolved into the third-largest vegetable/fruit cannery globally, trailing only behind Libby/McNeil and Del Monte. It became the largest employer on the mid-Peninsula for many years, employing hundreds of workers. Several canning processes developed at Bayside Cannery continue to be utilized to this day.[7]
With his success, he achieved the distinction of being the first Chinese man in the valley to become a member of the Masons (sanjose10.com). Additionally, his daughter May Lin earned the honor of becoming the first Chinese woman to graduate from Los Gatos High.
4 The Legacy
Thomas Foon Chew passed away in 1931 due to asthma/pneumonia, and the cannery was subsequently sold in 1936 during the Great Recession. In a notable tribute, a memorial parade was held not in San Jose but along Grant Avenue in San Francisco, the heart of the West’s largest Chinatown. On that day in 1931, a crowd of twenty-five thousand people, including the mayor of San Jose, judges, and 200 Masons, turned out to honor him. It was a fitting tribute to an American entrepreneur, and his captivating life story is a true American history.
The City of San Jose built historical markers for both Thomas Foon Chew, his Bayside Cannery, and Thomas Foon Chew Way.
Thomas Foon Chew rested in peace in Daly City, CA.
5 Palo Alto Preservation Discussions
The commercial building located at 340 Portage Avenue in Palo Alto, CA, originally serving as a cannery, is slated for partial demolition to accommodate the construction of 74 townhomes to address the homelessness under the current proposal.
As Palo Alto is poised to make a final decision on the redevelopment plan for the property, which was the former site of Fry’s Electronics until 2019, a resident has submitted an application urging the designation of the old cannery building as a California historic structure. Concerns arise as the proposed 40% demolition may impact the site’s eligibility for recognition as a California historic structure.【8】
Several residents from Silicon Valley sent emails to the city council underlining the importance of safeguarding the historical site. They collectively emphasized the extraordinary journey of Thomas Foon Chew, a Chinese individual who grew up in the period of Chinese Exclusion Act, starting as a caring boy, attained multimillionaire status through dedicated effort. They stressed the significance of preserving this unique American history for the benefit of future generations.
On September 5, 2023, numerous individuals participated in the City of Palo Alto council meeting to discuss the fate of Thomas Foon Chew’s Mayfield Cannery buildings. Approximately twenty-five speakers took to the podium to express their concerns and advocate for the preservation of Thomas Foon Chew’s legacy. The meeting concluded near midnight.
Despite opposition from historic preservationists, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, the Palo Alto City Council approved a landmark deal with the current owner of the site. This agreement allows the developer to replace a section of the century-old cannery building with townhomes. As part of measures to preserve the story of Bayside Cannery, the city indicated its intention to rename Portage Avenue to Thomas Foon Chew Avenue. [9]
References:
- Thomas Foon Chew: A Visionary in his time, Dr. Gloria Hom, the granddaughter of Thomas Foon Chew, accessed on 1/5/2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcb5IEV7Uf8
- Robin Chapman, Historic Bay Area Visionaries, Chapter 5, Thomas Foon Chew, the Vision of the Entrepreneur, ISBN 9781467139069
- Library of Congress, Photo, Print, Drawing of Bayside Cannery, 1290 Hope Street, Alviso, Santa Clara, CA, accessed by 1/5/2024, https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ca2390.photos/?sp=3&st=image
- Delta Food Feature: Asparagus, VisitCADelta.com, accessed on 1/5/2024, https://visitcadelta.com/stories/delta-food-features/asparagus/
- History Museum Explores the Life of Cannery Pioneer Thomas Foon Chew, Los Altos History Museum, April 23, 2019, last access on 1/5/2024, https://www.losaltoshistory.org/2019/04/history-museum-explores-the-life-of-cannery-pioneer-thomas-foon-chew/
- Bayside Cannery Company – 芦笋罐头大王 Thomas Foon Chew, Travel, 11/03/2020, last accessed on 1/5/2024, https://blog.yusong.xyz/2020/11/03/alviso-bayside-cannery-company-thomas-foon-chew/
- NPS History, A History of Chinese Americas in California: HISTORIC SITE, Alviso, Santa Clara County, last accessed on 1/5/2024, https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/5views/5views3h6.htm
- To Preserve legacy of Chinese entrepreneur, resident seeks historical status for former Fry’s building, Gennady Sheyner / Palo Alto Weekly, Updated: Sun, Aug 27, 2023, 9:07pm, last accessed on 1/5/2024, https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/08/27/to-preserve-legacy-of-chinese-entrepreneur-resident-seeks-historical-status-for-former-frys-building
- Landmark deal paves way for transformation of Fry’s site, Gennady Sheyner / Palo Alto Weekly, Uploaded: Tue, Sep 12, 2023, 10:50 pm, Palo Alto online, last accessed on 1/5/2024, https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/09/12/landmark-deal-paves-way-for-transformation-of-frys-site#:~:text=City%20Council%20unanimously%20approves%20a,to%20Thomas%20Foon%20Chew’s%20legacy.
