Hells Canyon Massacre of At Least 34 Chinese Miners

In May 1887, Chinese miners working the bars of Hells Canyon along the Snake River were massacred in one of the deadliest anti-Chinese killings of the purge era. Early newspaper coverage was confused and contradictory: The Lebanon Express wrote that "more than likely it was the whites who look with an evil eye upon Chinese intrusion in American mines,” Asheville Citizen-Times initially said the massacre was not confirmed, and Lancaster New Era later relayed detectives’ belief that rival Chinese miners were responsible. The uncertainty of the first reports is itself part of the story, showing how slowly news traveled from remote mining country even after a mass murder. In May 1887, in Hells Canyon on the Oregon–Idaho border, one of the worst mass murders of Chinese immigrants occurred. A gang of horse thieves ambushed a remote camp of Chinese gold miners, killing at least 34 men and stealing their gold. News of the atrocity spread slowly. The horrific massacre was reported as far away as North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The Lebanon Express (Oregon) speculated that “More than likely it was the whites who look with an evil eye upon Chinese intrusion in American mines” (June 30, 1887). Despite the magnitude of the massacre, the perpetrators evaded meaningful justice. The Hells Canyon massacre stands as a stark example of the extreme violence faced by Chinese in the West. It should be noted that this occurred during the bloodiest decade of John Crow.