Bau from 1870 to 1978
After the rebellion
The shop houses were made of attap (palm leaves), kajang and other wooden materials that were burned down. Bushes and creepers took the place of a once prosperous town. Much later, more and more residents were built in and around the new Bau Bazaar. The population was slowly spreading back to the ruins of Paku, Buso, Jambusan,Tait and on to and Bidi
Schools
The first Chinese primary school was built at Paku (5 kilometres from Bau) by the Rajah’s government to provide Chinese education to the children of the miners in 1870. A few years later another Chinese Primary School known as Pah Khiaw Chinese Primary School was built in Bau for the children of the miners there. The Roman Catholic Mission under Monsignor Dunn started an English Primary School at Bau on 16 March 1898. In view of the increasing Chinese population in and around Bau, Liew was appointed in Bau, under the rule of Rajah Charles, to settle disputes among the Chinese miners.
Gold, Rubber and Antimony
Bau became prosperous. Antimony production rose until the peak year in 1872. A total of 3,285 tons of the ore was produced. However, the amount slowly shrank to 469 tons in I877. They commenced working on gold on a scale in 1881., On 30 November 1893, Rajah Charles came up to Upper Sarawak (Bau) and formally declared open the Borneo Company Mining. Improvement of water supply to Bazaar was carried out in October 1901. Supplied by bamboo pipe from the dam belonging to the Borneo Company, it was replaced by iron pipe and taps. The new water supply system had not only served the existing Bazaar, also the 30 new houses (area along Jalan Salau in) Bau. Some 110 houses also benefited from the water system.
While the Borneo Company was concentrating on the gold mine operation, Rajah Charles Brooke went for agricultural development in the rural area of Bau. In 1902, a big rubber estate was established at Dahan in the Jambusan area. More than 2,000 acres of the land were planted with rubber. Before 1898, “coarse gold” deposits were worked out by the old methods, panning and sluicing. To increase production, the Company introduced the cyanidation method together with the use of a crushing mill. It was reported that from 1898 to 1921, 983,255 ounces of gold valued at £3,995,222 were produced from Bau.
Second Bau Fire
After a period of 42 years of prosperity, the Bau Bazaar suffered her second tragedy. A big fire occurred early on the night of 3rd December 1909 during which the whole Bau Bazaar was destroyed in a matter of few minutes. The shophouses were situated on both sides of the present Jalan Ong Guan Cheng.
The shop houses were mostly built of flammable materials such as wood frames, attap and kajang roofs. During that time, many of them stored kerosene in oil tins. No fire-fighting facilities were available. When the fire broke out, nothing could possibly save the bazaar. Fortunately, there were no human casualties.
The Borneo Company Gold mine which was adjacent to the bazaar (the present Jalan Blacksmith, Bau) was in danger. Some of the worker’s barracks actually caught fire but the outbreak was promptly extinguished by the miners. Fah Khiaw Chinese School (the present Chung Hua School), which was a stone’s throw from the bazaar, was not damaged. The fire lit up the area for a considerable distance, and the glare was visible from Kuching. The loss was estimated at $50,000 Straits dollars($3=$1 US)
The economic importance of Bau as a district, the Rajah Government resettled the shopkeepers promptly. The whole bazaar, was, for the third time, established as the main bazaar. By August 1910, more wooden shophouses were completed and on 14 October 1910, the government together with the shopkeepers and miners started to celebrate the opening of a new township. According to the Chinese at Bau, the celebration lasted until the end of the year.
In 1921, when the Borneo Company ceased gold mining, the Company’s employees organized among themselves to rework the tailings. It was reported large profits were made in several mines and by 1934, the annual export increased to 28,842 fine ounces valued at $29 million. However, gold production decreased after 1934 when the easy ores had been exhausted. To provide a better administration to the people in Upper Sarawak, Bau was officially upgraded from a station to a district in 1931. Mr W.S.B. Buck was posted to Bau and became Acting Assistant District Officer. Mr Right(?) was the last Rajah’s District Officer there before the Japanese occupied Kuching on 24 December 1941.
Japanese Occupation and Third Bau Fire
Forty-two years after the Second Big Fire, another fire broke out at Bau. This time it was the miners and rubber tappers from Dahan Estate who set fire to the bazaar.
Taking the advantage of the collapse of the Government after the Japanese had landed in Kuching on 24 December 1941, the miners from the nearby gold mines and rubber tappers from the estate, Jambusan, went to the Bau Bazaar to loot. They roamed around, demanding provisions and money from the shopkeepers. They went to their employers for an ‘advance’ to buy food, and others went around beating up people for revenge.
On January 9, 1942, the looters went to Chop Chin Ban Hin which operated two shops at No. 2 and No. 4 of Bau Main Bazaar. As there were so many looters going to the shop for provisions, the owner of the shop, Jong Ah Liong closed down early. Though the looters shouted to demand the opening of the shops, the towkay (owner of the shop) refused. The refusal angered the looters. They doused the shops with tins of kerosene taken from a nearby store and set fire to the buildings. At that time, the buildings were built of timber with belian or zinc sheets for roofing. They already were over 40 years old. The fire set at Chop Chin Ban Hin spread to the rest of the Bazaar in less than one hour. Before midnight, the whole Bazaar became ashes. The looters had their day with jewellery, cash and gold were taken.
Liew Chee Bui recalled that there was no fire service at that time and that there was no water supply having enough pressure. The situation was hopeless; everybody and everything was at the mercy of the fire and looters. All the shopkeepers could do was take to safety. Most of them either moved to other places to earn a living or went to the countryside to farm. Temporary shophouses made of attap were put up by the shopkeepers within three years after the fire.
The Japanese surrendered on August 14, 1945, and Sarawak became a British colony on July 1, 1946. The task of restoring law and order was left to the colonial power.
Rubber
In 1950, the price of rubber reached $1.50 per kati. Many labourers returned to the rubber gardens. The Dahan Estate attracted not only rubber tappers but also labourers from other places. The price of rubber assisted the early construction of the Bau Bazaar. Sometime in the year 1950 when A.J.N Richards was the District Officer, two wooden shop houses were built along Datuk Salau by a Foochow contractor Mr Ka To from Kuching. Mr. Lee constructed and completed 28 new wooden shop houses of Class B at the tendered price of $3,135-00 per shop. Another 20 shophouses were built. By 1954, the wooden shophouses were completed. There was an improvement in the electricity supply. Private electricity was replaced by SESCO. After the changeover, the new power supply improved the bazaar tremendously. Electricity replaced the pressure lamps.
The construction of the Kuching/Bau road was completed, and people, especially during weekends, came to Ban for sightseeing. The business was very promising. In 1956, Bau prison, which was situated in the existing Dayak Rest House, was closed with the transfer of the balance of two female prisoners to Kuching. To the people the closure of the prison was a good sign of a peaceful place for them to live.
On June 21, 1959, the Bau District said farewell to the last District Officer, Mr H.A.L. Ferguson and Michael Sadin, an outstanding native officer who was the replacement. People of Bau and especially the Bidayuhs were very proud of this new District Officer. He the first Bidayuh from Kampong Sudoh, Singhai.
The Big Flood
The year 1963 was one of the worst years that Bau had ever experienced. The big flood which occurred at of January 1963 had taken the lives of 2 people. 115 houses were thoroughly washed away. Besides, thousands of pepper vines around Musi, ‘ondong, Buso, Tanjong Durian, Siniawan and areas were also destroyed. Hundreds of acres of wet padi at Paya Kesak, Singghai and many wet padi fields along the river banks were damaged.
The bazaar was flooded up to three meters and the Police Station had 1.25 meters of water. Tondona Bazaar, Siniawan Bazaar and Tanjong Durian were all flooded with 2.5 meters to 3.7 meters of water. Due to the heavy rains and the rising flood water, Bau was totally cut-off from other areas.
Brunei Rebellion
The Brunei Rebellion in December 1962 badly affected the livelihood of the people in Bau. Terrorists intruded into Bau district, making hit-and-run attacks on the Bidayuh kampongs, along the border areas. A curfew from 7.00 p.m. to 7(?) a.m. was imposed as from April 29, 1964. Rubber tappers at Kampons. Stass, Serikin, Gumbang, Tringgus and Pangkalan Tebang were prevented from tapping. As a result of the curfew, the communist sympathizers and hundreds of Chinese families moved away and settled in the Kuching district for fear of being arrested as a communist.
Antimony
An “antimony rush” in Bau took place in 1969-1970. Heavy demand for the ore in the world market sent the price to a record high. The mines in Jambusan, Paku, Pangga and Buso areas were reopened. The revival of antimony mining resulted in the construction of a modem antimony smelter at Buso in 1971. The ‘Antimony Rush’ had not only brought profit to the mining companies and more revenue for the government but also provided employment to the local people.
Fourth Big Fire
“Fire! Fire! Bau Bazaar is on fire again!” men rushed to Bau fire on Sunday, 24th September 1978 to report the outbreak of the fire. This was the fourth time in the history of Bau that the Bazaar; was razed to the ground. The Fire Brigade rushed to the scene within 10 minutes.
There was a strong wind and in all the shop houses were made of wooden materials in 1950, the conflagration very fast to both ends of the row of shop houses. Due to the explosions of gas, kerosene, ammunition and falling debris, the fire more violent and within minutes. The opposite row of shop houses was also on fire. Urgent appeals through the telephone, three fire and 14 men from Kuching Municipal Fire Brigade arrived at the scene at 6.00 a.m. By then, most of the 69 wooden shops at Jalan Batuk had been destroyed beyond recognition. Pressure from the gravity-fed supply was not powerful enough to put off the fire effectively. Fortunately, there was a sudden change of wind after 5.00 a.m. With the manpower (from KMC Fire Brigade) the use of the water from the nearby pools, ESSO Petrol Station and a row of the remaining wooden shop houses at Jalan Ong Guan Cheng were saved. At about 5.30 a.m. all 69 houses became ashes.
The report does not end here. More information as it becomes available.
Chang Pat Fong Major Events in the history of Bau in Sarawak Gazette, April 1987 as condensed by Tom McLaughlin, Borneo History.Net
