The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-03
THE CHINESE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

II NAV not be known 70 our readers that there
ara In California six influential and wellthy Cni-
nese companies which are partly commercial
associations and partly benevolent orders, and
with which all the Chinese who come hither are
IN some sort connect d. these companies are
Known as the Sam Yep 1eOng WO, Sec YEP
Ning Yeong Hop Wu and Yen Wo. They all
have their headquarters In this city. Every Non
olian " no comes TO this coast is either cpnsgued
Sr indeptured 70 the service OF one Of these com
psnjes. They have a complete registry Of the
names and wherea J1ut, of their cOuntrymen, and
are bound to oOk after them in health and sick
ness long as their connection With the company
is preserved, ana II tney ule mere 70 return ther
they are not unlike in their characters and
objects those great commercial aud cOlOuizing
o1apanies that spraug up in Europe after the dis
oOvery Of America and that furnished emigrants
and slaves 70 the New World, which they visited
in search Of gold and furs, for the purpose Of
establishing settlements and trading posts, aud
sometimes avoWedly to convert the heIthcn. The
system Of the Chinese companies H. however,
more thorough, their motives and Transactions
generally more regular, and they also mix the
religious element with their business IN dlhore9t
manner, not seeking TO proselyte us OUTSIDE
barbarians !" but to furnish temples wherein ths
members Of their own guilds may worship the
wooden gods of the Celestial empire aad Ourn
Josh sticks and holy paper. The See Yep Com
many have long had temple on Pine street, IN a
building which rustic visitors TO the city during
the smallpox visitation of 1862 used to be wag-
Visbly misinfOrmed was penthouse.
The Ming Yeong Company have recently built
large Establishment on Dupont alley, between
Pacific street and Broadway, which has been
popularity reported to be pagan temple. wherein
All manner Of idols are wOrshippcd and mystic
rites performed. Popular report is partly right
and parly wrong. Tho Ming GeOng Company,
which is said TO be the largest and richest in th
State, and to have total membership in Cali
fofnia OF $4,000, erected the new building for its
business headquarters, mainly at a cost OF about
$4,000 the furniture and outfit costing many
thousand more. It's recent completion has been
made the occasion of grand festiva, continuing
through many days and nights, n whicn all the
Chinese In the city are participating, and TO which
many Americans have been invited. The cere-
monies began with Chiuaman going about
blowing water from his mouth upon the furniture
and into the corners of the room; and the
queer proceeding was followed by hdeOus out
burst Of bArbaric music, the burning of incense,
bowings before Josh, visiting aud feasing. A
the opportunity to study Chinese customs, and 70
inspect the new temple OF trade and superstition
which Is worth describing. The main building
is of brick, about twenty feet 'front.' forty deep
and three stories high. The front is a recessed
arch, under square cOrnice, the windows open
ing upon iron-raed balconies built within tue
arch and outer square line Of the building. This
edifce is approached through square one-story
brick, opening into an inner court.
Standing in the courtyard and looking up, one
secs that the front Of the main struc ure is hung
with long gilt wooden signs, inscribed with raised
or sunkeh blue letters-iuur letters on each sign
and red and blue signs with gilt letters while rice
paper lanterns are suspended from the balconies
The fret floor of the main building is divided into
several small reception and smoking-rOOms, at th,
entrance to which stands police officer, who adj
mjts whoever has one of the individual cards
issued by the Company. In these rooms visitors
are sometimes handed a cup of tea, some fried
cakes, or a paper cigar aud Chinese may be seen
reclining on lounges and smoking pipes OF wOoC
ana metal, which emit villainOus smell. Blcl
OF the reception room is sort Of altar, with gil
and red hangings, the front being open and snow
ing what resembles a succession Of small steps o
shelves, which are covered with paper and in
scribed with Chinese characters. This is the reg
ister OF the dead.
Here are inscribed the names Of all the men
bers or wards of the Ming YeOng Company wh
had died in California. In front OF this ghostl
record, lamps are kept burning night and dl!
The furniture of all the apartments on tue nr
hoor Is Of the planest description. On the secOn
floor is the Company business room sr eXchang
where the President or Sing-SOng, whose name
Wing Ga, and his head manager, All Wee, SIT AZ
smoke and talk, receive visitors, preslde oV
meetings Of the Company, and direct lts Orulnh
concerns, relieving the tedum of these occup
lions with an occasional tune on some OF t1o
thrilling ttwo-strnged instruments lot Whlcu W
nadom is so famous The apartment IS supplu
with chairs aud tables Of Il very hard black wo
that All Wee assures his American friends
break the edge of steel imp!em Mt.
The walls aie papered and partly hung WI
Oblong tapestry of crimson aud yellow silk
satin, elaboIaiey embroidered in gold ana al
eOlors, and heavily fringed. An Wee says
costs $3.50 a ward, and was presented 20 the Co
pany BY some OF is friends. All Wee mixes
little English with his native language, and c
answer almost any question except I relaie3
abstract subjects, such as the religious opinl'
of his people, when he shakes his head and 50
"No shabbcG" lie Is glad to show his slice p
apartment, where lie reclines upon an Ulegau
embroidered mat and 70 exhibit his hna sill
jackets and breeches, and his sraiglt sword.
will even lay aside his dignity 70 play you
mslly dolcful dity upon the som heu-a Is
EtIrged banjo, the small drum OF which !, ml
of cay colOrcd snake skin-or upon the q
Kim-a ree-striuged instrument, which has
larger drum Of wood. These instruments, "
several Yari itions OF them-larger or smalle
arc thTummed upon by nearly every IduitC
with smooth bits Of bone. Although this s.l
lar people have no Wri ten musi', rhey have ~
avaiety of melodies which are transmitted tr
generation 10 generation, as were the autI
ballads of our own ancestor, 10 Europe.
courtesy with which All Wee 5sIenales his gu
is delightful, hut imagine the mead OF an Am
can trading house OF equal wealth pulling do
bsDjO In his back office 10 entertain sTdu
during business hours
Wing Ca the President or Sing Song OF
Company, has more liguirJ and longer nails c.
Al Wee. Tine, OF the nails ON his lett nHld
fully three inch s long, two Of them bent ilk
birds claw, one cuIlcd like an augur, and all
color Of gutier-mud. These long nails are S
Of blood-of aristOcratic breedlngj a piocaI
ton 10 all whom IL may concern that ne, the =
Sing Song of the Ming Neong, IS not Obliged
labor. He has fairer skin than the Chln
eandile, wears silk, smokes great DEAL s
uttt, ana Keeps up u SIthb uettA VI aHiliAiAl'
room occupied by these Wsrehles, ike every OF
one In the house, has hpng upon the wal
number of big wOoaen sgIa, bearing the e'
lasting and nscrutable Chinese characters, VIII
look ike a bunch of triangles on spree,
But the wonder Of the whole building Is
temple in the third story. The first glance q
reveals only confused heap Of gilt, crimson, 9
blue cabinets, brass ornaments, crimson hangl
and gaudy signs, while the air Is laden "
warm and sckening odOrs. A more careful s
Yey extracts something wonderful and systems
from this melance Of barbaric tinsel furnitr
The walls and ceilings are nearly hid with
huge crimson, blue, and gilt signs, each bear
lonr large letters supposed TO be amotto Of 80
s0rt-and some inscriptions in smaller charaet
IN IN one end. These are said 10 be presents fr
%h' Sshet companies, and from friends here and
lima lima Across the centre Of the room are pla
sn snse SeDhlets, each about ten feet long BY Z
teet nieS and four feet high, made Ofexceedinl
SaIA anu hsayy wood, and the fronts carved
high reLei IN the most grotesque and elabor
manner
Some OF the carvings represent the interior
houses, with ngures OF men, beasts, birds. /
insects In strange juxtaposition. whiis az
consist Of trees, vines, and scroll Work en- gil
the background being the original darl eelo,
the wood. On top Of these massive cabinets
large bTazicrs filed with incense or cOntair
live Goals, IA which sticks Of sandal-Wood
slowly burning; fantastic wax tapers stick
mink fhroa foof hfoh and fnf1r fnahae thfor H.