Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-03-28
AsHTABULA, OHIO, SATURDAY, MARCH 2S, 1868.

January %. There is total cessation
ofbusiness among the people All mourn
ing demonstrations cease, and no one j:
expected to talk of any thing but new
year and its festivities. Fonr days are
celebrated among tie common class, but
among the higher class thirty days are
generally spent in this way.
During the New Years festivities the
religious and social ceremonies are con-
siderably mixed up, so that it is difficult
to te where one begins and the other
ends. The Chinese repair to their tenn
pies or Joss-houses in squads, choosing
such times as are most convenient, but
all during the season make their offer
ings and invocations, thus propitiating
the gods. for the coming year. The rich
wear costly dresses, and all classes are
in their best apparel. When the veal
thy Oriental comes out in his best and
stands upon ceremony, his dress is gor-
geOus, his salutations, such as none bnt
an Oriental can give. The choicest flow
ers areprofusely displayed at their resi-
dences, and, on, these occasions the Chi
nese appear to move with peculiar case
aud dignity. The firing of crackers is a
religious exercise, and there is certainly
great zeal in these religious demonstr;i-
tons, if the number of fire-crackers let
off and the noise made be criterion.
The sidewalks are red with fragments,
and the airis made sulphurous by the
continuous explosions, Good spirits are
propitiated and evil spirits are supposed
to be utterly routed forthe time being
although from the prolonged fusilade
kept up through the small hours of the
night his Gataric Majesty appears to con
test the grounds with great obstancy.
These frecrackor demonstrations cost
thousands Of dollars IN all, but if Satan
is really handsomely whipped, who win
venture to say that the expenses for am
muniti0n are 700 great.
There is usage among the Chinese
which has the force of law, requiring all
to square up business matters and com
mence the new year with clean busi-
ness record. No credits are carried
ever, and those who fail to pay are dis
honored, ond not expected to go on with
their business until everything is made
straight. If'John Chinanlan don't pay,
his debts after the New Years eelebra-
ton, his doors are closed Just before
this day there.is a busy time payments
are made, receipts are taken, and clerks
are very active in making out accounts.
1t is but fair to say that the salutations
of New Year are generally made with
consciousness of a good business record.
The Chinese are habitually runctual, and
most invariably keep their faith in all
pecuniary transactions If a Chinese
Iaborer borrows a dollar, promising to
pay it on certain day, the chances are
as nineteen to twenty that he will pay
according to promise, and, even if he fails
it is because of some calamity which has
in tervened This business integrity is
worthy of imitation by men who affect
to despise these industrious people 'z /
There are about 1000 Chinese resi-
dents in the State of California. About
10000 Chinamen are now employed on
the Central Railroad. The mines en-
bloy large numbers, and the remainder
are scattered about the.State The chief
occupation of those employed in the city l
are as merchants, laundrymen, cooks, ci
gar-makers, tailors, sIioemakerst cporters,
house servants, operators in maDuficto-
ries, fishermen, keepers of meat stalls,
gardeners, peddlers, ect. The number
of Cinnamon in California is certainly in
ereasing. Every sailing ship and every
steamer from China brings large access
ions, but they are rapidly absorbed into
various employments on their arrival in
the State, and we do not preceiye the
now coming from China is
better than formerly, and many of the
Chinese merchants are taking into them
selves wives and rearing families on Anne
rican soil. as.. [az /