The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-05


corpses-The First Joss House Specu-
lation-Important Facts Concerning
ourNew Foreign Element.
The Chinese immigration into the United
States. what it is, and what it may become, is
one O; the problems of our day. The impor-
tant changes, too, in regard to our trade with
China and Japan, which have recently taken
place, and the immense proportion which
that commerce may reasonably be expected to
attain, make the Chinese question one OF de-
cided interest. Therefore, everything that
tends to inform us in regard to these strange
people will be read with interest. A san
Francisco correspondent of the New York Sun
lately made special visits to the six great
Chinese companies of Masonic,
protective and charitable nature-and held in
teryiews with several of their leading men.
and records the result of his inquiries as fol-
lows:
THE CHINESE IN CALIFORNIA.
There can be no doubt that, so far as Call
fornia is concerned, the presence OF these ASi-
atics has been invaluable and indeed mas
eensable. The whole population Of the State
does not exceed 6oO, 900, yet II now ranks s as
one of the great granares of the world, and
San Francisco is the ninth manufacturing city
OF the United States. How puch OF this sue
cess is due to the despised Chinaman those
only know who are aware of the scarcity OF
white labor at nearly all times, of the ditficul-
ty ofinducing men who have been engaged
In mining pursuits-a large proportion OF our
population-to labor in any other employmenhI
whatever, and Of the inflated notions whlch
inspire such men in regard to pay. But for
John Chinaman most Of our wheat and the
produce of our orchards and vineyards would
rot on the ground; our manufactures Would
have to shut up shop; our households would
be servantless. Were there any influx OF
INTELLIGENT WHITE LABoRERs
we might probably prefer them to the pigtailed
Celestials, but as long as they come IN as
slowly as they are now doing we must have
the Chnaman. Those who fancy that they
will overrun the country may be reassured;
the supply Of Chinese labor is here rarely
much in excess of the demand; and in spite OF
the superior facilities afforded lately by the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, the number
which has arrived here this year has not much
exceeded 1000 per month-less than the aver
age of earlier days. Before entering on the
main subject of this article. may be permit
ted to give few statistics.
STATISTICS.
The number of Cinnamon who have arrived
in California since the first settlement OF the
country is 1856. OF these over $4,000 have
returned to China, and nearly 10,5oo have
died. There are about 4l,0OO Chinese IN the
State now; the others having scattered through
Nevada, Montana Idaho, Oregon and Utah,
few dozen getting as far as Chicago and New
York. That they are generally steady and
law-abiding people is hest proved 10y the TACT
that out of Il, 900 in California, there are only
1873 at this time in the State prison and various
county jails.
TIE CHINESE QUARTER OF SAN FRANCISCO.
Although Cinnamon are 10 be found In every
part of San Francisco, the quarter where they
most do congregatc includes Dupont, Jackson
and Pacific streets, and the nclsnoorn0od.
They are great at congregating. They live
very much like bees, and space is of no con-
sequence. There is now an old three story
building on Jackson street on lot 6S4xl3I3
feet, which contains over six hundred China
men, who board, lodge, wash and smoke there.
It has on occasions held a thousand Parts of
the quarter are so thoroughly Chinese that
visitor might fancy himself in Canton or
Shanghai. l believe that after the sea lions
at the Cliff House, strangers find more of in
terest in these rather mean, dirty and strong.
ly-favored streets than in any other part OF
the city. First,
THE DOCTORS SHOPS,
with their signs in Chinese and English, at
tract attention. Many deluded San Francis
cans resort to them, and one or two Chinese
physicians have been seriously run after for
time. Woe to the man who takes their ply
sic, for is it not composed Of powdered bugs,
centipedes, lizards and so forth ? Even cobra
de capello is an Ingredient in some of their
tt,n,, .1,0n NIL fal n
their pills-pills as big as small cannon balls
A little further we come toa
CHEAP CHINESE RESTAURANT,
with its rickcty little furnace, Jumps OF pork
frying and spluttcring, bowls of rice, square
fish, chop sticks of the approved style, and q
general flavor Of cook shop grown Old and
stale. There are more high-toned establish
ments, where everything is served In good
shape, where you can get delicacics like birds
nest soup, sharks fins, geranium cake when
in season, and wash them down with rose
wine and fine tea. The gambling hclls, the
opium dens, the stores OF every description,
and the alleys. where the Chinese demi monde
display their charms through little windows
slit in the doors, are all points of interest The
Joss houses and the Chinese theatre furnish
the best proof ofthe cosmopolitan character OF
San Francisco.
Mr. Charles Walc0tt Br0okcS, tnc consul 1Or
Japan, kindly gave me an introduction to FunS
Tang, q Chinese merchant OF the highest class,
we'll known and much respected here, and who
speaks our language like native.
INTERVIEW WITH FUNG TANG.
/ found Mr.. Fung Tang seated, as is COM
monty the case among the merchants, near
the door of his store, which is simply hand
some tea, grocery and Chinese dry goods
shop, calling for no very special remark. AZ
ter he had motioncd me to seat oy him, had
offered ME Manila cigar, and had learnt the
object Of my visit, he politely expressed will
linSness to give me any information. My first
query was to this effect:
s.What do you think Of the social position Of
the Chinaman in California, and the manner
in which he is treated ?"
~ think" said FYng Tang, 'that it is i'm
proving all the time, but, as you know. we are
never safe from the attacks OF brutal men;
think the Chinese arc better of under English
rule. In Melbourne q Chinaman can walk
three or four miles without being attacked, or
without having his tail cut OIL. In Victoria,
Vancouver Island, too, some of our people
have bought property and are well treated"
Fung Tang alluded to our San Francisco
Chinese Protective Society, an institution
which has, till lately, employed number OF
special policemen, who patrol the streets, anu
see that the Celcstials are not prosecuted. He
said that the society had done much good, that
cases OF violent usage OF his people were get
ting much rarer in the city. That institution
has lately reduced the number Of its police.