, 1874-01-18
Op1uIn-SnaOKinE.

From the Sf,r York Times.
1luc1, has been written by learned hntaoEs OF
Europe in relation to tue terrible enee'e ,oa u
op;um~ smoking. American writer's have also
composed soluminous papers upon the same
subject, In all instances China is spoken ot 81
that place where the practice most preVans.
Perhaps the Americans who have Tutseu 60
much in relation to the matter are not aware
that in New York, the empire city Of their
country, there is situated m opium. smoking
saloon which, for dirt; sqnaloT. aud sllniness:
can we'll rank with the most froqueuied dens OF
Canton. ,,,, ~,
In Douovan's lane, miserable little alley
opening from Baxter streets room ls kept par
ticularly and solely for tho service OF OPIUM
smokers. It is conducted py Wlthered olo
wreck. who, although only 40 years Of age, by
his inyetefate use Of the drug, has the appear
ance Of being OF least 70. The room, If 1t can
be called such, is about twelve feet long BY al1
vide . slantlne board eI,aIf ia fixed lengthwise
10 one Of The walls. This is long enough to
allow man Of small stature to lie a. full length,
but not more than four persons could lie On It at
4 time, 1t ia upon this that the opium BEnoke1a
rccltue when induiging their terrible lodging;
TIE place was visited a few evenings e1nce, auu
MAS found occupied by two Chinese, one OF them
q yery old raat. and the other a youth, who
stated that he lad just been discharged from the
United States steamer Juniata, upon which LIE
had served as officers steward. Both were
smoking opiuu- ,...r
Many persona suppose that opium is used II
the same may tobacco is: This, however, is
mistake, Tobacco can be smoaed standing,
walking, and at business. Tic opium smoker
always lies down when indulging his habit, and
uiyea nil his attention TO the process Of lnhalnG
thu fumes Of the drug. Before opium eau be
used by the smoker it has 20 be prepared most
carefully by persons skilled in its concocslon II
is reduced from solid to liquid form by boil
lng NTH small quantity OF water, aud when
ready for the pipe looks like . thin paste OF
thick, muddy moiasBes. Tho optum-pipe con.
sists Of reed about IN inch in diameter. Yhe
aperture in tue bowl which admits the drug If
not much larger than the head Of pin one-
| smoked by begirner. Old debauches, how
ever. can use from quarter to a third OF an
ouoce daily. TOBACCO smokers always emtt
emoke from their mouths, but al old opium
smoker invarinbly blows tho fumes through hls
| nostrils, and very often absorbs them IN h't
lungs. i to5acco-pipe can be lighted easily b1
! match or coal Of fire, but tho. opium-pipt
| must be lighted with great care. and always D,
the steady flame of an. oil lamp. Ihe smal
opening IN the bowl is held in the flame. and tue
| light ia drawn into the reed After the opium
is isnited. tho process Of smoking is very sho1
one; only one or two whifs can be taken. ant
in this way, lighting and smoking scores Of per
sous, inhabitants Of this city, spend hour afse
hour, never ceasng uutil they drop off into tn
dcath-ike stupor which il the aim Of all opium
smoking.
inycterate smokers live for nothing but th
qualification Of their appe,ites. When it cauno
be satisfied they suffer tortures OF the most nor
! riblo character. Those persons who become ad
dicted to the use Of the poison seldom Live to b
more than so years of ago: most Of them d
| within I've years after they have reached tha
stage in which they can consume third of q
ounce day. The Chinese il this city adml
that the effects OF the drug upon tae huns
frame are rrinoua in the extreme they argue
however. that al nations indulge in some dissl
! pation the Americans, they say, drink whisk
until they are drunk, aad they aae, il this be 80
| why it is wrong for Chinaman to becoms sense
| less with opium Those who live in Ne" t0rl
are, with few exceptions, devoted to the prae
| tice Of opium-emokiug, aud, what is far NOR MOI
| terrible, large number Of young Nhite, slsl
| residing in their neighborhood are rapidly be
coming addicted to the same vice: They Ky w
hane, for although the people OF their Own rac
| close their doors against them. they are Away
welcome ct tho freeides Of those to whom the
sell their souls for the suatenaucs OF tne'
fnf1tns.