The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-11-13
China Town.

1 h1t n9rt OF SaN IRA CISCO III N!litD Iilt
''Heathen Chinee'' has located himself, IS
thus properly named, for il is decidedly
Chinese in its aspect, and. on entering II,
one could almost lima CINE themselves trans
ported to some foreign city.
The houses are built. some oi brick. soma
of wood. and are as a general thing, painted
some bright color, red seeming to take pre-
ccdence; but many, on the contrary, are
still cuiitess of paint, and about them are
hung Chinese lanterns. and other similar
articles peculiar to tke aluIoud-eyed Occu-
pants.
Within the houses. all i dirt and wretch
edness; no carpets, no furniture worth mem
tioning-in fact nothing that would seem to
make life desirable; yet here they dwell,
uye, and thrive, aud almost daily their klns-
men are arriving in San Francisco, eager to
seek ease and plenty in this, TO them, the
new GolclndI.
Nearly every other house in China Town
j. a gambling-hell, into which no one but
Chinese are permitted to enter; outside of
the doorway of every place Of this kind IS
stationed a guard who, seated very much at
his ease, watches nonchaiantly, with bis
little cleaning eyes, all who approach; but
Ifa "bleican Man attempts to enter, ere
his foot can cross the threshold the alert
watcher pulls cord hitherto concealed by
his black, loose clothing, and instantly the
door is slammed in the ntruder's face; nay,
not one door only, but three, for the house
Is entered through narrow hall, which is
divided al intervals by three doors, and the
cord held by the guard not ouly instantan-
eousiy closes them all, but also rings bell
70 give warning of strangers approach.
/ once attempted, with a friend, to enter
one of these places, but tie sentinel motioned
us back peremptorily, at the same time
nutteriug some words in the Chinese tongue;
bat, though una med, we assumed an air of
bTavado, and insisted upon entering, where
upon the man quietly put his hand to his
side, and, suspecting the presence Of a pistol,
or 4 knife, We concluded that in our case
certainly discretion was the better part of
valor," and incontinently left, and, if we
did not run until out of pistol-shot range,
we certainly did some very "tall walking"
There are some gambling houses, however,
whose prOprietors are not 50 strict as to the
color, and nationality of their patrons, and
into one Of these we succeeded in penetrating
but, after all, it hardly repaid us for our
trouble
Around the walls were built bunkS, much
resembling the berthS of ship, and in these,
while gambling was going on in the little
dirty, smoky place before them. the opium
smokers lay, lost to all the noise and quar-
reiling in that delightful, dreamy. doIce far
1,iente, through whose deceptive power all
things are rose ,lored.
But, though pages could he written about
the wickednesS and wretchednces of China
Town, it is not the only place where evil ex-
lists in its worst forms. Near the entrance
> the Chinese portion of the city, there is a
building entered by passing through long,
dark, narrow alley-way. There may I've
many such in San Francisco, but the writer
of this can only vouch for the actual ext
tence Of the one named, where the bodies Of
dead babes are oft-times thrown, or walled
up in the brick walls, and where the very
bricks seem to eye one another suspiciOusly
as if fearful Of the strange stories they could
reveal if endowed with the power of speech !;
and never could be found filter place for
some foul murder, or other deed Of darkness,
than this same alley.
; After reaching the building one deScends
n dark flight of steps, and finds himself in
room of moderate size, wherein are perform
ing band of musicians. Here, by paying
fifty cents, you can remain and listen to the
music, or pass through this room, eros a
hall, and descend another 4 ght of dark steps,
and enter larger room. better lighted, in
which number of girls, geyly dressed and
painted, sit at tables eating and drinking,
and gayly invite you to share with them.
Passing through still another hall, and de-
scending another fight of steps. the gamb-
ling rooms are reached. and, farther on still, g,
there are dens where thieves and all classes
Of villains congregate, and dwell. as snakes
of all kinds curl and knob themselves to-
gether during the winter months
But here we will pause. for beyond the
drinking saloon, no one who values his life
will venture anil, though Heaven knows
how deep into the heart Of the earth these
subterrarean passages pierce. nay, even
though they afford direct communication
with Ilade-. (Which the character of their
inmates would almost lead one to be,!evc)
the writer Of this cannot vouch for the truth
oi more than he has stated
Animals md Firearms,