The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-11-11
China Town.

| That part of San Francisco IN which the
"Heathen Chinee" has located himself, IS
thus properly named, for it is decidedly
Chinese in its aspect, and, on entering it,
one could almost imagine themselves trans
ported to some foreign city.
The houses are built, some of brick, some
of wood, and are as general thing, painted
some bright color, red seeming to take pre-
acedence; but many, on the contrary, are
still guiltless of paint, and about them are
hung Chinese lanterns, and other similar
articles peculiar to the almond-eyed occu-
pants.
Within the houses, all is dirt and wretch
edness; no carpets, no furniture worth men
tioning-in fact nothing that would seem to
make life desirable; yet here they dwell,
aye! and thrive, and almost daily their kns-
men are arriving in San Francisco, eager to
seek, ease and plenty in this, to them, the
new Golconda.
Nearly every other house in China Town
isa 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 nonchalantly, with his
little cleaning eyes, all who approach; but
ifa "Melican 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 intruder's face; nay,
not one door only, but three, for the house
is entered through narrow hall, which is
divided at intervals by three doors, and the
cord held by the guard not only instantan-
eously closes them all, but also rings bell
to give warning of a strangers approach.
once attempted, with friend, to enter
one of these places, but the sentinel motioned
us back pcremptorily, at the same time
muttering some words in the Chinese tongue;
but, though unarmed, We assumed an air Of
brarado, and insisted upon entering, where
upon the man quietly put his hand to his
side, and, suspecting the presence of a pistol,
or a knife, we concluded that 10 our case
certainly "discretion was the better part of
yalor,' and incontinently left, and, if we
did not run until out of pistol-shot range,
we certainly did some very tall walking"
There aresome gambling houses, however,
whose proprietors are not SO strict as to the
,color, and nationality of their patrons, and
into one Of fthese We succeeded in penetrating;
but, after all, it hardly repaid US for our
trouble.
Around the walls were built hunks, 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-
relling in that delightful, dreamy, dolce far
niente, through whose deceptive power all
things are rose colored.
But, though pages could be written about
the wickedness and wretchedness of China
Town, it is not the only place where evil ex-
.istsin its worst forms. Near the entrance
.@hthe Chinese portion Of the city, there is a..
building entered by passing through long,
dark, narrow allsy-way. There may be
many such in San Francisco, but the writer
of this can only vouch for the actual e1is
tence of the one named, where the bodies Of
dead babes are loft-times thrown, or walled
up in the brick walls, and where the very
bricks seem to eye one another suspiciously.
Us 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.
.4,sAfter reaching the building one descsnds Z
q dark flight of steps, and finds hirlseifina
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, cross a
hall, and descend another flight Of dark steps,
and enter larger room. botter lighted, in
which number of girls, gayly 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 flight ofsteps, the gamb-
ling rooms are reached. and, farther on still,
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 and, though Heaven knows
how deep into the heart Of the earth these
subterranean passages pierce, nay, even
though they afford direct communication
with Hides, (Which the character Of their
inmates would almost lead one to believe)
the writer of this cannot vouch for the truth
of more than he has stated.