Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-05-21

cutting their meat, it being carved out in
chunks, and one would Ike as apt to get =
! pork steak with the ear on. as he would
to have it nearer the tail Many of their
merchants are wealthy and occupy large
and well arranged stores, while the poor
er class ply their vocations on the streets
and in the cutters. Hong Kong is no
more Chinese than this part of San Fran
cisco. They stick tensciously to their
habits and customs, and it is next to i'm
possible to Americanize them. Their wo-
men are the most repulsiYe creatures of
the human kind-feminine gender--I have
ever seen. With their pillow case pants,
short dress, and the toes of their feet just
sticking into their wooden soled slippers,
they 90 shufling along in tiresOme
manner; always bare headed, with their
hair waxed or creased perfectly stiff and
pufed into various shapes by queer head
ornaments.
could not find out as leprosy was a
disease among them. There has been
few cases which resembled it, but it is by
no means prevalent on this coast. If it
were not for the purity of the atmosphere.
the crowded numbers of this people, and
the filthy state in which they live, would
breed contagious disease among them
which would sweep them of at fearful
rate. Yet they are mortal. 1t was my
fortune to witness the make up of one of
their burial professions, and to one not
interested in the corpse, it was quite
amusing. The various features of the
programme were Greek TO me, still, l sup
pose they had their significance On the
hearse was a Chinaman, who every mo-
ment threw into the air handful of It's
sue paper of various colors just behind.
was a wagon with the personal effects of
the deceased then came the music, " hich
consisted of toy whistle, pair of Gym
balls and drum, each operated vigorous
ly by s"heathen Chipee" The mouruers
and stragglers brought up the rear, all
seemingly well pleased with the excite
ment they were creating.
In California, there IS no kind of labor
SO menial, but what there is some full
fedged man to perform it. In the eastern
part of our land, boot blacking is coDsid-
cred boys work, and the cities are well
supplied with these urchins, roaming the
streets, their kit strapped to their back /!
Here, no travelling boot blacks are seen
and ones pedal coverings are shined by
muscular men, who have their stands in
hooks or corners of the streets. Many of
them occupy cosy rooms, fitted up with
easy chairs, and the latest papers for
| ones ediication while the polish is going
on. Anti Chinese street orators are har-
ranguing the people, who are crying
"Down with the Chinaman and cheap Ia
bor," that the most effectual opposition
would be to take Johns work away from
him by doing the same themselves. And
they advise grumbling whites to buy
wash tubs, establish laundries, and check
mate them at their own game. And must
| the proud Caucasians come to this?
The world-renowned Palace Hotel is
der and admiration of all who behold it.
have seen buildings that are far ahead
of 1t in architectural beauty, but Its size is
really marvellous, perhaps more so on ac-
count of comparison with the generality
of San Francisco structures most of the
buildings are low and rather inferior, but
the procrastination of earthquakes is
making builders more bold, and those
that are going up at the present time
have more extended proportions.
The .. s. Mint is modern looking, |
gray sandstone building of three stories |
in height, situated on Fifth st., between |
Market and Mission, and from 9 a. m.
until noon, on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays, IS thrown upon to visitors.
Knowing this to be the case, made an
inspection of its interior On arriving,
was ushered into theEreeeption room, my
name and residence properly recorded,
and in the company of dozen ladies and !
gents, led by IN old, gray-haired guide |
we proceeded to fathom the mysteries of |
money making. We were led along dark |
aisles with solid granite sides, into vari-
GUS rooms, and witnessed the operation
of coming twenty-dollar gold peices from
the gold in its crude state until it drop
ped from the stamping machin bright,
double eagles All the various process
es were fully explained to US, but will
not attempt re-explans ton OF all saw,
as should undoubtedly fail. The ad.
justing room was quite interesting to me
perhaps, more the ladies, than their
work. The gold is rolled into proper
thickness, then stamped out into its prop
er size, taken 10 the adjusting room,
where are about so ladies, each with q
very accurate pair of scales before her;
every piece is weighed, and If it weighs
takes from its edge filings, which drop in
to an apron before her, until it is of prop
er weight. If the pieces lack weight, they
are returned to the melting room and go
through the same process again. This
gold is weighed out TO each workman,
and before they leave the building it is
re-weighed and each particle must be &C.
counted for. Thus, there is no chan ce
for stealing until it gets into the hands of
higher officers. These ladies are we'll
paid for their services. getting a hundred
dollars each month, and these positions.
like other Government ones, are secured
through political favor. From their room
it goes to the stamping room, where a
powerful machine, with the proper dies,
impresses its face with its characters.
From this machine there is constant |
dropping of new made 2O's, and as I
stood and watched it, it gave to me ter
rible itching palm. 1 longed 20 hold my
pockets under the hopper until they each
and every one were full; then-if conve-
nient-I would fill my hat.
The machinery is propelled by pow
erful engine of $50 horse power, with a
balance wheel of 2l tons weight and IS |
feet in diameter, and it-llke everything
about the Mint-is kept polished in an ar