New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-26
OPIUM SMOKING.
A SCENE n THE CHINESE QUARTER.

4 SCENE II THE CHINESE QUARTER.
TIE INTERIOR or sMOKlNG-RooM-HOw THE
OPIUM Is PREPARED. AND rs EFFECTS.
The Chinese in this city have become very
shy OF late ana 10th TO admit visitors to the privacy
Of their gambn. opium-smokins dens. They viii
not admit the existence Of their Josshousc, which
was formerly situated a back room on the ground
floor Of a dwelling IN BaXterst. detective from the
Fourth Precinct, with reporter OK TIE TRIBUNE Wis
tied the Chinese quarters at the Five Points few even
Ings ago. Passing through the narrow hallway Of
large brick house yard reached, at the rear
Of which are several old buildings where number OF
Chinese live together They could, would give no
information, insisting that tue Josshouse, which was
once connected with an Opum-smoklng resort had Deen
abandoned. Inquiries were made NJ a Chinese store,
which was He'd with Cclestals. They asserted positive
Nv thar there was no smo6ce" ana tlat al "smOkee
Chuamau gone IN countrcc" trial was then made IN
Mot;-, 40 what the detective sald was IN a'ocrdlc
Chinese cstd ishncut. but there was no response 10 V
eral vigorous pulls az the door.oell Fortunately 20 me
search was about 70 be abaudouci' NhiualNan no
spoke English with iueucy, was found auI Le 4ter
moments hesitation, directed toe party 10 20 ~ MO'l-
st., and finally consented 10 dct 7 silde u' Iulai ,c
10 reach the resort OF the OpiumsuoKers n was n6ces-
sary 20 through an alley-way al ne SIDE OF No a.
MOtt-st,and then cross cor ~ ,
new not made without difficulty, FOR IL was dark ana
stormy night aud artificial means were used to dipe
the gloom. stumbling GoWu l9uI Vl NV @ n 49,
st,I ihc visitor suddenly found himself I'D small roOm
rLt fci in width by seventeen length, and the cell
in.. was low There was q small cOokugsOye RI one
80 10,
poor IN quality, but comfortable In corner Shght
Framework 10 the ceiling formed tW9 Dnhs, on
above the other. The walls were adorned with few
cheap cOorcd prints, and the hoOr was parity coYcIeu
reminding ono Of liuseed oil factory, or or dripping
cooking. As the party entered au oid OAhlHiu Win
L,rr without the cue or costume OF Ills conn
try came forward with polite ar Thlf Young lrlNh
woman, Of good appearance hut.leu o y. an ,lnvt
ROOM and took a seat IN corner ~ the nam apartment
,.u,, rho visitors curOt-ly. Lives mere Win these
sygn ec t t the dcttctive pointing the girl par
frTs fff
her" "Do many OF these Chinese have Whte women NV
III, br and many OF the Ilsh ana American girls
in tis uart o the city Ind II easier living win Cinnamon
than With their own people They have little or no work
~ Jon does an hi. own cooking, washes his own
clothes too. and mis- -irl doesn't nave ug US ~ 40 Du
keep herself and clean II she has an Inclination thI
The old Chnauan was disposed to be communicative
and hospitablo He threw open The door of thc inner
room and sgnifed that the visitors should pass ID. IL
wa. much smaller apartment than th9 IlI,t II con-
tanned three bunk frames, sln-e one anu Two ts HI
double ike that IN the outer room III was JUST possi"
To squeeze between them 80 closely "tTe ney
together. At the side ot chch buhh, d-"iaI ~. "'
small board placed 10 sIaihS posllion lol ', ,
tue opium smoker pl'oMs and nnt at fuI
dulgcs In his smoke wing ctos7-Wl7' UNI ll' % -
Ismeb upon hi, couch. This space affords position Tor
rne smoking apparatus which must rest AT ms sue
,ar.rer Iy mi, arrangement two smokers can be Ac-
coumodatcd on bunk, reclining race 10 ace WIN le
apparatus between them There were Two men Ml,npu'
cp,t. wa,tcoats or shoes, IN tina room, h0th smOAug
One took no notice OF TIE ntfuies Out the otuet
bright cl tty fellow. Strengthened up Immediately alg
yUre.s, Li, willingness. 10 demonstrate the methods OF
opium smoking Al hi- side. upon square piece o. oll
ir coysrrd with glass shade having hole IN the top
saucer for eiGarstIf ot Ie. ann c,irtn the prepared
opium: stone cup 10 receive Tue buII. 9puln 10 NC
mixed with some that was fresh ana sm9 htg over ahlu
"nJ iva noiuted wires resembling slender knitting
needles. The bamboo stem OF the pipe nearly a Ioot
Ion was al least an inch in diametcr-by no means
on-iorfabie size for mouth OF moderate dimensions
The bow was large and hared at the to, anu Wot
been perfectly solid except Tor small hole which looked
a. n IN might have been pierced by one OF lhe
needles. The Hide Chluaman "Iheu upOr ~. IL
elbow and dipped one OF mo hseGrs. IN , ,ne
ivory box taking ont drop OF s'It OPIUM
from which he dried the moisture ~ h3ni u ~ H. ~
Lcring drus thurod.h and his hc repeated u 'uI-
nceut quantity Of opium igi M pi ion The pillows
wthu couteutcd air and placing We DOW on III, pp
close the fame ot tue lamp 't"le sno opni Az "a
hole wish needle, nhan- Jns s NJ Va - All he did
fcn pufi-, ami De sat 49, aF,n. l"d. VIZ o." III
- men ni,csd over sine nre-it could bee seen on the
~ I'm the other rcom--and stirred untl u became
pa nv mass like hat b. the IVORY box lie "s -aei II
tie smoking producer ~ III i, 80 fs,,.r.l
rave rise 10 CIO-e WOuuclful hd luis ~ ilut''
~ described. Ho sad taI 81 9la n,. ne ' 1911 Ecu ~
for twentY-six years Inc tHrel no ~ I. ~. ~. ~;
ceiling of content ~ happiness }. haus ever thh4
f',es e smoked from O'Clock in she evening until IA
the morning during when time hr USED rom tNo 20
a box. When he made plenty Of none, ne raeu 10
-iuoE, I've boxes day. ne was ioHu OF hriuil"- .l.-
AN -moElus WIN c-.tiie o' c's'' soA''e '"N'' Jul!
"A few Whifs 40 a time cor eacn.
IAr reporter, upon being invited 70 smoke threw him
self uuou tie bed and drew vigorously On the plc, VINE
the Cluamdn pok-d the opium mo tt D'"i ne ulSt
pun caused the impression tnat spo9nlu Oh E5ne.aot
mn Inrluofi,s of younger days when the hfst cSir Ws
smoked. 10 WIS pleasure TO near tAe EuiSie VI lhr
fIpe announcing that thc opium Wls exhausted How
xg frrl now 10 asked the C-uHman pretty good het e.
IL was sin .ar fact, that although me reporter hAd
rafeu "a hearty meal comparatively short Time before,
he t after smoking 4 lie had GeOn without food Tor
twenty Tour hours. ~,
4 br Young woman in the outer room, when asked II
the white women who lived among tie chinese were All
dictd 10 opium smoking replied taat she did not know
Of any such casrs though there were many "h0 ale
opum There were some wfo never hhh an hppeute TOT
their meals unless they took an opium pill hfst.