Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-01-04
THE CHIN ESE QUARTER.
A Glance at n Celestial Situation

In common with our sister towns on
the Pacific coast, Eureka is blessed, or
rather cursed with a large Chinese
population, altogether out of proper
ton to the whites. In a recent inter-
view with n of the prominent Celes
tial merchants, he stated the number
of permanent resident barbarians at
five hundred, and he was probably be-
low the mark in his estimate. OF
these, about one hundred are employed
as cooks, in domestic service, and as
purters in saloons, etc; one hundred
are attached to the Chinese laundry
establishments; fifty keep small stores,
opium dens, and Il gambling estab-
lishments; II about fifty more pick
up a precarious living by chopping
wood. gathering garbage, etc. The
other two hundred initiate some of
their white brethren, and live by their
wits, in other words, gamble, steal or
beg. The merchant alluded to above
complained bitterly of this latter class,
and explained to us that it was these
fellows who were responsible for the
disrepute into which the race had
fallen. They were the attaches of the
houses OF prostitution, and, in con-
mon with the proprietors of these
dens, lived, to a certain extent, oil of
the earnings of these establishments.
| He also said that the labor market WAS
overstncked. and it was a hard matter
for industrious members of the race to
secure work, and minated that con-
siderable restitution existed among
them. There has been quite an exodus
OF Chinainen from the town during
the m many having left for
Tu>carora and other new camps. They
are among the first to take advantage
of any new discoveries, and the Chinese
wash house and opium den is generally
the second building erected. the white
mans saloon always appearing first.
1t is not within our province to dis
| cuss The Chinese evil or allude to its
social or economical aspect. We have
given q few facts relative to their ex-
istence is this town, and in connection
with it we wish to point out one thing
! that certainly illustrates the good
| nature and forbearance of the civilized
residents. With hardly a word of
comment, and without any opposition,
thew have beer allowed to appropriate
the most eligible portion Of the town,
The street they occupy is in the heart
of the city, and but "a stones throw
from its business center. Our wives.
on their way to church, children
going TO school, and all that
portion of our people who live
on the hillside west of Main street are
compelled t o pass directly through
their haunts. Modest women and
tender children are forced To run the
gauntlet of painted prostitutes. sitting
AZ open windows and soliciting male
passers-by, and pick their way daintily
over running streams of filth that de-
file the streets AMI crossings. S~tenches
of the most pungent and odorouS
nature overcome the smell of the
fumes and spread over the neighbor
hood. Piles of garbage and decaying
ing vegetables rot in front of the
houses, and add their quota TO the
fever breeding perfume. Barbaric
yells CRATE on the ear; guttrual anc
horribly d%iscordant sounds are con.
stantly INDUCED in, and day and nigh
the peace and quiet Is disturbed by ex
ploding crackers and bombs, a fusiladt
of which can be heard at all hours.
ANY one familiar with the Chimes
quarters must admit that the above i!
no fancy picture. A walk of 200 fee
brings one into the midst OF 1t. W.
propose no remedy, and do not sup
pose that there is any. But the pres
ent condition of things is a standing
disgrace to Eureka, and a reproach L
the town. The situation of the Chimes
quarters, and the filthy habits OF tn
heathens, is a grave evil in a sanitar.
as we'll as moral point of view, AM
considering the growing Importance c
our city, the time will soon arriv
when we will, in protection of our In
terests. be compelledto take cognizanc
of the evils mentioned.