The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-04-17
NEW CHINA.
Charles Warren stOddard Ia The COOII
Stronghold Ina San Francisco.


us Back of the highly respectable brick
buildings on the south side of Sacra-
mento street there are pits and deadfalls
innumerable, and over all is the bacA-
ness of darkness, for these mOles can
work the earth faster than the ghost OF
the murdered Dane. From the noisome
watts three stories under ground to the
hanging gardens of the fish dryers on
the roofs, there is neither nook nor corner
but is populous with Mongoian mOngrels.
The better class have their reserved
quarters. With them there is at least
space to stretch ones legs without bark
ing the shins of ones neighbor; but from
their comfort to the condensed discom-
fort of the impoverished coOlie is but
step. Between brick walls we thread
our way, single file, and begin descend
ing into the abysmal darkness. The
tapers, without which it were impossible
to proceed with safety, bu m teebly in the
double night of that subterranean tene-
ment. Most Of the hsbitsble quarters
under the grade are like so many pigeons
houses heaped together unfortunately.
If there were sunshine enough down
y0nder 10 urlnR up the
SLIME THAT CLOSES EVERY PLANK,
and fresh air enough to sweej en- the mil
dewed kennels, this highly eccentric
style of architecture might charm tor q
moment by reason OF its novelty There
is, moreover, q suspicion OF the pictu-
rescue lurking about the place e but
heaven save us, how it smells We pass
from one black hole to another. In the
first there is 8 kind Of bin for ashes and
Goals, and pots and grills-it is the
kitchen A heap of fine kidding in
one corner, a bench or a stool, as black
as SCOT can paint it, few bowls, few
bits of rag, few fragments of food and
q coolie squatting over fre-a coOlie
that rises out of the dense smoke like
the evil genii in the Arabian tale! There
is no chimney; there is no window
there is no drainage. We are Ia cubic
sink in which we can scarcely stand
erect. From the hall door pours dense
volume of smoke, some of il stale smoke,
which our entry has forced out of the
corners. The kitchen will bold only so
much, and we have made havoc among
the cubic inches. Under foot the thin
planks sag into staining pools, and there
Is the glimmer of blue just along the
foot of the wall. Gentlemen, thousands
feed at these troughs. The next apart
ment, smaller yet, and blacker and bluer
and more slippery and shiny, is
AN UNCOVERED CESS POOL,
from which a sickening stencil arises and
pervades the quarter and here are CHAINS
bers opening upon narrow galleries that
run in various directions, and sometimes
bridge one another in q marvellous and
ingenious economy of space that outwits
the invention of q mere white man.
The majority of these chambers are just
long enough to lie down in and broad
enough to allow space tor the narrow
door to swing in between two single beds,
with two sleepers in each bed. Jne
doors are closed and securely bolted.
Our specials, by authority, demand ad-
mittance. There is no response from
within. A group of coolies, who hive
in the immediate vicinity and have fol-
lowed close at our heels ever since our
descent into the under world, assure US,
in broken English, that there is no one
within. We suspect, and persist in our
investigations still no response. The
door is then forced by the specials, and
behold four of the seven sleepers packed
into this air-tight compartment, and in
sensible even to the hearty greeting we
offer them. The air is absolutely over
towering; we hasten from the place, but
are arrested in our flight by the specials,
who lead us to the gates of the cats
combs and bid us follow them. l know
not to what extent
THE EARTH HAS BEEN RIDDLED
under the Chinese quarter probably no
man knows save he who has burrowed
like gopher from one living grave to
another to escape taxation and the de-
tective. | know that l have threaded
dark passages cut in the earth so narrow
that two of us might not have crossed
track. 80 low that | often crouched at
the dooryavs which intercept pursuit at
unexpecied intervals. Here the THIEF
and the assassin seek sanctuary. 1t Is
city of refuge for lost souls. They kno"
the forbidden Joys OF hell in that black
ened sepulcher. Dante and Virgil might
look with sorrowful eyes into the bowels
of the earth over which we pass daily
and hourly. and behold horrors not less
appalling than crowd the pages OF the
@Tnferno." Even above ground there
are secret ways that elude the eyes OF
the most ,igilant. The numerous gam.
hing bells a,e so cautiously guarded
that only the private police, wno are
said to be in the pay of the Chinese
authorities, can ferret them out. Dool
mon door is shut against you, and you
are unconsciously spirited away through
other avenues, and
TIE SECRET SIGNALS
that gave warning of your approach
cause sudden transformation In the
gronnd plan OF the Establishment. Yor
were fooled, my good sir, and in the
most ingenious fashion. Gambling ant
onium-smoking are the ruling passions
among the Chinese. A coolie will paw
anv thing and every thing to Obtain
means with which to indulge in thes'
infatuating games OF chance. There ar
many games played publicly, at tn
, restaurants and in the retiring rooms o
, the mercantile establishments. No
only cards, dice and dominoes are com