Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-15
AN OPIUM DEN.
The "GIobe" Discovers One In st. PAULA
Miserable Garrett In the Center of the
SANITY City--A Night With the Slayes to
the Habit-The Scenes In the Celestial
Heaven and the Manner OF Smoking the

Sanity City-A Night With the Slaves to
the Habit-The Scenes In the Celestial
Heaven and the Manner of Smoking the
Deadly Drug.
Are you good on keeping secret7
Well should smile am; what's up7
Join me at police headquarters at II o'clock
tonight, and I'll show you something never
dreamed of as existing in st Paul.
It's 60.
The above colloQuy took place one after
noon last week between reporter for the
GLOBE aud we'll known society man who has
exchanged fair proportion of a goodly in
come for tolerably clear knowledge OF the
world and very great deal of information.
There was a secret in it and midnight
meeting. Tne first question was asked in
rather iocular way and with twinkle in the
eye as If to say, 'The old Nick will be to pay
it this thing gets into the papers; but first see
and then use your own Judgment. What in
intimation of secret; the meeting ut city
hall; the Journey where and for what, were
questions which flashed through the writer's
mind with the celerity of lightning,
Conjecture was myth and only bewildered.
It might be gang of counterfeiters at work or
the midnight conclave of secret soclety. or
perhaps a conspiracy against the government.
But no, Julien, for such the young man may
be called, was too honest to associate or rem
devious with the first and too much Of
patriot to know anything of the latter.
The gentle reader, no doubt, has experienced
that peculiar condition of the mind when
racked with expectancy or doubt. The SEN
sOrium becomes q canvas upon which are
thrown in graphic relief the weird workings
Of tho nj N a kiou and fha Woudarful YnaQ-
clan, fancy, turns the inward eye on perfect
nightmare vision Of perfect saturnalia of the
senses.
The suspense of the situation is to marked
degree hideous. But there is time for all
things and all things come to an end.
The hour hand on the dial had just reached
IL O'Clock when the reporter turned the door
knob at city hall. True to his compact the
young man was in waiting, but he was com.
pletely metamorphosed. Instead of the fash
ionably attired young man about town, he ap.
peared as well-to-do and travelled Englishman
with mutton-chop whiskers, q snug cap drawn
tightly over his head and double breasted
surtout or walking jacket closely buttoned.
He wore sheepskin leggins and the tsut en-
semble was that of thoroughbred young En-
glish gentleman, doing the world with little
regard for consequences. He was at once
identified by the scribe by his voice and ac-
cent, and in reply to question asking what it
all meant, he reminded the scribe that he was
his guest and for the hour would have
This looked deuced queer, to say the least, but
the newspaper man was in for it, and be decid-
ed to let matters 60 their own way.
Requesting him to ask NO questions, Julien
procured drab colored cap similar to his own
and pair of dowdy whiskers. which he asked
the reporter to put on. The latter complied,
and with few other changes he was trans
n N h.
man.
1t is about time, said the young man, on
reaching the street, that you should be apprised
of what is going on. No doubt you will be
surprised when I remark that within three
blocks of where we now stand is situated q
genuine Chinese opium den. That is, a resort
where quite goodly number of those addicted
to the opium pipe in st. Paul are constant fire..
quenters.
The fact of the existence of such places in
st. Paul are kept a profound secret. Only the
initiated are admitte6 knowledge of the place
is kept as profoundly secret as the grave, and
is only known to the favored few. All who
are confirmed slaves to the fatal habit-and
they value the privilege too well to disclose it
to even their best friends.
By this time the twain had reached the en-
trance to q story -and-a-half frame structure
within less than half mile from the post
the legend Chinese Laundry" The curtains
were drawn and the faint glimmer Of q lamp
threw fitful reflection on the window pane.
A couple of raps softly given brought sleepy
looking Ohinaman to the door.
Here an explanation is due the reader. Be.
fore entering, the young man. Julien, had ex-
acted promise that whatever might be writ
ten about the existence of the den the names
of the frequenters should be kept profoundly
secret.
After inspecting the two visitors and hesita-
ting a moment, which suficed to reassure him
that at least one of the parties was all right,
the heather threw open the door and the Wis
1tors walked in.
Passing through a room stocked with laun-
dried and unlaundried linen, the visitors
reached a stairway which was remarkable only
for it's rickety condition and absence of any,
thing like light to guide the way up stairs.
Taking the reporter by the hand Julien led, or
ra'her grouped the way up stairs, the bend of
which opened into dirty little room with low
ceiling, and filled with an atmosphere that
was almost sitting.
At intervals around the apartment were sew
eral hunks suspended between the floor and the
miserably low and dingy ceiling. There were
in all half dozen hunks, and of these all but
two were occupied. The occupants were three
white men and Chinaman. Upon entering
the place all were engaged in smoking, and so
dUSOTUcu W6Io tuSy III buO Adtdk pdSolOu UucSl
not head was turned upon the entrance of
the visitors.
The room was clouded with heavy pale yel-
lowish atmosphere, whiffs of smoke curled up
from the couches and the powerful odor was
almost sufficient to benumb the senses. The
charmed atmosphere was as silent as the tomb;
not motion, movement or breath of air.
small table occupied the center of the room: on
this was situated bowl from three to five
inches in diameter.
Attached to this were several tubes, radiat'
ing from the bowl to the couches; the smokers
drew the deadly narcotic through the tubes
What, asked the reporter to himself can there
be in all this to captivate thrall the senses oi
man? Where is the Asiatic or oriental splen.
| dor; surely it is not suggested in the squalid
and beastly surroundings. But the secret fas
| cination of the wonderful poppy had not yet
| been learned by the unsophisticated visitor.
| While thus cogitating, with feelings of dis
gust at the surroundings, the reporter wat
| handed tube and almost mechanically he put
the end to his mouth. The first exhalatior
was bitter; then something began to steal ovel
the senses; instantly most charming sensa
tion was experienced; the scene grew delight
| full; beautiful visions arose and then all was
chaos. The feelings that followed are indie
scribable; but they are best pictured by the
master minds of DeQuincy and in the opening
/ chapters of Edwin brood.
| When the writer awoke from the strange
| dream it was morning; the gray light of dawn
was creeping into the attic and he was sensible