New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-24
THE CHINESE QUARTER.
WALK THROUGH MOTT STREET.
THE CHINESE DISTRICTS OF NEw-YOEK AND SAN
FRANCISCO COMPARED.

A WALK THROUGH MOTT STREET.
THE CHINESE DISTRICTS OF NEW-foRA AND San
FRANCISCO COMPARED.
walk along Mott-st. at night, when me Clli Sc
ana rtcr Is lit UP after the genuine orlental se,
and when the quaInt-Ooklag Chinese sit i'll lIoit vi
thei- doors in a haf-IurEIsh attitude, smoke ilei
long pipes and jabber away III hnrsh llgol. "1 t
one TO imagine that he rs III what must nc EeS nv
the celestial empire, The Chinese quarter III new
York not only furnishes an example oil the cosnlo-
politau character OF the city, bui IiuhtTdVe te IN
thence of American manners and CUSTOMS upon
ncopls who have been for centuries most cohscfNd-
tlye and tenacious OF the ways of their ioIclalhelS
Ncw-York has no " Chinatown Prole' III the Sehoe
IN which That naIno II aPpIie9 10 lo N'I'o Jus
Chinese districts OF cites ana tONhS III nv
parlGr States Mott-st. differs from the regular
"ChinatoXf" most no .iccaDiy III the style OF Ihe
houses which ave all dlstIuctlyelY American. me
houses of California "Chlna!Own" are usually
nuiit of wood, and III archlteciuTe-lt such a Woru
may be applied to these excuses for houses-they
nave consi cradle of the Chinese character. Inc
horses are mostly story high wltha small poIch
IN front ana are built cont lguOuSiy iOfelthcT soCdpic
or economical reasons The windows ana dOoI-Dos
and often the doors themselves, are coVeIou WIZ
strange inscriptions, printed with oiack INK on
bright red paper. At FIRST sight the enterprlsllIe
Caucasian would suppose that these numerous III
scTpiiOns were advertisements, put il lii' Ninot
Themselves tell the truth, such Is not
the Strange As It may seem I'r neItmou'
many of tnesc writings are prayers
and a. the Chinese religion - OF negative chdldc
The PRAYERS are posted az on the d00r-Wdys ana heai
IN oihrr entrances into the house, TO act as spcl
IN keeping away the dragon the Chinese linpersoha
tiou OF evil. MOtt-st. cOmpels the CHlnainah To
conform to American customs IN the iind OF house
he lives ill., ana the NcE-1orA Gilr''' CbiuesS
some changes in the regular, Chinesc
wardrobe. Inc hats one sees worn by the ChlheSc
OF New-Y0rk arc often Oh American make whereas
IN san Francisco one invariably secs III summon "
LARGE straw or willow hat, resembling III shape an
inverted wash-bOwl, ana IN general appearance Ho'
unlike the Old-iasnOntd Oee-nlNGS. Inc Hsn:'
paper-soed, iunk-like shoe OF the racine coast l.
nitt.n eupp,aufed III NcW-lOIk Dy Tic more sun
stantial leather boot or wOouen-soied SHOE III sal
Francisco tapers, thrust INTO the ashes oI many
others which have been burned before, arc Pldotu
in small earthen vessels ami are kept constantly
burning before the doors. These are not 10 DC seen
IN MOtt-5t. 3 ~ VII
IltV oil fine distinctive national character is the en-
tire absence OF Chinese women. Inc cinnamon
VINO lOIter about Inc stores ana SHOPS "a hot,S''i
LOOK rather lonesome III their celoary, Dul Nilhdl
seem gay and cheerful. Two OF them were pclilhB
each other VITA watermelon SKINS the othel day -
and endAugermg tho eyes OF passer5-Dy-'s ll-bi-
UNE reporter was going up the street
" here's tho .os. noise, John" was the hrst
question asked. Me no saNee tue IeplJ' an
Notwithstanding ChlndHan was FOUND VINO Sdlu
" Gu 20 light acoss Tie slecl, you mo MN UP
stairs" A., L.
hou,c WAS obtained. Inc temple DINERS from us
california fellows III not havin- the large GIT
lettered inscriptions, winch make tho California
Joss-house look Ike clrcus-teIt III lh1 INSTANCE
Above the door OF the regular Chlhcac JOSS house
there Is invariably large WOuld-De IIe-IiAc repre-
seufafiun of tho much-c cared dragon. The eNccu-
5
T., fhe or,1iuai conception Of the painter. III the
building tHeIc - Il small court. VAIN tue cpeh Ky
above II, WncIc the incense Is burned, ana WheIe
the fumes 0f oil and apcrs may Use uhOpSIIucteu
he.vcu,y;,rd Az Tor the idols, they generally
three or more number, TINS giving lhc "OlshIpPeI
some degree OF choice IN the hdJcI Ol HIS ucNOIOs
The IDOL itself Is made An lie image Oh a emma
man Characteristic icdnuCss, however, as seen In
the Cinnamon Oi the street IS lacdZcd INTO uAoue
obesity. JOSS sits up as portly with MS pqllcd
checks, almond eyes, artificial In"usachc anu III
p.rlal a, ii he was the monarch OF an LnpIc.
sometimes he mas two hands sometimes lour, ana
iu them SYMBOLS OF power Gea-iOWl icdlAers dOOlu
tnc bag E-rOund vi the throne here the ldoi 5ils
There seems 10 be some supcfautiOus reverence
among tnc Chinese Tor these feathers lOr ihey axe
seldom absent nom any It"sioIs ovltIuloi'lcs.
Printed prayers, long enough cne "oulu thnk 10 save
the wnoic ulncse race cover thc wall VI 'hc joss
house. .. no
terent from those OF san Francisco Bat the sister
e. oil the Golden GaJc can boast, or dep0ro rather
a preelAincnce IN the matter Of Chinese theatricas.
one nears 40 music III hottest, ana might nier that
the Chinese are not Il IA. sicai peope. On the con
trary they clam to DC tlc only muslclas lhslI
| mental music has the preference WIN 1heI Inc
| taEDrtc ms Tuihcit7 III the CHhco' ORCHESTRA are
| tbu gOng-OI winch there are many Ydrlcuc~-d Alnd
| oil ntc or guIJaT, "Ith Wlrc strings pchod bS no
uuoer-1,IiS stIau reed INSTRUMENT, resembling III
| apgcaIancU the c1TlUnet or hJuthOJ, Dut III tune
| QUITTING 10 SHAME tue most tuucIuI ldopy 81 Inc
L trucn wall. Inc Chinese tuues or tuhs-1Of all
| tunes are but snsht hOdlhcdliOh Oh one
thcmc-s always pitcnou III a H4l"oI N'J' "'S %,
mirtn anger, SORROW and all Other elections must DC
eApIcs.ca by changing che movement oi the org
ike tucMu. NOCdi music TAILS 10 the share OF Tue
| OnInese womon although occasionally the male
voice Is employed, using ue iaIsc,tO zones. A. 81
actor the LAiA4iuan appears Is caucdturc OF hln-
| bcII.
The comparative quietness OF AiOtt-st. contrasts
| iOruDly Wltn the constant un ana ciat'er 0i the
san FlauclscO " Chinatown" Many ol the strects
ti,re are one continuous me Oh stands ana Stalls,
where wales sold, ana Whcic HNciy
| conversation secnIs.t 20 constitute an important
uari oil the trade. But the strcot-VcEdcfs are the
noisy par, OF The popult'iOii-eAcept Ne musicians
| inc wonders patrol the streets ana alleys DAY ana
| night, drawing out tAcl4 uOIclul notes lac hlgnl
Owls and even while tucl are selling they Keep cry
INC awaV as II AFRAID OF missing Il moment III thus
| aoVertIslng their business. Inc gaming houses m
Aotl-s 90 not 10 admit Tie mere curious on
| locker Vet Il peep ucnlnI Tie Genes di.ciOacs u
RrOup vi excited Cinnamon standing lOUld Il small
| taU4c cONcIcu with lush mating, ana pay luB
some Kind Of graD-gduo with uOniInUcs. IL t-Is
..c much sccnls 40 pond OF presence OF hllu, ANA
qdcnA,, Ol .nutIOA la q great element III success
| iul -aicsieI. Opium dcAn aAd sanDliDs-h0Uscs IA
san a. l.4!.IsCO boldly disclosed 10 view mere
| tL.y .i.c Acpt Z 'Osc ahu under cover.
/