, 1882-06-30
The Chinese on the Pacific Coasti
as TIE EDITOR SAW THEM IN SAN FRAN
CISCO CHINATOWN.
Continued from last week,

IOutlnueu from ldSt NCCh'
In his habits of living, the China
man is exceedingly economical
Throughout central and southern Chi
na rice is the principal staple food
Rice and vegetables, fish, pork and
fowls compose the principal diet of
the people. That Rlc cost of living
is to them mere nothing, as compar-
ed with that of an American, is evil
dent from the fact that the average
Chinaman can keep himself supplied
with catableS for from seven to fifteen
cents day. That will give him all
the rice and vegetables he can eat,
with Il small allowance for fish or
meat. In China the cost of labor
corresponds with the cheapness of
living. The currency is adapted to
circumstances. 1t is made of brass,
about the size of II shilling, quite
thin, and has a square hole i'll the
center. These are strung together i'll
hundreds, are tied in pairs, and sold
in packages of four hundred, six hun
dred, eight hundred and one thou
sand. A Mexican dollar is worth
about Il thousand Of these pieces, so
that ten of them are about equivalent
to Il cent of our money. Mexican
dollars and American trade dollars
are in circulation; but they soon be-
come what is known rs chop dol
lars Each banker takes II cold
chisel and cuts his name or stamp on
the face of the coin, and this process
is repeated till the original lettering
is sometimes completely destroyed.
The banks receive silver dollars by
weight. They are exceedingly expert
in detecting counterfeit coin. In
large mercantile establishments pay
ments are made in "sycu' that Is,
bars, humps or masses of silver, by
weight, bearing the stamp of the
house issuing it. One excellent Gus
tom prevails among them in financial
matters, viz; that of squaring ac-
counts at the close Of each year. The
rule is that all debts must be paid at
that time, or mutual arrangements
made for continuance. Chinese mer-
chants in California know the value
Of good reputation for honesty and
general reliability. Originally their
trade was confined to supplying the
wants of their countrymen simply,
but they gradually began to enlarge
until they now do large business
among the whites. AS rule, 1t IL
said, the word of II reputable Chi
nese merchant is as good as his bond.
The wholesale merchants i'll San
Francisco are located on Sacramento
and Commercial streets, between Du-
pont and Kearney. Several OF the
large cigar and shoe manufacturers
are below Montgomery, on the two
streets mentioned, and on Clay street.
Merchants deal in rice, tea, preserved
fruits, drugs and general supplies.
Many have become wealthy from
small beginnings. With few excep-
tions, little capital has been brought
to the country for investment. They
are well educated IA far rs business
requirements are concerned, being
quick at figures and ull mathematical
calculations. There are about two
thousand Chinese in San Francisco
who are classcd as merchants, some
OF them, however, being merely con
tractors. The Wholesale merchants
are Of comparatively high order of
their countrymen. The complaint
among politicians and laboring men
that Chinese make money here only
70 send it awHy to China, does not ap-
ply, AS IL rule, to their business men,
these generally aim to remain per.
manently in the country, and to nc
Quire title to real estate and put du-
ffable improvements thereon. OF the
San Francisco wholesale dealers, the
following belong to the Merchants
Exchange Kwong Tic Chon9, 7lD
S9mmercial street; Kwong Tong Tai,
ia Sacramento street; Kwong On