The Bossier banner., 1882-04-06
NEW YORK OPIUM DENs.

II WAS out to see some of the American
hum smokers, of whom DR.. Kane, in
recent book, says there are at least
be hundred in the city. One of them
dmade an appointment to take me
Emlt. As We stood for a moment in the
liter of the doorway of public house
pEomen passed us. They had iust
ned out of Chatham Square. They
ss long ulsters cut close to the figure
iashionably made. Their shoulders
sprotected by deep fur capes. Their
BIZ and faces were pretty effectively
apped up, and q tilted silk umbrella
healed them still further. They passed
iw yards beyond us, and then turned
disappeared down a cellar-way.
is shall see them again later on, . nv
bpanion said, and he led the way to
first place of our investigation, which
pss below Mott Street in Chatham
hsre. 1t looked like a deserted bar,
ks The moist fog from outside had
laded it. Its hunks, or platforms,
all around the walls, were unoccu-
u. A young Chinaman stood in the
IDLE Of the room, smoking a tobacco
Il with a long stem and "a bowl the size
achild's thimble.
Halloo!' exclaimed my companion,
'here are the smokers?'
For week, no." returned the China
fn, smiling gloomily, and shaking his:
What; no American smokers?''
! For week, no.
|@Why? Did they steal all your pipes?"
@Yah, steal some.'' y,
The fact was, as my companion ex-
Eined to me afterward, that American
pokers had cleared out of this place be-
luse It was not kept clean. 1t is true
(at the American smokers are OCCASION
" nimble-fngered gentlemens swho are
y averse to appropriating without pay
really good pipe when they find it, but
|ey are neat In their personal habits and
snnot stand vermin. a
Uur second visit was to an opium cell
!, Or ''joint, " in Mott Street. 1t is one
'the few which are favored by Ameri-
= smokers, and they frequent itfor
z reason that its tidiness is measurable.
at IT'S pipes are good, and that the
htlm supplied is Il gun. or of the No. /
Aae. The cellarway leading to it is
e most of the others in Mott Street.
citizen who did not know what was
lhe other side of the door would hesi-
& /. aoont descending into it. It was
0us I three o'clock in the afternoon
\. Yen we went in. As the door closed |
I ulna us all the dismal suggestion of |
ng and the rain was shut out. Ihad
.ln aa1 sense that / had got into some |
. aal neathen temple by mistake. 1t /
. warm and dingy. and a peculiar |
fragrance filled the air. A |
alalnan ! with round silver spectacles
Wy U gIowed in an illuminated cubby |
= he was busily engaged in the |
IS OF some mystic trinkets. |
'assky ny voice from somewhere called: /
s.g Smg' gimme a quarters worth,' ~
ssn s.a ne instantly bobbed out of sight.
.ousn another Illuminated cubby hole
: ssasAa 9 lanles upon which gfittered al
], ! y polished metallic wedges, curl +
's.y ]. Inscribed. and ] was told afterward
'tws = sals was gambling paraphernalia.
.sreen ~ tne two cubby holes lay dark
! 49,, $ which we passed through, fetch
: 81 " against what i suspect was either
: sai,ne or Chinese toilet table. It
"a .aoen with pots and brushes and
s, sts, and lots of other matters with
= '.n0Wn outlines and inconceivable
81. Il 2 punch of punk-colored sjoss
= ,sas . on pink standards smouldered |
ss IS y mewhere, and off to one side,
! ,g u hike bastion, lowered gray
! ! massive jar of tea.
$ !. !, room behind all this we came
8 me smokers. There were EIGHT.
rea. Only one was a Chinaman:
i ass w. asntly rolled up in a horse blanket
;am ,as' asleep. Two only were smoking
e. [ ihe others were smoking to.
no NO and conversing.
orl, III eoWl OF the opium pipe is called
arjs ny Y courtesy. It is the size and
mst., 'ne shape of q door knob, made
4 s ths. q clay, and solid save for
+ g|L 1a. would be filed by a knitting
III s0u that leads down through its
frn IN :n1o the bamboo stem. The
~ ~, when it is cooked, is set up-
.n;ra 1oW! like small washer. the
''i1 u 1t by thesteel needle com