New-York tribune., 1883-06-03
SAN FRANCISCO.
OPIUM MJoINTs-IMMIGRATION THOMAS
CONCERTS-DRAMATIC.

OPIUM MJOINTS-lMMlUhhIlON hL AaS-'A<A'
CONCERTS-DRAMATIC.
rvpox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRrBUNE.I
SAN FRANCISCO. May 25.-The Irish crusade
aaainst the opium-smoking dens IN New-York has
csr..d some comment here, but no faith Is shown
In the effort to break up these haunts of vice. Peo-
ple have grown used to opium joints in this city.
MANY raids have been made upon them, but these
were a. powerless to stamp out the evil as are the
periodical descentssupon the faro games. The police
here. as well as elsewhere, have curious code OF
morals in dealing with illicit vice. They organize
raids occasionally to show that they are making a
brave struggle in the cause of virtue and order but
at the same time they draw regular revenue from
the Opium iends the harots and the keepers OF low
dives and groggeries The only difference between
vice here and in other American cities is that here
il never takes the slightest pains to conceal itself,
but farlnts its shame in broad day, within stones
throw of the main thoroughfares of trade. The
opium habit has spread greatly during the last few
years but good observers say it is confined almost
exclusively to the Chinese, low variety actors,
courtesans and hoodlums of both sexes 1t is safe
to say that no one enters Chinese opium joint who
has not reached low moral level. The stories of
women of good breeding and innocent young girls
enticed into these Chinese dens are pure fctions.
Such women and girls would enter the foul quar-
ters of Chinese cellar no more than they would
visit a brothel. Yet the demand for the drug
among the Chinese and the vicious class has grown
amazingly during the past five years, and the pros
pect of a heavy increase Of duty has added to the
shipments of opium from China. Last week the
largest consignment ever brought to this port ar
rived On q Pacific Mail steamship. 1t amounted TO
90 500 pounds and paid duty, at Sc pound, of
1923 OOO On the same vessel also came another
consignment of 1929 pounds, making the total
somewhat over ten tons of the drug. After July
the duty will be raised to $40 pound but this 1t
IS thought, will not materially lessen the amount
Of opium consumed The Chinese Six Companies
have posted up notices IN Chinatown warning the
keepers of opium dens not to admit white men or
women into their places. This will do more to bar
ont the white "fiends" than score of police raids
The Central Pacific Railroad Company has re-
Gently established series of immigration bureaus,
which ought TO have marked effect upon the set
Element of Calforna's unimproved acres. Good
agents have been sent out TO Chicago, London, Bor
deaux Berlin and Gottenberg. Sweden 1t is their
duty TO furnish prospective immigrants to this
coast with trustworthy facts about the climate,
soil. productions and price of land in this State
The tide of travel now is setting strongly toward
the new Northwest. Thisis due mainly to the sys-
tematic efforts made by Oregon and Washington
Territory land agents to boom" their sections.
The land there is no richer than California SOIL the
climate is far mare capncious and trying, while the
facilities for getting produce TO market are still In
their swaddling clothes. Yet such has been the
glamour cast over the region by the imagination OF
the agent-in very truth light that never was
on sea or land"-that thousands have been at
tracted TO make tn cir homes in that remote coun-
try 1he Central Pacific does not expect ITS agents
todraw upon their imagination. The plan iicts
only Will be given. The agents IN Europe VIII CON
tract ship migrants direct 10 Ncw-Orleans IRON
which city they will be brought to their destination
by the Southern Pacific In this way the entire
x penses of the Journey need not exceed $50 or $40,
whereas now By the old route they will not fall
short of $l00 An effort Will be made TO secure
colonies of Bohemans who expert IN wlne-
making and who may find an ample held for their
energy and skill IN the foothills OF the coast range
The exodus to the mountains and the seaside
has already begun but II Will be delayed about q
fortnight this year. owing TO the Thomas concerts,
which will not be over until nearly the middle oi
June. Good music IL not so common hers that any
lover of il can afford 10 miss ThOmas-not even TO
enjoy the country IN the dewy bloom OF Sumner
before the heat and dust have ruined It's freshness
and color.
The theatres are all doing fine business. Bar
rett has made the hit of the season IN " Francesca
da Rimni" ami is nightly honored by frequent re-
calls Madjeska is maintaining her success oi
last TseS Neh er actns shors that R she
appreciates Shakespeare bat the Eizabethan
blank verse is entirely beyond her She chops up
the long sonorous lines and utterly runs their
rythm and beauty. Wyndham ana MS COMEDY
bur tie house has fallen OIL since. The effect OF the
peI Iformance Is that of broad farce, ana Nynd-
hams acting is not what was exDected-relned
comedy with the intellectual element predominant.