The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-17
kAMRLES IN CHINATOWN
msw che Chssess In ssa FvsHciseS Live. Eat.
Drink, Si~~p, and Have their Beiau.

DAN rhANllbCO Juno o.-CnluA Town ID D
city within city. There IL scarcely anything
In n TO recall the outer American world. The
houses are no altered in form. color. and gen.
eral appearance that all resemblance to the
original structures has. In nearly every case.
been lost. Balconies have been added In front.
terraces and sheds have been built on the roof.
| and little cupboard-like extensions jut ut every
turn. Except In rare cases. all this work has
been done In the toughest possible manner. A
China Town house looks a. though afflicted
with gigantic warts. tho skins OF which are
peeling on and Tutoring In the wind. In the
day time these wnrts are unoccupied. At night
they arc packed to suffocation. Some idea Of
what tho crowdng must be may be formed
from a reflection that China Town covers Q
space not larger than Ave New York blocks in
length by four In width. and that within this
there exist. at fewest. $4,000 souls. the vastly
| preponderating majority being adult males.
The finest buildings arc the restaurants.
| These are made attractive by bright colored
| exteriors balconies tiled with flowers and
shrubs and colored lanterns swung from the
| roofs and windows. The first floor 10 devoted
| to tho kitchen. The higher you ascend. tho
better Is tho character Of the food and the
greater the charge. The kitchens arc kept
| scrupulOusly clean. and except when certain
dishes are prepared over charcoal fires. Ameri-
can ranges are used. Nearly all the cooking
| utensils have been brought from China. and
the lightnsss. strength. and finish OF their iron
| saucepans and fryingpans far surpass any
| thing that our manufacturers produce. Even
| the commonest saucepans have surface as
smooth as bronze casting. The furniture Of
the visitors room is Of the finest ebony In
many cases superbly carved. but the seats Of
ali all Of Wood. The Chinese seem. not to
saqs Of GF sss aS az All cG% the
tables are circular: For. dinner parties
american .fs who visits 81 oss of
rants is afraid to venture ON soups and meats,
but contents himself with tea. cake. and sweet
cup With tn .'s c Which c H1H
IN Frisco have adopted our word. sleeper"
minutes. and then the contents il. poured from
the sleeper into another cup the lid Of the for
the Is
iiled with water and the second 81, third brew
than the iirst. The graspin Of tito steeper be-
tween the thumb and second ilnger th9 holding
spilling or scalding yourself Is an Hcconpish-
ment not easily learned. and tho visitor who
to come to grief Neither milk nor sugar Is
usually drunk with the tea. though the latter
| Their cakes urc usually made of rice -four.
and are very light and toothsomc. Preserves
oranges. piums. and chow-chow tnot n pickle,
but mixed preserve in SYRUP Plates and
the native always cate ont Of bowl. which he
| replenisl!es from larger ones placed in the
| centre Of the table. On certain afternoons ana
| in the evenings muse Is provided. but to he
| American visitor the hidcous scrc.ching OF the
strings and the stu more painful drumming
Of the percussion Instruments do not add TO
On the best floors Of most of tho restaurants
there IL a joss house, where the visitor can say
| his grace before and after meals in the most
approved fashion; lie can also 4 he he super;
sticks. which are semi circular on one aide and
tat the other II the Hat side rests they will
ing drink is u spirit Distilled from rice. 1t is
dark vel low in color not UNPLEASANT In flavor.
cups about the size Of those sold in New YORK
for ash receivers. There arc also some Chinese
wines. very sweet and coyinG These +; ,,i are
When asked the proprietor why the glasses
were so sinai! b. replied with true Confucian
The main characteristics Of the Inhabitants
are the settled melancholy OF tholr LOOKS the
concern thsmi ChinT'n y, rarely smiles and
solemn business. and hs seems TO DO so eco
nomic,l OF even his thoughts that he rarely
happy consequence OF this habit Is that rows
are very iniI,suIent; In !!Swcnty;tv" TO thirty
The c6inaman makes K, " searcsls y' any noise as
soled slippcrs. which very few have discarded
for the American boot. The slipper is very
height and PROJECTION Of the toes over the sole
cause the wcurer TO assume u peculiar walk. 1t
keeps MIN well out of the wet;
The Chinaman appears 10 have mortal an
tipnthy to showing his hands as he walks. He
either puts them in his pockets or, crossing
folds OF his sleeves. 1t is singular how very
few have discarded their native dress although
thousands OF them are constantly employed in
making shoes and clothing for American man
uiM:turcrs.
goods at II stall you will soon DO the centre Of a
YOU advice and who doubtless aid tho vender
to dcspoil the Egyntians. On one occasion I
Quilt Tor a cabinet Of curiosities. Before had
been in the place two minutes there was not
room to move. All who could spsak any Eng
| lsh. and the average Chinauian understands Il
good deal more than he IS wiilin. TO admit.
gave advice ami in;2rn'nton apon, the color
n IS m si''' Of "a io S p Of bamtoo. and,
while u new one with ordinary metal
and even more. The coioring is caused by the
needed to produce rich color: The, regular
opium smoker takes as much pride !, in ! his bam-
schaum. Opium is sold without any conceal
ment. although there is Il law TO prevent II. and
opium dens flourish everywhere; One Of tho
made Of metal, have very small hole not
much larger than that made by an ordinary
pin. in the centre, This. from being constantly
exposed to flame becomes enlarged. 1t is then
filed up with soft metal and redrilled. The
Chinese substitute for u centre bit. with which
all this drilling is done, is very ingenious and
simple in construction. and. like. nearly a;l
their tools. said to he hundreds OF years old.
1t consists Of u thin bamboo cane, into tho
lower end OF which the dr. II is set. Across the
upper end is q split-cnne bow. From each end
OF this bow u twisted string connects with a
collar which fits round the upright cane. by
simply pulling this collar up and down the
drill Is made TO revOlve ut any required rate.
Two or three OF these ripe members may be-
found ON every block. From this some idea
may he formed Of the extent Of op UNI sn:ok ing
for after pipe has been repaired it will last
for two or three months.
Tho bulk OF the business done in Chinatown
Is in tea and silk handkerchief, though there
are "a great number OF stores where ressing
gowns china. pictures and bric-a ;brac of al
kinds arc sold. The stores arc models Of neat
ness and cleanliness. Indeed. nothing is more
striking to the stranger than the contrast DO;
tween the order and regularity with which al
business H. carried on. and the disorder s!oyen.
Iiness. and filth of their mode OF living. Tho
Chinese storekeeper il by no means u believer
in the one price system. He asks enough to
| sIInw him "a nruin for dpiuptiOns and h8 Ia