The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-11
Scenes in Chinatown.

A majority of the amateur guides to
the Chinese quarter take great delight in
showing to strangers from the Eastern
States the opium dens and the other re-
sorts of the vicious portion of the Asiatic
population. In the more civilized por-
ton of the Chinese quarter, in fact, Just
one block from the cty's main thorough
fare, north and south, many more remark
able discoveries can be made in the OBJ
servation of the strange ways of the
strange people. Any evening at mis-
sion school nearly opposite the Plaza, on
Washington street, a class of more than
100 Chinese BOYS may be found engaged
in the study of the English language.
The lessons are assigned by four lady
teachers. The scholars are all in one
room. AS soon as the student has had
his lesson pointed out and explained to
him, he takes his place at his desk, and
in n monotonous tone cons it over and
over again until it is permanently fixed in
his memory. Half an hour after the open
ing of the school the entire 100 pupils
are engaged in the singsong recitation of
their lessons.
a few doors further on is situated the
u
er lighted only by the flame of a curiously
constructed lamp which, with the aid of
the blOwpipe, is utilized in soldering and
melting The burning mixture creates n
flame nearly as hot as that of an alcohol
lamp.
But by far the most interesting and
fruitless source of inquiry for evidence of
the initiative impulse of the Chinese is
found in the office of Horn Hong & Co.,
publishers and photographers. The
character of the company's business is
clearly shown in its cards. Its publica-
ton, the Weekly Occidental, is a four
page sheet. printed entirely in Chinese
from a lithograph, The publication
office is as dingy and dirty as any in this
city The stone and press and all the
equipments in the office are found in
the small single room occupied by the
company, which is also their eating and
sleeping apartment. A little corner is
set apart for the use of the editorial
corps, which, from the appearance of
last Saturdays issue of the Occideatal. is
one of considerable ability and wonder
fully diversified talent. 1t was stated
by the man in charge Of the office that
the lithographing was the work of the
editor, and that he also devoted him
self to soliciting advertising and
drumming up delinquent subscribers
4 number of neat cuts APP
pear in what are evidently the advertise
ments of American business firms. The
title page of the papcris the last page The
Chinese reader commences the perusal of
his journal at the lower right hand
corner Of the last page, reading up and
down its columns alternately until the
top of the last column of the first
page is reached. The firm say that
business is good and that they may at
tempt the publication of a daily.
THE street vendors in the Chinese
quarter are as many as elsewhere through
out the city, and their lines are equally
/ diversified Tickets for the theatres are
/ sold upon the corners when some great
historical drama is being presented OF
upon the occasion of any unusual attrac-
| ton. The rcpairers of boots and shoes
have their little stands, and their work
/ progresses day and night in the open air.
| 1t is not an unusual sight to see Chinese
/ standing barefooted on the corner wait.
/ ing for the completion of the shoemakcr's
work. Many other curious customs OF
these people constantly present them
/ selves to any observer in Chinatown, and
| it is not necessary to go into the opium
/ dens and slums in search of spcctacles
interesting for their novelty. San Fran,
cisco Chronicle.