Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-11-21
GOTHAM CHINESE
Their Singular Snperstitions aud
FatalisEa.
The Reasons which Maks the China
man, Naturally Coward, Meet
Death with stoaeisEn Chl-
.ess Hospitals. :


Soon after the nrst batch ~ Chinese put
in their appearance IN New York they
began % surrosnd themselves with heather
accessories 10 which they had been aecus-
tomed in San francisco. Before three
months had gone they had several flourish
ing opium deus, half dozen ''fan-ton"
games and Iotte.y joints and dozen
stores FOR the sale Of Oriental commodities
Having provided for the amusements Of
their daily lives the nloon-eyed strangers
set up relations with the powers above, by
establishing Joss house, wherein they
hang their prayers with commendable reg
ularity and punctuality. Next they set
about encompassing order by the founding
Of a Chinese law court, and lastly and very
recently they completed the social circle OF
Chinese life by opening hospital, more
properly house wherein the sick may die
without bothering their friends and rela-
tiOns.
Cinnamon are well known TO be fatalists.
This trait ia their National character makes
Cinnamon, who are otherwise cowardly,
meet death with the utfnost stocism. On
the Pacific slope executions of Cinnamon
have been by no means unfrequent, and in
no case has the victim of the law failed To
march to the scaffold with the fortitude of
an Indian. The belief that what is to be
will be, and no act OF person may avert
catastrophe, renders the healing art most
difficult OF application TO Cinnamon. Once
John becomes really sick, he is pretty sure
to die, because he gives up all hope, refuses
10 tax medicine, and resigns himself stole
ally TO the fate in store for him. He is
superstit.ous, and places what little faith
he has in curatives, not in drugs, but in
queer amulets, funny bugs and nauseating
liquids blessed by the priest. This super
stition affects his relations, and once the
hand of death is considered to have set its
mark upon the sick mans saffron forehead
he is an outcast. He is carrion and no more
fit TO remain in human habitation; for
| should he die under the roof, all manner of
ills will fall upon the inmates. Therefore
he is hustled out TO die.
In San Francisco, dying men are often
found upon the streets. Parents are as
ruthlessly sacrificed, once their ailment is
considered hopeless, as the veriest stran-
| ger-and yet the children of a Chinaman
are the most dutiful of any children of any
people.
Hearing that hospital, or sick house, as
the Chinese term it, had been established
In Chinatown, a representative of the
| Commercial AdcertiSer set to work to find
the place, and explore it if opportunity Of
| fered. From inquiries made among the
white people in the neighborhood, the house
was located on the north side of the street,
| five or six doors from the corner of Chat
| ham street. The entrance was under
stoop, and opened into a long, dark hall
way, that in turn led into blind court be-
| tween the front and rear buildings. The
drains from the adjoining houses emptied
into the stone-fagged court, and the
sewage lay in little pools in the
| broken stones, sending up an over
powering stencil. Garbage was scat
tered over the ground, where it
had been thrown from the windows, and
lumber, boxes and barrels filed up the in
tei~eaiug spaces. Picking his way across
the ,ourt, the writer reached a deal door
that appeared to open into the rear house,
but which really opened into a long alley,
at the end OF which was another door on
which was pasted red sign in black Chi
nese characters. Knocking produced no
response. The visitor lifted the latch and
pushed the door open. A volume of foul
air and smoke poured out, nearly sitting
the reporter, who drew back for moment
but recovering he entered. The place was
dark, but gradually the eye becoming ac-
customed TO the gloom il was possible to
distinguish the limits of the place. Not a
stick Of furniture was in the place, but
brazier made of an old coal oil can burned
In the middle OF the room. On one side
were three hunks, arranged end for end,
and on one, covered by a quilt made of
gunny sacks and rags, lay human form.
As the visitor approached the miserable
creature half raised upon his elbow and
asked In hollow voice: "What for?"
"You sickf" interrogated the reporter.
"Me belly SICK" answered the China
man, falling back with a groan.
"Hungry?"
"No-no can eat"
i "Where are your friends"
"No got fliends. All gone."
AS the poor fellow ceased, hollow
cough told the story. He was dying from
consumption which carries off fully half
his race in this country. Poor food, insult
ficient clothing and an unsanitary mode of
life soon works havoc with the weak
physique of the coolie, and his vicious hab-
its of opium smoking and gambling hurry
him on until too weak to stand, his friends
carry him to the sick house.
There was nothing more to learn. John
was dying, and he would do nothing 10
heip himself, for was not the hand of death
upon himf So, leaving a small piece Of
silver in the talon-like hand Of the sick
man. the reporter left. AS he stepped into
the court the proprietor OF the sick house
was coming in with a tin plate Of rice and
diminutive cracked cup OF tea.
: what is the matter with that man,
joint" asked the reporter.
"Oh. him die"
The bad sicknessfr (consnmption.)
Yes. Him die to-mollow.r
"whers are bis friendsf"
Him fiessis plenty Itch. cot EN- store
rayee Sam Kee plenty money keep Al