Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1884-11-27
THE CHINESE I'm NEW YORK.
PeculIarities Of the Orientals
Described,
Their Superstitlons and Their Un-
conquerable Fatalism-A Re.
porter In a Chinese Hos
pital.

York they began to Surround them
which they had been accustomed in
San Francisco. Before three months
had gone 10y they had several flourish
ing opium dens, half Il dozen "?an-ton' >
games and lottery joints and dozen
stores for the sale OF Oriental commo.
dities. Having proYlded for the a.
musements of their daily lives the
moon-eyed strangers set up relations
with the powers above, by establishing
a Joss house, wherein they hang their
prayers with cUmmendable regularity
and punctuality. Next they set about
CncOmpassing order by the founding of
a Chinese law court, and lastly, and
very recently they completed the social
circle of Chinese life by opening hos
pital, or more properly, house where
in the sick may die without bothering
their friends and relations.
Cinnamon are well known to be fatal
lists. This trait IN their national char
acter makes Cinnamon, who are other
wise cowardly, meet death with the ut
most stoicism. 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 forti-
tude of an Indian. The belief that what
is to be is to be, and no act of person
may avert a catastrophe, renders the
healing art most difficult of application
to Cinnamon. Once John becomes re-
ally sick, he is pretty sure TO die, be-
cause he gives up all hope, refuses to
take medicines. and resigns himself
stolcally to the fate in store for him.
He is superstitious,a and places what lit.
! tie faith he has In curatiyes not in
drugs, but iR queer amulets, funny
, bags, and nauseating liquids blessed by
the priests. This superstition affects
| his relations, and once the hand of death
is considered TO have set its mark upon
/
outcast. He is no more fit to remain
in human habitation f; for should he die
under the roof, a II 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 ruthlessIy sa:-
rifced, once their ailment is consider
ed hopeless, as the yeriest stranger
and yet the children of Chiuamen are
the most dutiful of any children of any
| people.
Hearing that hospital ,orsick-house,
as the chinese term it, had been estab-
lished in Chinatown, a representative
of the Commercial Advertiser set to
work to find the place, and explored it
if opportunity offered. From inquiries
made among tn4 white people in the
neighbOrhOod, the house W IS located on
the north side of the street. five or six
| doors from the corner of Chatham
street. The entrance was under a
stoop, and opened into a long dark hall
way, that in turn led into blind court
| between the front and rear buildings.
The drains from the adjoining houses
emptied into the stone-hagged court,
the sewage lay in little pools in the
broken stones, sending up an overpow-
ering stencil. Garbage was scattered
oyer the ground, where it had been
thrown from the windows, and lumber
boxes and barrels filled up the inter-
vening spaces. Picking his way across
the court, the writer reached u deal
door that appeared to open into the
ear house, but which really opened in
to long alley, at the end of which was
another door on which was pasted
red sign in black Chinese 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 a moment,
but recovering he entered. The place
was dark, but gradually the eye becom.
ing accustomed to the gloom, it was
possible to distinguish the limits of the
place. Not 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 there were hunks,
arranged end for end, and on one, COW
cred by quilt made of gunny sacks
and rags lay human form. AS the
visitor approached, the miserable crea-
ture half raised upon his elbow, and
asked in hollow voice What for 2
You sick p interrogated the report
er.
Me velly sick,' answered the ChinP.
man, falling back with groan.
| Hungry p
Mono can eat
where are your friends p
No got fliends. All gone.'
AS the poor fellow ceased, hollow
cough :old the story. He was uying
from consumption, which carries off
fully half of his race III this country.
Poor food, insufficient clothing and an
unsanitary mode of life soon work hav-
DC With the weak plEsfqte Of tie tdolie