Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-11-21
TIE CHINESE IN NEW YORK.
FL UL A9zT E5oP TIE ORIEETALs
DESCRIBED.
Aheir SuporstitiCns aal Their Uns
SonqEcrabie FataIisIn A Reporter
fn II Chinese Hospital.

Their SupcrstitiCns aa Their I'm.
soRqUorabic FataLisIn A EsepoTtcr
fn II Chinese Hospital.
Soon after the first batch of Cinnamon
put in their appearance in New York
they began to surround themselves with
heathen accessories to which they h ID
been accustomed in San Francisco Be-
fore three months had gone by they had
several fourishing opium dons, half a
dozen "lan ton" games aud lottery Joints
! and dozen stores for the sale of
! Oriental commodities Having provided
for the amusements 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 commendable regularity
and punctualty. 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 hospital, or
more properly, house wherein the sick
may die without bothering their friends
and relations.
Cniiamen are well known to be fatal
lists. This trait in their national charac-
ter makes Cinnamon, who are otherwise
cowardly, meet death with the utmost
stoicism. On the Pacific slope exccu-
tions of Cinnamon have been by no
, means unfrequent, aud in no case has the
victim of the law failed to march to the
scaiTold with the fortitude of an Indian.
The belief that what is to be is to be, and
no act of person may avert a catastophe,
! 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
to take medicines, and resigns himself
stoically to the fate in store for him.
He is superstitious, and places what lit
tie faith he has in curatiyes not in drugs,
but in queer amulets, funny bags, and
naus eating liquids blessed by the priests
This superstition affects his relations
and once the hand of death is considered
to have set its mark upon the sick man S
saffron forehead he is an outcast. lie is
no more fit to remain in human habita-
tation; for should he die under the roof,
all manner of lis will fall upon the in
mates. Therefore he is hustled out to
die. In San Francisco dying men are
often found upon the streets. Parents
are as ruthlessly sacrificed, on2e their
ailment is considered hopeless, as the
veriest stranger-and yet the children of
Cinnamon are the most dutiful of any
children of any people.
Hearing that hospital, or sick-house,
as the Chinese term it, had peen estab-
tha thSa5"d jig5fGlahfTGial ID hiFSt L." 1a1cT5er set to
work to find the place, and explore it if
opportunity offered 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 Chatham
street. The entrance was under stoop,
and opened into long, dark hallway,
that in turn led into q blind court
between the front and rear buildings.
The drains from the adjoining houses
emptied into the stone tagged court, ard
the sewage lay in little pools in the
broken stones, sending up an ovcrpower-
ing stencil. Garbage was scattered over
the ground, where it had been thrown
from the windows, and lumber, boxes
and barrels filed up the intervening
spaces. Picking his way across the
court the writer reached deal door
that appeared to open into the rear house,
but which really opened into 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 tor moment, but recovering
he entered, The place was dark, but
gradually the eye becoming accustomed
to the gloom. it was possible to dis
tinguish the limits of the place. Not {
stick of furniture was in the place, but (
brazier, made of an cd coal oil can
burned in the middle of the room. Or
one side there were hunks, arranged enc
for end, and on one, covered by quill
made of gunny sacks and rags, lay {
human form. AS the visitor approached
the miserable creature half raised upol
his elbow, and asked in hollow voice
"What for2"
''You sick2" interrogated the reporter
'Me velly sick, p" answered the China
man, falling back with groan.
"Hungry?"
'sNo-no can eat"
"Where are your friendsY"
''No got fiends All gone"
AS the poor fellow ceased, q hollow
cough told the story. He was dyin!
from consumption, which carries off full
half of his race in this country. Poo
food, insufficient clothing and an unsan
itarv mode of life soon work havoc witt
the weak physique of the coolie, and hi
vicious habits of opium smoking anC
gambling hurry him on until too veal
to stand his friends carry him to th
sick house.
There was nothing more to learn, job
was dying, and he would do nothing t
help himself, for was not the hand o
death upon him2 So, leaving a small
piece of silver in the talon-like hand o
the sick man, the reporter left. AS h
stepped into the court the proprietor o
the sick house was coming in with til
plate of rice and diminutive cracked
cup of tea.
''What is the matter with that man
John" asked the reporter.
"Oh, him die. :"
"The sickness2" (consumption).
eyes. Him die to morrow"
"Where are his friends2"
"Him fiends plenty Itch. Got'er
store. Payee Sam Kee plenty none
!! keep All jim"
"Why don't you get doctor7"
"Wha' for2 Him die. Wha' fo
, spendum money doctor2"
"Why don't his friends keep him HON