McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-04-23
NEWS OF NEBRASKA.

OMAHA OPIUM JOINTS AND SMoKERs.-A cor
respondent writes TO the Omaha Republican
thus concerning the growing vice of opium
smoking in Nebraska's metropolis: az note
in to-day's edition the reference you make to
the amended charter of the city of Omaha rel
alive to the adjustment of opium dens or
joints. Here / will take opportunity to lay
special stress upon one of the greatest evils
of our city To say evil does not express or
define the state of degradation and iniquity.
There are at present no less than eight of
these Joints" in our midst. At the corner of
Thirteenth and Dodge northeast corner), over
the fruit stand. and operated by a Chinese
laundryman,is the most extensively patron
lied OF these "dens," frequented daily by not
less than one hundred of all classes. The
greater portion of these habitues are degraded
and fallen women who reside in that part of
the city stigmatiZed as "HelPS half acre b"
These women pay to the proprietor or an as
sistant 10 cents and are weighed out or meas
ured certain amount of prepared opium,
powdered or gum, and furnished with
a bamboo stem with which to in
haze its fumes, as / am Informed. They are
assigned to an inner compartment or couch
where they are associated with companions
of vice and spend their hours in relating vivid
and licentious experiences. slumber ng, or in
half comatose condition abandoned to some
fantasy produced by the insidious drug.
There are also several Other well known and
extensively patroniZed "dens." One next
door TO the "Five Points" of Omaha. or moro
commonly known as the BucklDgnaTm: an
other locate d on Harvey street, and still an
other under the saloon in the rear of the
premises occupied by Charles Higgins res
taurant on Twelfth street. The class that
patrOniZe these places are composed chiefly
of tin-horn gamblers, and many belonging to
the tribe called ''skin" or ''fy workers; also
many ex-barkeepers, confidence men, variety
performers, and last, and mostly, those of
fallen virtue To say that 1t Is neglect on the
part of the officials covers all the charges that
can be made, and were the municipal officers
QG iri1Q QG nf aQC cit VI ny
opium Joints and impose rigid fines upon
those who visit the place, and still more heav-
Ter fines upon the proprietcrs. there is no
room to doubt that it could effectually be
abolished.
B. & NJ. DEPOT DT sTRoYED.-The Waterman
at the B. & M. Railway freight depot and yard
discovered smoke issuing from the building
about 400 o'clock yesterday morning and ran
to the Office to send in an alarm. By the time
that the firemen could reach the spot the
building was enveloped in flames, and soon
through holes burned through the roof col
umns of fire shot up to height of several
stories.
Toward two directions the firemen exerted
their strongest efforts and with success one
being the north end of the depot containing
the offices and records, and the other the train
of refrigerator cars standing on the next
track but one east of the depot. A switch
engine belonging to the u. p. railway had al
Teuuy TcdCHeu buc dfu dLu puIIeu IL SITlIS VI
cars, which stood next TO the building, out of
danger. One detached box car only remained
at the corner of the platform, and this
emerged looking like singed cat.
In short time the roof and sides of the
building had burned away, leaving the
charred SIX. Teton of frame, and the goods
stored inside were burning fiercely. Nothing
could be saved of these except some lots
near the noroh end, which were deluged, like
the records with water.
The depot. which stood on Eighth street,
extended Jackson
Howard, was built three years ago. II was
story and a half high, about sixty feet in
width and $50 in ZENITH. The loss, it is believed,
will not exceed $1,000: the insurance was 81
600. There was 1880 insurance on the goods
in transit. The value of these is estimated at
about $1,000, for only part Of which, it is sup
posed, the company is liable. Half car load
of muslin for canvassing hams at the Boyd
packing house and six cabinet organs for
Woodbridge Bros. were totally destroyed. A
lot of gallon oil cans filled with whisky for
Iowa consumers, and several barrels of coal
tar added fuel to the flames. Large quantities
of household goods were burned or ruined
Omaha Herald,