, 1885-01-31
HITTIN The PIPE.
Hunting for a Den Where Opium Is
Smoked.
A Smart chinaman Accommodates
a Stranger from Denver.
Whitemen, Cinnamon and Women
Slaves to the Drug.

fOr several weeks there mas been a
rumor on the streets that an opium den,
OF opium joint" as those places are
often called, was running in this city. 1t
was asserted that the heather Chinee who
kept the Joint was in a fair way to
make a fortune, so large was the patron
age he received, and it was added that
the place was conducted so secretly that
a stranger could find the celebrated
needle in a hay stack easier than he
could the den presided over by the opium
merchant.
Proceeding TO Sixteenth street the re-
porter visited a number Of Chinese laun-
dries. Upon entering the first laundry
he asked the saffron-hued proprietor, who
was engaged in expectorating on a shirt
bosom, If any opium could be cotton
there. He was given a very sharp and
decided answer to the effect that the
Cinnamon there assembled didn't know
anything about opium. They had heard
Of such a thing, but personally they knew
nothing about it. They didn't know where
any Joint could be found, and in fact
they seemed to be dictionaries of ignor-
ance, so the reporter departed.
Upon entering the next place the re-
porter opened the door cautiously, peered
in a moment, and hen stepping briskly
in closed it suddenly. He walked straight
to the rear Of the dingy apartment and
stepping behind a line ladened with
clothes beckoned to n Of the heather.
The assembled suds singers had viewed
his with surprise and some
evident concern, but n came forward in
response to the signal. Then the follow
ing conversation began:
Il want to hit the pipe, John"
"Hlit thlee plipe? No gottee."
"Oh, come. l am nearly dead. Can't
you rig me up q piper
mo gottee plipe. Where ylou libel"
Denver. Just got here and must have
some. Fix me out and III pay YOU"
Then every mothers son in hat laundry
began jabbering at once. After they had
canvassed the matter thoroughly the
Spokesman said: mo plipe here. blown
stleet."
Here's so cents. Send some one with
me and I'll go down the street. I've got
to have a smoke"
After they had jabbered some more one
Of the Cinnamon said in good English,
come with me" The rascal had not
spoken a word before and had been styling
Sizing up" the visitor. Away went the
Chinaman with the reporter following and
surprising he had a stranger in tow, the
smart fellow lead the scribe through an
alley, around a block or two, and through
other alleys until they came back to the
rear Of a place only a few doors from
where they started. you watt said the
guide, and entering the place he evidently
explained the object of his call, although
somehow the reporter mistrnsted that
while he was following the Chinaman
around Others had slipped into the den
and performed that mission. In a
moment the Chinaman opened the door
and said everything was all right.
The reporter entered. 1t was a diney
place. The tickle and uncertain rays of a
smoky light partially Illuminated the vile
hole. Clothes were airing on the lines,
but only two Cinnamon were visible. These
were evidently engaged in doing nothing, a
rare and suspicious circumstances. The
fonlest odors filed the place, a stencil in
describable and sickening, but the re-
porter was in for it and he proposed to go
through with the business. One of the
Cinnamon conducted him to a back room,
a place 50 small that you could not swing
a cat by the tail in it, as Mark Twain,
would say. At one side was a bunk. The
visitor sat down on this and the China
man brought a pipe and a little lamp and
a little opium. He received a dollar and
withdrew, and the visitor began to exam
inc the hole. The Cinnamon in the
next room were silent as cats wait
ing for a mouse and 50 the ex-
animation was made without moving. In
a moment the sounds of industry were
heard in the front room. The rascals
were pretending to be hard at work. The
place was evidently no regular joint, and
so arising silently, the reporter tip-toed
to the window, which consisted Of half a
sash hung on hinges. To open it slowly
and cautiously was the work ola moment,
and an instant later the reporter was on
the outside. After listening he was salts
fed that his exit had not been heard, and
so he closed the window and departed.
By climbing a back fence and passing
through a yard he gained the street and
returned II his Office.
But thu hunt had not been abandoned.
Upon re; uning to the office he changed
his coat and hat and started out again.
Taking advantage of a hint that had
been given he went at once to the bot
toms in the western portion Of city. En-
tering a laundry he asked the Chinaman
present if a pipe could be gotten. The
fellow gave an evasive reply, but a dollar
brought him quickly to terms. He
speedily led the way to a rear ROOM, or
closet, which evidently served the double
purpose Of a drying room and a sort OF
entrance to the opium den. Passing
through this room they entered the opium
joint. The lair of the opium iend had
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