Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-25
NEW YORK NEWS.
4 HANpsoHY cHrNEsH r1xPLE-How
TIE MINISTER ASSESSES TIKI
MEMBERS.
Nvm crinkls on Comic 0pera-The Goa
Trade and Stock ka.ket- Some Spicy
Gossip Conkling and Ingersoll--
Actors in Clubs.
Correspondents ofths Richmond D,spas }


Actors in Clubs.
-
ioorrsspondsncs ofths Richmond Dispatch.
NEW YORK, July "a, 1886.
Pedestrians up and down Chatham
street, or, as 1t is now known, Park
Row, have noticed an unusually large
number OF Cinnamon Arrsyed in holiday
attire passing in and out Of the narrow
hallway Of 200 Mott street. 1t is moi
m imposing looking entrance it opens
directly upon steep stairway, and the
only suggestive feature Is . strip Of red
paper over the doorway, which looks as
fit was q label torn offa package OF fire.
crackers. II bears tho name OF joss, y
and tells the devoutly -inclined Celestial
that tho temple is upstairs. Early
last week the new interior fittings OF
the temple, the altar, tables, and chairs,
arrived here from China, and were put
in place. Now the unpretending third
floor OF 202 Mott street contains some
OF the finest specimens Of Chinese art
in this city. The altar Is OF carved
ebony, practically largo frame for the
picture Of Joss and his attendant
deities, executed on satin in the most
elaborate style Of Chinese art, and q
heavy table for holding the incense
burners and votive offerings. AS a
whole the carvings represent the uni
verse along the bottom, under the table,
is the sea, with fish, aquatic plants, and
the huge turtle upon which, according to
Chinese mythology, the earth is sup
posed to rest. From each side rise
trees, shrubs, and hesvily-carved foliage,
with birds and animals among the
branches. The branches interlOck over
the top, and the whole is backed with
heavy.plate glass mirrors, representing
the heavens thickly studded with golden
stars. The chairs and tables are in the
same style Of rich Oriental carving, and
the room is lighted by carved lanterns
hanging from the ceiling. The walls are
hung with Chinese notices, the air is
heavy with incense, and it is hard to
believe that we are in New York and
not in Cathay.
THE CHINESE RELIGION HERE.
The whole affair cost the Chinese
residents of New York between $4,000
and $4,000. and is entirely self-sup-
porting.
They have queer features in their re-
ligion, which was quantity explained to
me by the old priest in charge. | no.
ticed that q large proportion Of the
worshippers would come in, make their
obeisance to the altar, burn q few
prayer-sticks, and 60 out. Some, how
ever, remained longer time and gave
the priest sums varying from twenty
five cents to dollar. In response TO
ny inquiry nc said:
"A man can say all he wants to in
three minutes, so be have three minutes
for nothing if he have good deal to
say. he pay Is cents for next three
minutes, so for next three, and so on.
No good to pray too long," Then he
added after moments reflection a" In
Mclean church man talks an hour and
everybody pray two hours or two hours
and half, then make collection beg to
pay minister. Chinese way, 500 or 600
people pray two hours; We make two
or three thousand dollar The system
strikes me as q good one. 1t pays the
expenses Of the temple and discourages
garrulity. With its dingy exterior the
Chinese Of New York have now one of
the most richly furnished places Of wor-
ship in the city.
THEMANUFACTURE OF COMIC OPERA.
Comic opera manufacture is repousSe
work. Last winter it was fashionable
TO pound brass. All the girls had lit
tie hammers and tinkered. You could
hear the jingle in any well-regulated
household. 1t was repouSse. Now all
the museums are doing it. Clink, clink
goes the hammer Of Solomon, up in his
flat. lie is welding and soldering o
new comic opera. He and lIoyt forge
on. pattern, then they call Lillian
Russell in, and she applies the little
hammer Of her voice to it, and to pound
ing and tinkering they beat out the
"Maid and the Moonshiners. If you
stand in front of Steinway Hall some
clear morning when the windows are
open you will hear the hammers going
all over tho building. Every room has
got q forge.msster in it and comic
opera pattern.
THE LITHoGRAPH MUST GO.
But there is shade Of disaster
looming up on the comic opera horizon
1t is the managerial opposition to tht
Autograph. Without colored litho'
graph comic opera would totter on its
throne-and the Autograph must go
You may pound opera as much as you
please, but it is no good unless yor
paint it. You couldn't get pretty girls
to sing in it if they weren't litho
graphed. 1t is the photographer ant
the photographer who seduce innocence
and beauty into the chorus and ballet
No house is safe against the tempta
tiops Of the stage If you let man il
with colored poster. All he has t
say to the pride Of the family is
"This style, my dear, for sl2 week,
and she abandons home, father an,
mother and friends, and goes upon To
road for the sake Of getting on the coal
yard fence and hanging in tho cigar
shop windows.
Comic opera is centipeds; itcrawl
on Q hundred legs. The lithogrsphe
makes the number ten thousand.
MORE COMIC OPERA.
Next fall there will be q burst @
comic opera. Several twiddling com
posers, having secured girls enough an
posters enough, made small fortune
last season by setting rot to rhyme an
calling madness music. This seaso
there will be . double number. II
simple receipt given by Boucicault (,
- . comic opera was " Gawdy and BAy
dy." The composer Of the Little T.
coon" tried ii and made money. II
Casino has paid off its mortgage vii
pretty girls. McCsull defes modest
and maternity alike with imported wi
gle and jigs and costumes.
Somebodysasked Lillian Russell no
she learned SO many operas. 81
looked Is innocent as Q snowdroE
"why, there's no trouble after you'y