Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1888-08-18
CHINESE OPIUM FiENDs.
The Immense Quantity Of the Drug Con-
sumed In Now York.

| d.
The Immense Quantity Of tho Drug Con-
sumcd In Now York.
1t was for the purpose Of giving an
accurate and interesting account OF
how 5000 Chinamen spend $46S 349. IS
annually just for the pleasure Of
'.hitting the pipe" that the Chinese
reporter Of the World made thor
ough canvass Of the various haunts Of
Chm atown.
There are at present about twenty
five Chinese firms that deal in refined
opium. both Wholesale and retail.
There are eleven private Chinese
joints, where opium is sold at 81 20 |
per ounce. These joints do not now
admit white smokers, on account OF
the frequent raids made upon them by
the police, but the stores sell to both
Chinese and whites, although the lat
ter must be well.known smokers.
Otherwise he has to suffer for the want
Of opium-which, according to all ac-
counts, is even worse than to see
.'snakes." Great tears would
gush out of his eyes, big
drops of perspiration constantly
moisten his brow, while his nostrils
would act as if he owned asmall-sized
fountain some where in his head. But
the worst of all the ailments is an ex-
cruciating pain all over his backbone.
as if he had been just run through a
fine clothes wringer. Under such cir
cumstances he would almost be will
ing to give half of his entire kingdom
to be able to .'hit the pipe"
Six pills or pipes. about the size OF
a green pea would restore him to his
natural condition of life, which would
last him for about as many hours. A
regular .fiend'' will consume about an
ounce per day. which Is %. rs.
The sensation while smoking is. In
deed, soothing. No matter how ia
tigued or oppressed in mind. few
whiffs Of the pipe would put man in
the best Of social spirits. 1t has strange
medicinal properties. and is said to
cure all kinds Of fevers and ague, con-
sumption and palpitation Of the heart
Most Cinnamon are driven to it through
business reverses and other troubles.
while not few contracted the habi,
through sociability. just as an Amer
lean would do ON their stake drink
with friend.
1t takes just about the same length
OF time to get the opium habit as t.
get the drinking habit The latter de
stroys the mind. and makes man ir
responsible for his actions. while tn,
former destroys the body but makes |
keen thinker of the victim. 1t is esti
mated that there are something ovel
one thousand Americans in the city o
New York who are now using opium II
the same manner and form rs the
Chinese Most of these are said TO b
well-known and fashionable people. a
indeed no other but people Of mean
and of leisure could ever be able t
contract such habit.
The opium-dealng firms sell iron
two to five cans per day, each ca
weighing about four ounces. Most {
the wholesale orders come from town
aud cities in and around New Yor
State, and only now and then tn
native American customers from VI
town come in to buy their supply.
Say they sell an average of thre
cans per day. At wholesale rates
which is So 80 per can for China in
ported goods but when retailed out a
the so cents worth Mt time it woul
bring it up to about $40 to I'll per ca
At $40. which is the lowest possib
price per can, sixty-si cans amour
to $500 per day, or $240 900 per yea
There are eleven joints. The M
jority of these import their ov
opium, said to be direct from Chin
but the greater part of which com
from Victoria, b. G. One of the
places. which Is the best Chinese JOIN
in town, sells at retail on Sunday
alone from ten to twelve cans, viii
the second best place sells from Gig
to ten cans on Sundays. On an ave
age these joints dispose OF five cans
day. These places calculate to ma
from 81 to So on each can of Chine
imported opium, but they are able
make more when they mix the V
toria in with the pure. Thus it c.
easily be seen how nearly $1,000 Q
changes hands for opium per year.
According to Chinese San Franc
co papers they paid over $500 900
custom house duties for the Chine
year Just ended on opium alone. i
one very curious fact is that Chin
man is frequently deceived. When
pays for the real imported Chin'
opium he gets Victoria (R
opium, which is sold in several c
nese stores at s.. so per can. but sir
the recent custom-house trouble it
gone up to Sc. The same article c
be had in Canada for a. Is to 81.
II the duties are paid upon these '
toria goods it is said by the smok
that they could not buy it at the abe
rates. but would have to pay 81
can for it, Wong Chm Foo, in N
World