The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-28
THE PRODUCT OF THE POPPY.
Nearly Half Million Dollars Spent
Yearly for Opium in New York.
From the Ne,C York World.


1t was for the purpose of giving the read
ers of the World an accurate and interest
ing account of how 5000 Cinnamon spend
| $46S, $40 Is annually just for the pleasure
of "hitting tie pipe" that the Chinese re-
porter of the World few days ago made
a thorough canvass of the various hauntS of
Chinatown.
There are at present about 25iChineselfrms
that deal in refined opium, both wholesale
and retail. There are IL private Chimes
joints, where opium is sold at 81 25 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, al
though the latter must be well known
smokers. Otherwise he has to suffer for
the want of opium-which, according to
all accounts, is even worse than to see
Snakes" Great tears would gush out of
his eyes, big drops of perspiration constantly
molsten his brow, while his nostrils would
act as if he owned a small sized fountain
somewhere in his head. But the worst of
all the ailments is an excruciating pain all
over his backbone, as if he had been just
run through a fine clothes wringer. Under
such circumstances 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 green
pea, would restore him to his natural con
dition of life, which would last him for
about as many hours A regular 'fiendn
will consume about an ounce per day, which
is So IS.
1t takes Just about the same length of
time to get the opium habit as to get the
drinking habit. The latter destroys the
mind and makes a man irresponsible for his
actions, while the former destroys the body
but makes a keen thinker of the victim. 1t
is estimated that there are something over
1000 Americans in the city of New York
who are now using opium in the same man
ner and form as the Chinese,s Most of these
are said to be well-known and fashionable
people, as indeed no other but people of
means and of leisure could ever be able to
contract such a habit
The opium-dealing firms sell from two to
five cans per day, each can weighing about
four ounces. Most of the wholesale orders
come from towns and cities in and around
New York State, and only now and then
the native American customers from up
town come i'll to buy their supply.
Say they only sell an average of three
cans per day. At wholesale rates, which is
IS IS per can for China imported goods, but
when retaied out by the soc. worth at a
time it would bring it up to about $40 to $ll
per can. At $40, which is the lowest posi-
bic price per can, 60 cans amount to $500
per day or S240,0 per year.
There are IL join s. The majority of
these import their own opium, said to be
direct from China, but the greater part Of
which comes from Victoria, b. c. One of
these places, at No. Is Mott street, which is
the best Chinese joint in town, sells at re-
tail Sundays alone from 10 TO L. cans, while
No. % Mott street, the second best place,
sells from 3 to 10 cans Sundays Ga an
average these joints dispose of 5 cans day.
These places calculate 20 make from 81 10
to So on each can of Chinese imported
opium, but they are able to make more
when they mix the Victoria in with the
pure. Thus it can easily be seen how nearly
Sl000,000 changes hands for opium each
year.
According to Chinese San Francisco pa
pers they paid over $500, 900 for custom
house dates for the Chinese year Just ended
on opium alone. But one curious fact is
that Chinaman is frequently deceived
When he pays for the real imported Chi
nese opium he gets Victoria (B. o. opium,
which is sold i'll several Chinese stores at
s. 80 per can, but since the recent custom
house trouble it has gone up TO SIS. The
same article can be had i'll Canada for 81 %
to "a 90. Ii the duties are paid upon these
Victoria goods, it is said by the smokers
that they could not buy it at the above
rates, but would have to pay 81 can forit.