Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-31
PRODUCT OF rHe POPPY. .
Nearly eSoo.ooo Spent Yearly for Opium
IN New York.

IN New York.
1t was for the purpose OF giving an ac-
curate and interesting account OF how
V,OOO Cinnamon epcnd ei0S, $40. rs anpu-
ally Just for the pleasure Of sshittinr tho
pipe" that the Chinese reporter made n
thorough canvass OF the various haunts OF
Chinatown.
There are at present about twenty Ave
Chinese Arms that deal in refined opiumo
both wholesale and retail. There are
eleven private Chinese joints, where
opium Is sold at e2,s5 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. nlthouch
the latter must be well known smokers.
Otherwise he has 10 suffer for tho want of
opium--which, according to all accounts,
Is even worse than 10 see SNAKES" Great
tears would gush ont Of his eyes, big
drops OF prespiration constantly moisten
his brow, while his nostrils would act as
II he owned q small sized fountain somc-
where IN his head. But the worst OF all
the ailments is an excruciating pain all
over his backbone, as IL no had been lust
run through fine clothes wringer Under
such circumstances he would almost be
willing 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 naural
condition Of life, which would last him
for about as many hours. A regular
'nend'' will consume about an ounce per
day, which is e225.
Tho sensation while smoking is indeed
soothing. No matter how fatigued or OPP
pressed In mind, few whiffs OF the pipe
wnIlld NIT n mo ia th., hnnN - II
spirits. 1t has strange medicinal proper
ties, and is said to cure all kinds Of fevcrs
and ague, consumption and palpitation Of
the heart. Most Cinnamon are driven TO
It through business reverses and other
troubles, while not a few contracted the
habit through sociability, just as an
American would do on their ''take a
drink" with friend.
IL 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 man irresponsible for
his actions, while the former destroys the
body but makes q keen thinker Of the
HictiU. " II estimated that there are
something ovcr- !, 900 Americans in the
city OF New York who ,cTa now using
opium In the same manner and form rs
the Chinese. Most Of these arc saitf,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 habit.
The opium dealing firms sell ffrom'two
70 nve cans per day, each can weighing
about four ounces. Most of tho wholesale
orders come from towns and cities in and
around New York state, and only now and
then tho native American customers from
up town come In to buy their supply, Saw
they only sell an average Of three cans per
day. At wholesale rates, which is $S.85
per can for China imported goods, but
when retailed out by the nifty cents worth
at time 1t would bring it up 10 about
$40 to sl1 per can. At $40, which is the
lowest possible price per can, sixty-six
cans amount to $500 per day, or $2i0, 900
per year.
There are eleven joints. The majority
OF these import their own opium, said to
be direct from China, but the greater part
Of which comes from Victoria, B. G. Ono
OF these places, which Is the best Chinese
joint In town, sells at retail on Sundays
alone from ten to twelve cans, while the
second best place sells from eight to ten
cans on Sundays. On an average these
joints dispose OF five cans day. These
places calculate to make from $2 to 90 on
each can OF Chinese imported opium, but
they are able to make more when they
mix the Victoria In with the pure Thus
1t can easily be seen how nearly 81 900, COO
changes hands for opium each year.
According to Chinese San Francisco
papers they paid over $500, 900 for custom
house duties for the Chinese year Just
ended on opium alone. Wong Chin Foo
in New York World