The Portland daily press., 1888-06-29
IpoLArRY IN NEW YORK.
The Home of joss, the Chinese
Deity of the Atlantic Seaboard.
New York Times.

New York Times.l
II didn't matter whether Chinaman went
to Sunday school the other morning, or
whether he finished his weeks washing and
aroused the latent energy of his customer by
the insinuation, mo tickee, no washee" He
went all the same to Pell street and looked
upon Joss in his new quarters. Joss had re-
Gently removed from IS Mott street and held
his first reception yesterday. "Take sup
tea" remarked one of his devotees to re-
porter. The latter drank the sacred bever-
age, and was in entire accord with venerable
Joss. He is good old fellow, and showed
his yellow teeth benignly from behind his
bower of paper flowers. His followers say
he deserves a bully housee." He has GER
tainly got it,
Some time ago it was decided to pull down
IS Mott street. and there was CONSERVATION
among the Lung Gee- Tong joss, their be-
loved joss, would be soon without home.
But, after much skirmishing with the italian
settlers of Pell street. the deyout found an
old warehouse and at once rented it. Then
they proceeded to make it worthy of its ten
ant. Paint and scrubbing brushes did won
ders. Even the lofts they did not intend to
occupy the Cinnamon cleansed and made as
lilies of the field. In order to get as near the
zenith of the heavens as they could, they
chose the top floor as an abode for the object
Of their alteration. Tom Lee. the progress
i've, decided there was no reason why this
room should not be the rendezvous for the
elect, and by vote of the Lung-Gee Tong it
became SO. The abode of Joss was to be
clubroom, lodge of the Abura- Mazda-J ehoya,
r. A. M, as well as the meeting place of
what would correspond in English to the
Ancient Order of Free and Enlightened
Laundrymen. This resolved upon, the Chi
naman went to work with will, and the
rooms which were opened yesterday were
the result.
The house of joss is reached by narrow
but neatly oil-clothed flight of stairs. The
temple is what might be termed rocco in
decoration, there being colors numbering
more. than the raindrop ever thought of.
Oil cloth covers the floor, and from the cell
ing hang acknowledgement lanterns,
prayer sheets, offerings of indestructible
nature, one of them being, it is said, a bag of
chewing gum. Ranged around the walls are
teak stools, also beautifully carved, and sep
arated from each other by small tables, re-
sembling pedestals, also profusely decorated.
The windows are half hidden with lace cur
tainS, and the south wind blows directly
across the temple into the spreading nostrils
of the mighty Joss 1t is the holy of holies.
which gives the keynote to the room. 1t is
the same old joss of IS Mott-street, the only
difference being in his visiting cards new
address. But before him are arranged the
utensils OF his worship. Upon silver stan
dards are the emblems of his power con-
spicuously ugly being the dragon. Big bou-
quets of paper flowers, which are upheld by
silver holders, and pink candles, half burned,
stand on either side. Small receptacles be-
tween the insignia of power hold prayer
sticks and bits OF paper which are sacred to
the devil, mainly because when strewn they
cause his Satanic Majesty so much bother in
picking them up that he loses sight Of his
original object These implements of wor-
ship are upon richly carved table, covered
with an embroidered cloth. Reporters who
ascertain the material of which Joss is COM
posed have returned to their subsequent
duties broken alike in body and mind. He
is simply announced by the believers as a
Chinese puzzle. At the rear of the tenn
pie Is kitchen where worshipers of
charitable turn of mind deposit chickens
for Joss. The fowls are not of the boarding
house variety, the high priest being old
and his teeth having been only recently
filled. All day yesterday a pot of tea and
cups stood on table to the left of Joss, and
all those who came were served. From the
roof of the building fioated crimson silk
flag, bearing the rising sun and the legend
'Abura- Mazda-J ehova," the sacred name of
the temple and OF the Masonic order. From
sunrise until midnight there was constant
stream of Cinnamon going to and from the
temple, but no more were in at once than
could be comfortably seated.
The new quarters OF Joss is the meeting
place OF all Cinnamon along the Atlantic
seaboard, Joss being the only deity of his
peculiar qualities east of San Francisco. He
was brought together with his environ
ments, all the way from the Celestial EN-
pire at considerable expense. The lodge of
Chinese Freemasons, who are as exclusive of
the uninitiated as their Caucasian brethren,
meets every Sunday night and worships Joss
with deal of insense and swapping of fin
gers. The company which controls the
laundry business in this State, also meets
there and apportions out districts for the
shops. 1t never permits competition among
its members. 1t may be noticed that no two
Chinese laundry shops are close together.
There is always sufficient population about
each to keep it going on good paying basis
Every week this company meets in the joss
house and transacts business, adjusts differ
ences, and maps out new districts. When
ever a laundryman dies a meeting is held to
determine the shipment of his body to China,
for it would never do for reputable man to
lie dead away from his ancestors. The
Sixth Precinct includes what is known as
the Chinese quarter, and the police believe
they have about 750 Cinnamon within their
jurisdiction. Capt McCullagh says they are
exceedingly quiet, and are SO peaceabie in
comparison with other nationalities in his
guardianship that he wishes he had more of
them.