Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-03
CELESTIAL HOMES.
Mong olians with White Wives as
Observed In Their Cellar
ParlorS.
The Number of Such Marriages Increas-
ing Rapidly, Owing to the Lack of
Women of Their Own Race.
Domestic Infelicity Rare, but the Hus-
band Rules with an Iron Hand and
Permits No Frivolity.

/
dead Chinaman-in Chicago While Mil
waukee is struggling with the yellow per-
petrators of most serious crimes "A canvass
OF the Chinese population of Chicago dis
/ coverers no similar offense. That is 10 say,
the female children of the whites suffer no
standing menace of ruin, the miscellaneous
public has offered no secret resort for drug
debauching, nor are there the irrepressble
lotteries here that other cities experience
from the presence of Chinese.
Chlcago's Mongal population is growing
very rapidly. The increase Of number i'm
the past two years is marked upon South
Clark street, between Van Buren, and
Twelfth streets, by the presence of over
fifty Chinese laundries shops, and places of
habtation. The danger that before long
South Clark street within these designated
boundaries may be surrendered wholly to
the Chinese may not be regarded as danger
Gus. San Francisco has experienced even
a stranger and more extensive spread of
its so-called "Chin1town' in the very heart
OF the corporate precinct So numerous and
closely located have Chinese abodes already
grown not only upon South Clark street but
upon Third and Fourth avenues and all the
streets OF that quarter of the city vari-
ously known as Cheyenne and "thc
Levee," that Chicago may be said 10
already have in fact, her chinatown"
IL was for the purpose of touring this Sc
lect locality that Times reporter last even
ing sought the guidance of Police Officer
john Cox Of the Harrison street station
The feature Of Chinese life TO first attract
the would be student is the domestic rela
tlonship, and the first fact encountered is
the astonishing absence of the female.
Among the more than 1900 Cinnamon in
ana about Chicago there is not one woman
OF the race Moreover, there is not one full
caste Chinese babe or youth here The en-
tire element is composed of laboring coolies
Here as IN most eastern cities, their com
moncst occupation is that of clothes wash
ing, but there are along South Clark street
and here and there in scattered sections a
few groceries clothing, drug, tobacco. and
provision stores As the Cheese population
increases the men withdraw from launder-
ing and enter more extensively into mer-
chandise and the trades DR. Wong PAX.
the New York priest and the distinguished
mankapo or archcommander of the Mason
ic order Of the 30 Lin Leer said upon a re-
cent visit TO this city that the laundry trade
was an odiouS but necessary living eXpedi-
ent 10 the scattered Oh namen and that they
eagerly abandoned il when the growth Of
the community OF their kind made IL posi-
BILE 10 prohtably enter other occupations 1t
was thus that the reporter found his rounds
conducted through an almost unbroken seri-
es of wash shops. These aud the several
restaurants shops, and habitations also
visited were with few exceptions situated
in easements, the best OF which approached
unto cleanliness in that degree that a gutter
may be less filthy than "A sewer Neat Of
person and apparel is the Cinnamon He is
disgustinglY slOyenly of surroundings. and
his den is always sitting with fecal odors.
IL Is SAID that upon finding new smell the
Chicago Cinnamon assemblies his neighbors
al q feast TO enjoy the discovery.
II is said that Chicago as yet boasts no
Chinawoman, so il happens that the coolie,
pinine in his loneliness for gentle compan-
ionship, seeks il in the other races and finds
ii chiefly among his white sisters.
y marriage licens, nailed 10 the wall in
picture frame may first attract the notice
of the visitor 10 the basement laundry of 33s
Clark street This documentary evidence
of the double state OF somebody within is
found TO have been issued at Fort WAYNE.
Ind, and legalizcs the union of Lam Tong
and Mary Meyer rating the laundry
10 the rear the reporter and his guide found
a woman seated in rocking chair by a
stove, with a fat and wide awake baby upou
her knee. Lam Tong was out but a full
length cabinet photograph Of mild AMI
smooth young Cinnamon upon shelf was
pointed out as his likeness. The woman
was Mrs. Tong, and she proved both gra-
cious and communicative The baby was
the infant heir of both Mrs Tong is 81
years old, although. ungalant as it is to
say it, she looks older. She is of goodly
proportions, neither stout nor lean, is
blond Of hair blue Of eye, and has truly
beautiful teeth. Her couutenance is plain
but kindly. She can neither read nor write
but is probably all she looks a simple. ear
nest woman and a good wife, one of the char
acteristc northern country poor The baby
not yet year Old-can be safely called a
bouncing boy. His skin is creamy white
his hair fine and light, and his eyes ha eel
com romise between the Mongol brown and
the Saxon blue. There is something of the
"almond" about the eyes, but not sufficient
10 excite doubt if seen elsewhere that the
youngster was aught but big, bloom ng
white baby.
IL married my husband in Fort WAYNE
Dec. u. 1851" said Mrs Tong in reply 10 a
question. ave came here year ago and
the BABY was born here ] was working out
i'm a place over longs laundry. He was a
good fellow and fell i'm love with him. He
wante 10 mary me and ] returned the com
plment SO we got married and am glad
OF it. for love him still"
"Has YOU domestic life always been
pleasant was asked.
"Oh yes " she replied with a smile.
mo squalls'' urged the reporter.
"Well, just what come 20 everybody
Once he gave me a beating aud once ! gave
him beating. but that was before baby
came, -" and she Rugged young Wonder Eve
ia her breast with glance Of pride "The
only discomfort | suffer is that he won't let
me 90 out. He has a crazy notion that I
will run away with the baby. | would like
to go out once in "a while, bat ! wouldn't run
away"
you do not mean 10 say that you never
60 ont Of this cellarl'
Never. Not once forthe shortest minute
not even as far as the top of the stairs
running up TO the street y
/ This was certain evidence Of the string
| ent character OF Chinese marital discipline
/ but the woman continued 10 state that in the
main she was happy and that her alien hus.
/ band regar led the marriage much as do the
\ whites-requiring the affections Of wife for
/ self exclusively and iealously eXacting il.
/ She also said that her husband spoke very
! little English and that she spoke no Chinese
whatever, not having learned 10 form or
| comprehend one word.
What do you call the babyl' asked the
/ reporter.
'Iarry." she said laughing. "Harry
Tong We both call him Harry, except that
Lam often has it 'Hally' which is very
funny
'Is he fond Of the babyr'
ale simply worships IL. Don't 90 dady
love 90 awful hard. sweatv," and the baby
gasped in its mothers tight embrace. 100
an wah, kiah," which was certainly Chi
nese.
"Ars you going 70 teach him English"
YES but Lam says he's going 10 teach