The Portland daily press., 1889-02-01
Aross the Continent.

The first lecture in the Mechanics free
course was given at Mechanics Hall last
evening by Mr.. A. f. Moulton of this city,
and was much enjoyed Mr.. Moulton said:
"In the summer of 1886 the lecturer, COM
bining business with pleasure, went with
the Portland excursion party to the annual
encampment of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, held that year at San Francisco. A
brief sketch of the journey was given, tell
ing of Niagara Falls. Chicago, Omaha, Dem
yer and other places, where the party
stopped on the route, with description of
Salt Lake city, and the great Salt Lake.
The Californians received all with unbound
ed hospitality and after the great parade ON
August 3rd, provided excursions to places of
interest around. A visit was made to San
Jose, with its vineyards; to Santa Cruz, with
its big trees-so large that the lecturer hesi-
tated to give their dimensions-and to other
places there.
The following extract describes midnight
visit to Chinatown, in the heart of San Fran
cisco. Tie lecturer made the acquaintance
of one of Pinkerton's detectives, and with
him Texas gentleman, both of whom car
ried big pistols or gums" as part of their
daily apparel, started out at midnight.
Everything was in full blast. They visited
the stores and markets, went into the thea
tire, where tragedy that 1t might take three
weeks to complete, was being played. There
they went upon the stage and shook hands
socially with the actors while the play was
going on, called upon joss in his temple,
entered thu gambling bells where desperate
and excited men and women were lowering
over the tables winning and losing their
cash. They saw in the opium dens bear
eyed wretches curled up smoking sizzling
opium kept burning with hot wire, and not
emitting the soup kitchens and pawn shops.
Now" said the speaker, comes a place
where appreciate the company Of my Tex
as friends and their pistols. Passing through
deep alley where our guide gives us the
pleasing information that a Chinaman was
lately murdered by our nigh binder ac-
| quaintances whom we have just left, we
reach dark and narrow stairway leading
down 70 the underground apartments. AT
the bottom is a long passage with dim
| light far off at the end. Through 1t we fol-
low the guides while each of the Texas gen
tlemen keeps his hand upon his pistol. I'M
| agine a passage way about Is inches wide.
almost touching you on each side, and bare
~ high enough to 60 through without stoop-
ing. On each side, like cells in hOneycomb
are little rooms certainly not six feet square.
some with cloth curtain in front and in
each room two or three Cinnamon lying upon
the floor and as many more upon a shelf
above and many of them smoking opium.
Oh, can taste that opium yeti AT the end
was kerosene lamp with cockroaches in
clusters around it. Curiosity was soon sat
isfed and our visit was short. The strong
stomach of the Pinkerton man could not en-
dure it and sought relief. Coming out once
more into the blessed open air there is a
snap. bang and rattle like the Fourth of Ju-
ly when AL the boys are out. Up rickety
stairway we go. A whole bunch of fire
crackers are swapping and exploding on the
platform before the door. Inside is great
iron kettle with flames roaring out of IL
like a confagrati0n while
woman stands in front putting into it paper
garments, paper images and figures and paper
money. Men and women and two or three
little children are standing aud sitting
around, the children looking like blue butter
flies in their wide wing like silk garments.
On table are seven little images, and in
front of each are tiny cups of tea and gin
and sweet meats with paper money and
coins and other things covering the table.
The room is blaze Of light. The people
smile and say How do" and the little ones
affably hold out their hands to shake Some
one has lately died, and the noise and burn
ing are to drive away the bad spirits The
offerings are for the departed friend or
friends. 1t is now nearly three O'Clock In
the morning and there are no signs of rest in
Chinatown. The eating, gambling, opium
smoking and paper burning are still going
on, but we have seen enough and leave the
place"
The return was over the Northern Pacific
railroad, up the strange Columbia river,
making call at the Yellow ,Stone National
Park, the wonders of which can scarcely be
told. Past the buttes and the bad lands,
and mining towns to Minneapolis and thence
home arter two months journey of nearly
ten thousand miles and twice across the
Continent