Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-27
THE CHINESE TAIIORS
DESCRIPTION or THE STORE o.
ONE or THEM N NEW YORK.


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Thsrs are many chinsss tailor shops b
New York. Mott street b filed with assru-
They are ia cellars. where pigtaaisi Mon
gosians sat and watch on three legged stocts,
and PASSWORD o. . detective y nsstsd 70
pass stranger from tbs street.. Thsy are IN
the rear of first door shoF~ And some are IN
upper stories. through long winding halls
that smell u dried nsh, boiling birds nssts
asd frylag Pigs talis Tbs clothes are kept
on diaxy shelves and in boxS rndsr dark
cpuntsrw and only form part of ne general
stock, Ike nai.s Ia . hardware shop But
there ls only Ons Poole IN New York. and b
has NO imitatars. To initiate our Celestial
Poole requires more capital than the average
Chinaman lss~snn Mr. Poole Is known 10
the business putiheas xei Les Wa g. Co, and
i Familiarity csliei xr. Aei by thess who have
the honor Of his psr~ouaI acquaintance. His
place u business Il in the Bo~ery, where he
occupies the first door and the basement of
one u tbs largest buildings under the shadow
Al ths siey atsi road
Tbs t2iios shop looks a. little liks the Gus
tonAry clothing store . Chinese laundry
d1<~ like Murray hill drawing room Il Is .
large room nilei with tables piled high with
xspis, aud clothing ssems TO b. about the
only thing that Is not offered for sale. AT the
door. bshisd small counter, generally sat
too men. One 10 short, stout. shrewd eyed
and smiling. He wears American clothes.
With his pistail carefully cooled out Of sight
under q ta.nionabls Maekinaw straw hat.
He b the head salesman, and capable one,
too. II Appearances count for anything. Tbs
other IL siender and melancholy. He Affects
the somber In attire, and weArs . black felt
hat Of the prevailing undertaken style. He
spends his time lingering = kindergarten
counting machine and marking up accounts
with a piece of India ink or paint brush on
tho long pages u . brown payer note book.
He Is the bookke~per. and Is said to be one Of
the most expert hierogiyphic makers In the
Chinese quarter
DESCRIPTION OF THE STORE
The under salesman is aldermanic in form
and dresses very much as an American does
in hot weather. with his coat of and the
sleeves Of his white shirt rolled up to the
elbows. His knowledge Of English Is confined
by strictly commercial limits, but his win
ming smile is broad enough to cover any lin
guistic deficiencies he may possess
casual caller might fancy at the door
that Mr.. Mel kept a ten store Before he had
gone twenty feet he would credit him with
keeping a crockery store. Another half
dozen PAGES would change his opinion again,
with another change in the appearance Of
the store On the first row Of tables are kept
. oil all
from common crockery .sts worth Is each to
"A superb red vase valued at tl000 On the
next row are glassware and square boxes
bolding teas and spiced herbs. Behind glass
cases, against the wall, are knickknacks IN
ivory and gilt worth n week's wages for
every square inch Of surface Farther back
in the store are laundry goods and the vari-
Gus utensils used by the frugal Mongolians
for their housekeeping.
Against the rear wall, which conceals from
the barbarian world the living apartments
Of Mr. Mel and pretty Mrs. Mel, Is kept the
clothing, IL is all made in China and i'm
ported in bulk. Here are clothes enough to
deck ont the 5000 Cinnamon of New York In
holiday attire and keep them in their Sunday
clothes for a year
THE SIMPLE DAILY oUTFIT
A Chinaman's every day outfit is beauti
full in It's simplicity. 1t consists of pair Of
lo'se trousers almost a. short rs pantelettes
and entirely wanting in frills, undershirt,
a short coat that is called Chan IA Ten, or
something that sounds like that, aud over.
coat known to the initiated ~ Foo Sol Sam.
The boots, called Tien San Hi, together with
the hat and hosiery, complete the wardrobe.
The undershirt does not differ materially
from that worn by native New Workers. and
is usually made Of pongee silk. Chinese
dudes when not working in their laundries
wear finer grades OF silk. The long coat is
only worn on festal occasions by the com
mon classes of Chinese The workingmen
usually content themselves with the short
coat. Tho long garment costs from $40 to
81. depending upon the wealth and rank
Of the wearer The lowest priced article is
made Of coarse silk and is usually blue or
black IN color.
The short coats sometimes cost 500, but
the variety usually seen on the streets can
be bought TO- from s5 to q. 1t is made Of
silk and is often given waterproof gloss
and does double service as coat and UNI
brella
The sandal shaped boots are made Of cloth
and have soles an inch thick These soles
are fashioned of layers of cotton pressed to
getl.r, and irnpervious TO moisture as
sole lhiher. The tops OF the shoes are EN-
broered, and they sell at from 81 30 to $50
pair
As ne of the coats have sleeves the selec-
ton Of suit of Chinese clothes is both
simple and satisfactory. The customer
simply fit the garment around his neck and
takes care not to select one that is not too
long for Inn and the task Is done.
CLOTHING ACCORDING TO RANK
Chinese boots have no right or left, and the
only care in choosing pair is 10 see that
they are not too tight or 20 loose as 10 rub up
and down at the heel
Mr. Meis clerks follow an admirable srs-
TEN in selling their clothing by the whole
sale They have number of little wooden
manikins which are dressed in the various
costumes offered for sale. These are the
samples and from them the choice is made.
The higher grades OF clothing are not
offered for sale Unfortunately. They are
the marks Of rank and can only be worn by
those entitled to the honor. am not certain
about this point, but understand from Mr.
Mei's second assistant, whose knowledge Of
English is but little more extensive than my
acquaintance with Chinese, that it is not
permitted them to sell high grade clothing
10 a base born customer But however that
may be, saw no rich garments in the as
sortment. and even the mankins wearing
such goods were carefully put out of the way
in one of the glass cases by the door.
While there are a number of Chinese cloth
ing stores in New York. there Is no Chinese
tailor. All clothing is ready made Thanks
~ the Celestial style of coats every one from
q giant To a hump backed dwarf can be fitted
with equal ease. AMI. as to trousers ali that
is ever seen OF them by the public is the bot
toms, which, to be in style. must flap against
C..r