Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-11
NEW YORK LETTER.
HOW A GREAT CHINESE TAlLoR-sHop
IS RUN.
Choosing Goa, an Easy Matter-An Kinds
of coods-Big swipdling In the
Mest-How ~ Is Done.
romrn,nopdonce q ,he RIchmond pispaloh.l

NV YoBK, August 10, 1899.
There are many Chinese tailor-shops in
New York Mott street is flled with them.
They are in cellars. where piFtaiied Mon
Rolians sit and watch on thrcc-legged stools,
aud a password or detective is needed 10
pass stranger from the street. They are
In the rear Of frst-foor shops. and some
arc in upper stories, through long, wind
ing halls that smell Of dried fish, boiling
birds nests, and frying pigs tails. Inc
clothes are kept on dingy shelves
and in boxes under dark counters,
and only form part of the general
stock. Ike nails in n hardwaro-shOp.
But there is only one Poole in New
York, and he has no imitators. To
initiate our Celestial Poole requires more
capital than the average Chinamsn pos
seAseS Mr.. Poole is known TO the business
public as Mel Lee Wa d Co, and is famil-
iarly called Mr.. Mel by those who have the
honor Of his personal acquaintance. MS
place OF business is in the Bowery. where he
occupies the first floor and the basement OF
one Of the largest buildings under the
shadow of the elevated road.
IN THK SHOP.
The tailor-shop looks as little Ike the
customary clothing store as 2 Chinese
laundry does like a Murray-ilill drawing
room. Ii is large room filled with tables
piled high with goods, and clothing seems
10 be about the only thing that IS not oil;
fsred for sale. At the door. behind a small
counter. generally sit two men, One IL
short. stout, shrewd-eyed, and smiling. lie
wears American clothes, with his pig-tail
carefully cooled out Of sight under fash
ionable Mackinaw straw hat. He IS the
head salesman. and a capable one, too, II
APPEARANCES count for anything. Inc
other is slender and melancholy. He al
fects the sombre IN attire, and wears q
u. L 10. inn ND a al
stvle He spends his time lingering
kindergarten counting-machinea and mark
inc M accounts with piece OF India INK
or paint-brush on the long pages OF
brown paper notebook. He is the book
keeper. and is said TO be one Of the most
expert Observation-Disclosures IN the Chinese
quarter.
ALL KINDS OF GOODS.
The under. salesman is aldermanic in
form and dresses very much as an Amerl-
can does in hot weather. with his coat on
and the sleeves Of his white shirt rolled
IN TO his elbows. HIS knowledge OF Eng
lish is confined 10y strictly commercial
limits, hut his winning smile IS broad
enough 20 cover any linguistic dehciencles
lac may posses
that MIR. Mel kept tea store. Be
fore 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. TN
Che first row of tables are kept Chinese
wares of all styles and at all prces-irom
common crOckery sets worth IS each 10
superb red vase valued at $1,000. On the
next row are glassware and square boxes
holding teas and spiced herbs. Behind
glass cases against the wall are knick-
knacks III ivory and gilt, worth. weeks
wages for every square lnch OF surface.
Farther back mthe store are laundry goods
and the various utensils used by frugal
MougOlians for their housekeeping.
TIP CHINESE POOLE
isa Macy and q Ridley combined. Against
the rear wall, which conceals from the bar
barian world the living-apartments OF Mr.
Mel and pretty Mrs. Mel, is kept the
clothing. II is all made in China and i'm
ported IN bulk. Here are clothes enough
10 deck out the 5000 Cinnamon of New
York in holiday attire and keep them IN
their Sunday clothes for year.
A Chinaman's every-d day outfit is beautl-
ful in its simplicity. 1t consists OF PAIR
of loose trousers almost as short as pante-
lettes and entirely wanting in frills an un-
dershirt, a short coat that is called Chan Sa
Ten, or something that sounds like that,
and an overcOat known to the initiated as
n Foo Sol Sam. The boots. called Ten San
Hi. together with the hat and hosiery, COM
plete the wardrobe.
CHINESE DUDEs.
The undershirt does not differ materially
from that worn by native New Workers, and
j. usually made Of pongee silk. Chinese
dudes when not working in their laundrles
wear finer grades Of silk. The long coat IL
only worn on festal occasions by the COM
mon classes of Chinese. The worhngmen
usually content themselves with the short
coat. The long garment costs from $40 to
Sl5, depending upon the wealth and rank
of the wearcr The lowest priced article 10
made OF coarse silk, and Is usually blue or
black in color.
The short coat sometimes costs 5000, but
the variety usually seen on the streets can
be bought for from 50 to 80. 1t Is made OF
silk and is often given "a waterproof gloss
and does double service rs coat and um-
Drella.
EASILY FITTED.
The sandal-shaped boots are made OF
cloth and have sOles an inch thick. These
soles are fashioned of layers of cotton
pressed together and as lmpervlous 10
moisture as sole leather. The tops Of the
shoes are embroidered, and they sell IRON
S1.50 10 $50 PAIR.
AS none of the ,coats have sleeves the
selection of suit of Chinese clothes Is
both simple aud satisfactory. The GUS
toner simply fits the garment around has
neck and takes care TO select one that Is
not too long for him, and the task Is done:
: Chinese boots have no right or left, and
the only care in choosing pair Is to see
that they are not too tight OF 50 loose as TO
rub up and down at the heel.
Mr. Mei's clerks follow al admirable svS-
TEN in selling their clothing by the whole
sale. They have number Of little wood
On manikins which are dressed in the va
riOus 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 bv those entitled to the honor.
am not certain about this point, but I'M
derstOod 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
fell high-grade clothing 10 base-born Gus
toner. But however that may be. l saw
no rich garments in the assortment, and
even the manikins wearing such goods
were carefully put out of the way In one
OF the glass cases by the door.
While there are number OF Chinese
clothing stores in New York there Is no
Chinese tailor. All clothing is ready made.
Thanks TO the Celestial style of coats,
every one from giant 10 hump-Dackeu
dwarf can be fitted with equal ease, and as
10 trousers, all that 10 ever seen OF them 10y
the public is the bottoms, which 10 DO IN
style must flap against the ankles at every
step.
BIG swINDLEs IN TIE wEsT.
ayes, there have been O great many
horse and cattle-swindlers in the West
recently" said welLknown citizen OF
Denver, Col, whom i met IN the st. James
Hotel; "but / don't think there is any
such glorious career before tue young fell
lows who are going into the business as
old Tom Mendenhall has enjoyed.
''He is the man who used TO run the
tomahawk brand UP III Wyoming, and Is
now q big ranchman in Montana and O
rich man. Tom had streak of bad
luck some years ago and had hardly q
dollar in ready money left. His herd
numbered about ten OF twelve hundred
head. aud he did some deep thinking
as TO how he could turn them AT q
profit. BY and by some men came along