The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-05
A JAPANESE CLUB.
The People From the Land Of the Mikado
| Do Well in Gotham.

The People From the Land of the Mikado
Do Well In Gotham.
Over in Chambers street there is
rather dingy-looking office on the
second floor of an old-fashioned build.
ing, which is too conservative to have
an elevator in it.
1t you climb the stairs and cast your
eye upon one of the doors opening into
the office in question you may see
notice on it setting forth that within is
the Japanese Consulate, Most persons
pass it by without paying any attention,
for in the minds of majority of New
Workers the Japanese contingent in
this city represents but little in point
OF numbers or in any other way. That
is where the majority of New Workers
are in error.
Should you happen to be in this same
Japanese Consulate on many occasions
one thing will strike you very forcibly.
No ragged person ever comes into it,
unless, indeed, it be one of the race of
peripatetic beggars who visit every
downtown Office. No one comes into
this consulate wanting to be assisted in
getting away from this land of the free
and home of the brave because it has
failed to provide him with living.
Probably there is no other consulate in
this city of which the same can be said.
Probably, too, there is no class of people
In our heterogeneous population who
are quite as prosperous, comparatively
speaking, as the Japanese who are To-
Gated here. And yet but little is known
OF them, for they have a wonderful
faculty of attending to their own BUSH
ness, and doing it in an unobtrusive
way.
For the last decade or so the number
of Japanese in New York has been con-
stantly increasing, and now the colony
is very good-sized one. What is more,
it is made up of men of more than mod
crate means.
Few races, not English speaking,
have shown greater inclination to adopt
American customs than have the jap
anese who have located in this city.
They dress and talk like Americans;
they attend our theaters and mingle in
our society, and in every way they seem
to assimilate themselves with the condi-
tions that surround them. Unlike the
Chinese and other nationalities, they
have not settled in any particular 10
cality, but are scattered throught it
this city and Brooklyn. Pleasant and
satisfactory neighbors they make, too
The New York Japanese have their
club house, however. It is good
sized dwelling on West Twenty-second
street, between Sixth and Seventh ave-
nues. Handsomely fitted up with both
Japanese and American furniture it is,
and as for treasures in bric-a-brac this
particular club house is way ahead of
many swell American club houses. 1t
goes without saying. almost, that there
may be had such tea as can be had in no
other club house or cafe in all Now
York. The club has a Japanese cook.
It's library is we'll filled with Japan
csc books and its reading-room tables
are freighted with Japanese newsra-
pers. There are receptions on the an
niversaries of the birthday of the Japan
csc Emperor and on such other occa-
sions as may be decided upon. Nearly
all the Japanese in this city belong to
the club, and it is about as we'll man
aged an organization as there is in the
city.
1t is stated that there is not Japan
csc pauper in New York, and that, "a a
matter of fact, there are very few who
do not possess at least moderate means.
IN. Y. Mail and Express,