St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-07
A REGAL OPIUM Den.
Graphic and Interesting Description Of a
Club House Frequented by
the SweIIs.
The Vice Increasing at an Alarming
Rate Among the People Of
England.
Handsome Women and Titled Men
Among the Fiends Who Hit the Pipe
in London.

London Correspondence Pittsburg Dispatch.
1t was but a few years ago that opium
smoking in London was vice known
only to the very few in the West End,
or to the lowest slumS of Ratliffe high
way or Whitechapel in the East Eud.
People read about it and talked about
it, but few practiced it. and those who
took the drug at all took it in pills, and
did not shit the pipe" But within the
last few years this has all changed, and
not only have opium joints increased in
the East End, but the peTnicious habit
has taken root IN the aristocratic quar-
tiers of the West End, and, Judging from
what | saw the other evening, it will
have taken such hold upon its votaries
that all the crusades in the world will
fail to much more than mitigate the
evil They say that once an opium fiend
always an opium fiend, and that the
craving for the drug is greater than for
drink.
The effects of opium are, think,
worse, if possible, than the effects of
drink. The latter is bad enough, in all
conscience, but have seen some awful
to ay,however, Il cannot call to mind any
very bad subjects among what l may
term "high-class hitters of the pipe"
The SvvelIs as Smokers.
have been around the joints in San
Francisco. Chicago, New York and
other large cities, as we'll as in China,
sights that it would require the pen of
nj IN ut Init in oil fhncp
there are as we'll swell opium joints,
and there the sights are not so bad.
Perhaps the miserable objects one sees
dreaming their lives away in the hunks
of the lower dens have graduated from
the better places; but have known of
men smoking opium for years and being
comparatively free from any evil eff
fects. But, in the long run, they say
it always masters either man or wom-
an, and they become its slave.
had no idea until the other day that
hitting the pipe was ever practiced
among the upper ten in London. How
came to find it out was through talk
ing to an oil globe trOtter like myself
at the club the other evening with ref
erences to the looks of young Lord A,
young man who recently came into
his title and vast estates.
I1C IOOkS do IL llS udu UGCil ulbbiIS G1lc
pipe" said |, "but | suppose that is an
unknown vice in London"
Regular Opium Joint.
"Far from it," was the reply. "They
not only hit the pipe, but do it in style
I can only characterize as regal. With
in the last few years drinking has been
voted as bad form with certain set,
but as set-off they have gone in for
hitting the pipe. They keep it very
quiet. but the secrecy of the thing adds
to the zest. Stolen pleasures, you
know. The SWEETEST Joint in the world
was opened about a month ago not two
miles from where we are now. Lord
A. there is one of its supporters, and,
as you know him, you ought to get him
to take you there.
II certainly WILL" replied. Shortly
afterward / found myself i'll converse
ton with young Lord A. There is
peculiar freemasonry among opium
smokers all the world over, and although