The record-union., 1891-08-19
CHINATOWN.
The Health officials Make an Exam
ination of the Quarters.
Unbearable Filth Discovered - The
Place Found to be in Very I'm
sanitary Condition.

That the Chinese in general are an I'M
clean and filthy race of people is certainly
evident to all who have ever had the mis-
fortune to examine the quarters inhab-
tied by the natives of the Flowery King
dom in this city.
Yesterday afternoon Sanitary and
Building Inspector Starr, Plumbing In
spector l.. w. Mahoney and couple of
reporters made an examination of the
half block between Second and Third on
the south side of street, and found the
sanitary condition of the block about as
bad as it was year ago, when the Chi
nese quarters were inspected.
The floors Of the houses on Il level with
the sidewalk are kept free from rubbish
and decaying matter, as Il general rule,
but the
LAZY HEATHENS
Seem to think that their houses are clean
enough so long as they remove the offal
from sight. Entertaining this idea Of
cleanliness, they sweep the swill from
their kitchens into the back yards, allow
the contents of their vaults in many in
stances 10 run into the few dark cellars
that are uninhabited and there settle and
sipe through the ground, permit the
ANtiAISo II jill biIC OIl1liIl pipes III INC uil-
foreground denS to JCrvade the entire
promises, and in fact tolerate almost any
stencil just as long rs they think the
health authorities viii permit.
1t Is not often that one Chinaman viii
complain OF the condition of another
house, but yesterday the officials were
accosted by one of the heathenS who made
quite an earnest remOnstrance against the
condition Of the cellar of All adjoining
Shanty. The waste from the vault had
been permitted to run over the ground 10
such an extent that it siped through q
brick wall and ran ont on TO the floor OF
the complaining Chinaman's house. The
stencil was sitting, and the inspecting
party were compelled to hold their breath
Whilc they made rapid exit from the
filthy place.
SICK ENING OPIUM DEES.
In cellars underneath the sidewalk
dozens of half-dazed Cinnamon were
found reclining on hunks in dark, dinry
rooms reserved for opium smoking. The
OGOr WOuld have rendered an ordinary
human being sensoless in Il very few
minutes, but the lazy opium smokers lay
there for hours putting at their pipes or
sleeping OFF the effects ofthe deadly drug.
The houses Of prostitution were found
to be inhabited by a dozen or more
comely young Chinese girls, their ages
ranging from ID to Is years. They were
closely watched by the Chinese proprie-
tors OF the dens and appeared to realize
little the horrible life OF slavery they
were leading.
The tables III the rooms whore the tan
games are run were swept clean of the
paraphernalia by the time the officials
reached those quarters, and the party
were very soon convinced Of the dilIi-
culfies q police officer has to overcome in
IaIdlng one OF the places. There are
stalrcases leading to the cellars from
every corner OF the rooms. Several doors
barricade the front entrance and the rear
door IS braced by heavy timbers that
would resist the united efforts of dozen
men to break them III.
GETTING TO WORK.
Mr.. Starr made notes of the different
houses where filth was found and served
notices, written III the Chinese language.
on the prOprietOrs, inStructing them to
remove the Objectionable matter under
penalty of being brought before court
within ten days. The owners of the
houses We're also ordered to whitewash
the kitchens and fences IL the yards and
to properly dispose OF the contents OF the
vaults.
Plumbing Inspector Mahoney ex
amined all of the drains and sinks. and
viii submit a report to the Board of
Health. In the entire block he found but
six sinks that were provided with traps.
and only very few properly constructed
vaults. He intends to describe how they
should be put i'll and to compel the resi-
dents to have the work done as he di-
rCcts.
The block between Third and Fourth
streets VIII be examined to-day