Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-08
NEW YORK'S CHINA TOWN.
JOSS HOUSES, GAM BLING
ROOMS AND FILTH.
rhe pig Tailed Heather" Lead y life or
Careless Abandon and Evident Enjoy
meat and Acrumul.trS Much
Good ..Melican'' Money.

or all the settlements of foreigners
in New York-and there arc many OF
them-the most picturesque is the
Chinese quarter. The Acknowledged
children of the sun are. it IS true.
scattered all over The city and its sub
urbs, to tho number OF more than
eight thousand. 1t is hard TO find !
any neighborhool where there are ,
no Chinese laundries. for they seem to
have taken to that business almost |
exclusively in this part OF the country. |
Nevertheless they have a sort OF head
quarters in the neighborhood which |
they have taken for their own. and
here goes on all the traffic no incou-
siderable volume which they have
among themselves. Here are their
temples, their oambling-houses, and
their opium dcns, all under the same
roof in some instances. Here are
their restaurants. their grocery stores.
their society rooms QOr every China
man belongs to society. their mu-
nicipal government (for they have one
OF their OWN, their professional peo-
pie, their artisans. and their bankers.
Here are several great Chinese i'm
porting houses. and here are the
homes OF many OF them who could
afford to live on Fifth avenue if they
choose to do 1t. AS to any one OF
these u long aud interesting chapter
might be written. but we are now con-
siderng tho colony as a whole.
1t IS not a hcalthful, an inviting,
nor 4 beautiful place which we are
studying. On the contrary, it is
squalid in appearance, rickety. old
and ill-p,eservod us to its buildings.
badly kept Us to its streets. and at the
first glance seeming like the haunt OF
despair;ng poverty. 1t has, however.
two advantages which, to the mind Of
the Monaghan, outweigh tho disad-
easy Of access by the principal routes
of travel from all directions, and the
rents are cheaper than they would be
likely to get in any other neighbour
hood equally accessible. The China
man does not come to America to
spend money, especially in rents. He
comes to accumulate.
The neighborhood which they have
appropriated is small, comprising only
about three city blocks in Mott anG
Pell streets just out OF chatham
Square, but their ideas about space are
those which obtain in all the crowded
tenement districts OF the city. ant
some thousands of them are to be fount
here night and day. No exact state
ment OF numbers is possible, for the.
are suspicious and secretive. and TAXI
refuge in their ignorance. either rea
or pretended, of the English language
when questioned by the ''Melca
man." Moreover, this is the pleasur
, resort of all those who live and wor
elsewhere. When work is slack. Q
they feel inclined for holiday, the
, seek their companionship and thei
p designations in tho company OF the
> compatriots. Here. too. they worship
:. naively seeking the aid and comfol
i Of their religion whether they are Der
4 on business or debauchery.
IS They have built one house only
y renting all the others they occupy
This one Is large double tenemeu
0 house OF ordinary New York fashion
and in it, us said above. are tempt,
: shops, homes. and gambling al
- opium dens. On every house in tt
:, district. however. arc the queer-loo
y ing signs, hiero-glyphically illegib
8 to the Caucasian. which indicate tt
10 business carried on within. The Wis
W of the street with these projectin
70 signs. handsome and grotesque Ia
u terms. and queer tinsel ornament
hung out apparently for decoration
20 only. is SO quaint as to be bswilderiu
y. to the average New-Yorker, who h
Is not studied the queer sides OF the cit