The record-union., 1891-10-14
AN HOUR In CHINATOWN.
How it Was Spent by the Mayor and
One Trustee.
Investigating the Sanitary Condition
of That Quarter - What a Re-
porter Saw and Heard.

The members of the Board of Health
and the Board of City Trustees were to
have met yesterday morning for the pur-
pose of accompanying Sanitary and
Building Inspector Starr and Plumbing
Inspector Mahoney on tour of inspec-
ton of the Chinese quarter, to see what
had been done there by the Health De-
partment in the way of sanitary work.
The Mayor had made charges that Mr..
Starr was not doing his duty, and the
latter had asked that the Trustees and
members of the Board of Health take the
trouble to see whether or not there was
any foundation for the charge.
The only officials who put in an appear
ance ct the appointed time were Messrs.
Starr and Mahoney, Mayor Comstock
and Trustee Mclaughlin, and these gen
tlemen, accompanied by reporters, made
a rather hasty inspection of the premises
on the south side of l street, from Fifth to
Second.
1t was not long after the party started
before the Chinese all along the line be-
gan to come out with brooms and rakes
and commenced to clean up what rubbish
there was in the yards. The Mayor noted
this fact, but was informed that the in
" y
whenever they heard that any of the
officials were likely to come prying
around looking for nuisances. The yards
in general were found to have been we'll
swept, and in many places an improve
ment was noticed. Several new vaults of
the latest pattern were being put in by
Mr.. Starr's order, and considerable
whitewashing had been done.
Some open vaults were inspected and
closets were found to be unelean, but Mr..
Starr declared that only week before
they were cleaned. He reminded the
Mayor that the Board of Health had
asked the Trustees to pass an ordinance
forbidding the construction of open
vaults, but he (the Mayor had voted
against it.
The tramp was a little too much for
Trustee Mclaughlin, but by some urg-
ing he was induced to stay with the
party.
'.These are worse than old Slaughter's
rookeries," said the Major ''The whole
thing ought to be condemned as a
nuisance, but don't suppose we can go
that far. l don't see how Starr keeps
these Cinnamon cleaning up as we'll as he
does. Pm satisfied, from what Eve seen,
that there has been good deal of work
done. In fact, l guess there has been
more done in the last year than ever be-
fore. You couldn't make these fellows
keep their premises clean continually
unless you had man for each house."
After the exploring party had con-
cluded its jaunt, the Mayor and Mr.. Starr
had a somewhat heated debate at Second
and l streets. The Mayor declared that
he had seen some decaying vegetable
matter III a yard near Fifth and / streets
last Friday.
Mr.. Starr said this was undoubtedly
SO, and if he the Mayor would call
around at the same place tomorrow he
ind lot, ,N4s.t ,1s.. = Il
some matter in every block in town that
ought to be removed. He did not pre-
tend to keep Chinatown clean every day.
nor did he think he could visit every
alley and block in town in a day He
simply knew that he had ordered the
work done, and it was being attended to
as rapidly as possible.
But you're against me anyway, May
OF, said Mr.. Starr, YOU'RE down on
me for some reason or other, and every
time you get a chance you have the news
papers tell the public ! am not doing my
duty. But think I've really convinced
you that you We're wrong and did not
really know the condition of China
town before l started in to have it
cleaned up. Because you saw some dirty
yards, 1t does not go to show that / am
idle"
f.. The Mayor listened to Mr.. Starr. and
replied that what he saw he saw, and the
teo. he also knew of a whole lot of bad
awnings that ought TO come down.
Mr.. Starr insisted that the matter of
awnings had nothing to do with the con
dition OF the yards in Chinatown If the
Mayor chose TO prefer charges to the eff
feet that he Starr was not looking after
the awnings properly. he was ready to be
examined on that subject.
And let me tell you right here" said
Mr.. Starr, that you at one time did not
think there was anything for a Sanitary
and Building Inspector to do. You did
not think such an Office was necessary,
and you voted against eXpending any
money in that direction"
The Mayor informed Trustee Nc
Laughlin and Mr.. Starr that he was not
ready TO proceed with the investigation
unit! he could look up some other mat
ters. but Trustee Mclaughlin wanted to
get through with the matter, and Mr..
Starr announced that he proposed to be
on hand this evening with his witnesses
at the time set by the board.
The Mayor said he guessed he would
be there, too, bat would probably not be
ready, and he bade the party adieu
A SCREAMING FARCE