The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-27
\ CELESTIAL SLUMS.
A HEALTH INSPECTION IN
CHINATOWN.
Cholera's Breeding Grounds and Fevers
Spawning Beds Vile Sights
and Smells Abound

lations as laid down in the Code, and,
of late, has been making raids on
Chinese who were not obeying them.
"Now the first place l will take you
to is the public woshhouse," said the
officer. "Here is the worst cholera
breeder there is in this city. Look
through the cracks in this floor" The
reporter looked through and saw a
mass Of green mud which the tide
could not wash away.
eve are expecting to get new
washhouse soon," said the officer, "but
as it is now we are doing the best we
can. The Board is looking for ways
and means to erect a structure near
the new market at the foot of Alakea
street But the way affairs are now
only about half the laundrymen use
this place as we have no room for any
more"
The stencil that arises from under
and around this washhouse is something
terrible and the waters of the Nuuanu
stream seem to have no effect upon
the mass of Stops that falls through
the floor cracks into it.
The next place visited was Leleo
Lane, just off King street, near the
washhouse Although the Health officer
visits these pest holes every day, it is
almost impossible to get the Chinese,
laps and natives who live in them to
recognize in the least any necessity for
cleanliness. Over sixty eight new cess.
pools have been built in the last few
months and hundreds of ventilator
pipes erected where there were none
before, but it doesn't half fill the BILL
Decdyed poi, the sewage from out
houses and the slops thrown out by in
mates have made the places underneath
some of these tenements simply un
bearable. These places are chiefly
owned by Akana, a Cinnamon.
The next place visited was the no
torious BAY View" resort. This prop.
erty, until lately overhauled by the
health officers, was in disgusting state
1t is under lease to a Chinese procurel
named Sam Kow.
Kekaulike street is another offshoot
from King street and is environed by
some Of the broken. down Chinese ten
ements, the yards of which smell t,
heaven The microbes and bacteria
could be caught floating around in the
air, while the eitluvia was loathsOme
These tencmentS are owned by Low
Chung, of the Wing Wo Tai Co.
Coming through on Maunakea stree
the eye, as well as the nose, is assaileC
by the most loathsome sights and smells
The wash houses and vegetable shop
are rivals as to which can emit tn,
foulest odors, This property is ownec
. by ]. +. Colburn.
! When the officer went into a tene
lment the other day in this locality, h,
. ran across a trap and opened it anC
found cesspool. Lighting a mattel
he threw it into the pool when an ex
+ plosion took place and blue flame
mounted to the roof There are som
, exceptions to the rule of poor building
in this place for +. S. Cunha is puttin
/, up on Maunakea street a one stor
brick block, with plenty of drains ant
cesspools, and he thinks it will pa
better than the old ramshackle builc
=. ings that are around him.
KikihaIe district was next taken il
by the officer This is the resort Of tn
q worst Of Honolulu's submerged classes
Depraved native women without pre-
tentlon Of moral or physical cleanliness
are lying about in one-story white
> washed tenements, disputing possessio
with the NANCY ours that flock aroun
them The outhouses are in the Gus
4 tomary Cape Horn condition and tn
: officer warns the occupants to us
''more lime, which he forces them t
, have continually on hand Ching w
. of the Sing Chong Co, is the principa
owner Of tenements in this district.
On the corner of Smith and Pauah
streets there are a lot of dives that hav
got to be watched continually by tn
officer They are owned by Ho San
o wealthy rice planter at Eva, and A
Aio, a Chinese merchant.
The officer was now approaching tn
sacred precinctsiof Kaumakapili Church
o and quite within its shadow descendin
t a few steps near Nuuanu stream, 0
is Beretania street, he presented to tn
!, reporter an opium den in full blast
= Officer McVeigh had evidently il
= tended this as his last scene, Hel
were fully thirty Cinnamon and native
~ sucking away at the demon pipe rigl
y in the shadow of Kaumakapili Ne;
this place, seated on the ground, W;
an emaciated Chinaman in the la
stages of bcyri beyyi, swollen beyon
recognition
This ended the journey for this da
'r The STAR reporter had seen qui
i enough, and was satisfied,