Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-11-12

had ever met; but perhaps this was
due in a measure to the state of my
feelings, and the fact that their faces
were but dimly seen in the pale gas
light. [ did notice that they were
large-extremely SO for Chinese; each
one towering head and shoulders
above US. They passed US without
speaking, however, and we continued
our journey. Soon we emerged into a
great court, Or open yard surrounded
on all sides by one solid mass CT build
ings, which formed the place into
kind Of square. The buildings reach
ed up several stories in height. The
open court must have covered over
quarter Of an acre of ground. On
every side were entrances, dozens of
them, similar to the one we had just
entered. Those entrances were all
one story below the sidewalk, or pro-
perly speaking, in the basement. Out
of each walk that entered the court
flights of stairways led up into the
rooms above. Hundreds of Chinese
of the very worst type inhabited those
rooms, and that great court, or the
center of it, was used as their kitchen
and sanitary combined. The building
that occupied the center Of the court
was arranged as follows: Reserve a
space, say, twenty by thirty feet. Run
up heavy frame of timbers to the
hight of the other buildings. Parti-
ton each story off into a room, open
on all sides, and surrounded by rail-
ing on the outside. Reserve space
in the center of it for sanitary, and
which could be entered on each side
by small door. Use all of the other
spae for the kitchen. Build combi
nation of stairways running from the
ground up to each story of the center
building, andyou have some faint idea
of that Chinese kitchen and sanitary.
All Of the Chinese living in the lower
easements must use the lower base
ment of the kitchen; those living in
the second story must use the second,
the third the third, and SO on to the
top. Those living upon one fat must
not infringe upon any of the others.
Each fiat can reach their own kitchen
by the suspended horizontal walks, or
from the ground stairway. Hundreds |
of Chinese occupy those kitchens and |
frequently bloody riots take place be- |
tween them. We noticed that the |
ground was covered with broken |
plates, articles Of food, etc, and that
at every entrance leading into the
main buildings was a small kerosene
stove, and dish Of incense burning. |
1t seemed that a riot had occurred
there the week before and until peace
was restored, it was death for any Chi
naman to use or occupy the kitchens.
While the incense was kept burning
each squad could cook at their own
kerosene stove in perfect safety. Soon,
peace would be restored, the incense
and the old order of things
would take place until a similar acct
dent occurred. If any were killed in
those riots their bodies were generally
spirited away unbeknown to the po
lice; neither do the police trouble
themselves to any extent to look, af-
s.a l
ter the culprits. Not a Chinaman was
in sight while we were in the court
the whole population being upon the
streets. That place was the "High-
binder's' home; the head quarters
for the very worst class of cut throats
and murderers there is among the Chi
nese. In those dismal places they
exist, lay their plans, and then branch
out to perform their bloody work.
Their victims are generally chosen
among themselves, Or at least, from
among those of their own flesh and
blood; but an American is not safe to
associate with them alone and unarm-
ed. We did not go into any OF their
rooms as the guide did not deem it
prudent; neither were they unlike to
those we had already visited. Having
net the Cinnamon as we entered, the
detective thought best to exit by an
other crooked passage out upon diff
ferent street, after which, thankful
that the trip was safely ended, we re-
turned to our hotel.
TO BE CONTINUED.