The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-12
NEW FORKS 800 JAPANESE.
They Are Prosperous and Arc Divided Into
Four weiI-denned Classes.

Three hundred Japanese reside In New York
city. They do not live together in a colony like
many other foreigners, because they are divided
by their interests into distinct classes, and, in
! addition, they are wealthy enough to be able to
live wherever they please.
or the different classes. the most reserved Is
composed of the Japanese officials and q few
men most intimately associated with them.
This class naturally centres, 10 q considerable
degree, around the Consul, N~aoyemon Hashi-
Guchl. The second class Is made up largely of
the students, mostly young men who have come
TO this country TO learn its ways and many OF
whom arr doing excellent work In colleges.
Then there are the merchants. representatives OF
large japanese business houses. Below these
classes is a sort o. fourth estate, made up OF car
renters, cooks, and Wallets, some or whom make
themselves indispensable on steam yachts.
The Japanese living here are very American
in their ways, and they eagerly adopt American
customs and dress. This is particularly true OF
the students, who dress with great elegance and
wish to appear as swell as the SWEETEST OF their
American college associates. Though so few in
numbers, they are exceedingly active and ener-
getic. They study all sorts OF business enter
prises and search for ideas TO take back 10 their
own country. In the business lines In which
they have already established themselves they
have cut into the trade OF American mer-
'uah'H' Al hlu5tIdliou OF TINS Is the
importing Of silk handkerchief. It was
these handkerchiets. We're made in this
country. Last year there we're imported from
Japan l,2is,74s dozen silk handkerchiefs, val
ned NJ Sl,s90,6+6, aud at present nearly ali Of
these articles come from Japan. Thu statistics
SIX, valued AZ s9,5e4,53., a large proportion OF
tion in the same year there were imported from
Japan lass'SOC pieces of silk goods, valued at
Most of the silk imported by the Japanese is
raw silk, on viii n there Is no duty. This comes
an ana R% a sSa' sn s3S ? ~ .hF tSi feet I i91si two feet wide,
pickle bales. The bales are encased in a coarse
Kind OF Chinese mating. They. weigh 1891
threads twisted into hanks, similar TO hanks OF
yarn. The Japanese merchants, most OF whom
streets, and in the wholesale section OF Broad.
way, sell the raw silk to the American manu-
and then manufacture II in their mills, most OF
which are In Paterson and along the upper west
The Japanese merchants also import large
quantities or tea. Along Broadway are several
snese bric-a-brsc, thousands OF delicately fash
Toned Ians and pieces Of cloth goods, and vases
So aet r nsct am THas u hqt, n fSqag men who like
usually found IN shops discover some queer and
pleasing ones, in, these Japanese stores. The
Japanese are iona OF putting flower designs into
these SCARE. Some OF them are entirely covered
win, tiny chry santhemums. and others have lit
- ma AbAk las lDAI-AHAI Grover.
IN one OF the stores are 10 be found sets Of very
quaint Japanese fairy stories which correspond
IA character 70 the Mother Gocse and the Tar
Ea9y Class. They are profusely Illustrated with
hlghly fanciful and gnoteSQue pictures OfdragOns
ana animal pets. They are printed on very soft
paper, the surface OF which feels 10 the fingers
very much like the soft fuZz inside a chestnut
nIrr. The covers are Decorated with small
Illustrations, and the books are bound with deli
cately colored ribbons. There are no American
chlldren's books like them.
lhe Japanese are now trying 10 form an a.
ISOLATION which shall include all classes Of their
people in this city and Brooklyn. The idea is 10
nave, a club house and courses OF lectures on
social and domestic subjects. and in other ways
70 carry out the main ideas OF an American crib.
Ihey have now a very small and select cIab,
called the Japanese mon, which Is housed al
T21 West Twenty.hfth street. About twenty
japanese are members Of the club. The house |
Is ntted with a billiard table and other
features OF, a typical New York club.
W heneyer the Japanese In the city wish
20, give an Official dinner they give II al
this club house. There they celebrate with A
grand dinner yearly the EmperOr's birthday.
which comes on Nov, 3. This is the only HOLIDAY
they celebrate IN their adopted cuuntry.
lhere are only about twenty japanese ladies |
N the city. The reason OF this small number is |
thAt most OF the men are young bachelors who !
are hers Tor business purposes, and AlsO thai /
lev OF the married men care 20 bring their fam 1
lies over with them Several JapAness stu /
aenU IN the colleges have married Americans /