The herald., 1894-12-23

lump in the bowl of the pipe and put.
ting the stem to his lips fills his lungs
with one long draft, II may take three
draughts, or it may take 10, before the
stupor overtakes him.
Half way down Ferguson alley. be-
tween Los Angeles street and Alameda,
ON the right hand side, was the fret
place visited. A little landing is built
along the street here in the front OF the
building, and the front door from this
leads into a Chinese store. 1t was late
in the plight when the visit was made
and the place was dark. A sentry stood
outside. Passing through the store the
reporter found himself in O narrow hall-
way. Down this few steps door
leads off to the left, opening into room
not more than 10 feet square. The
place is an opium joint. but cleaner
than most such places.
A platform or couch. two feet above
the floor, occupies more than half the
room. This couch is intended for two
smokers. 1t is covered with ordinary
mating. and next the wall is pillow
for two made of wood and uncovered.
1t matters not to the smoker whether
his head rests on q pillow of down or on
rock.
The layout is ready in the center OF
the couch. The small lamp, covered
with O glass globe. is lighted and placed
upon the tray. The bamboo pipe. sil-
ver-mounted. 10 alongside and the
needles and horn and sponges near by.
The layout is complete.
A smoker lies upon the couch in a
deep stupor Chinaman wrinkled and
emanciated, aged aud hideou5. The
proprietor of the den eits in the corner
awaiting another victim. The reporter
gets cold reception from him. The
room WAS very bare and reeked OF the
fumes of opium.
The place 10 not fair sample of the
average opium den in Chinatown. In
the corner of the same building up one
fight of stairs is a Chinese house OF
prostitution where an opium
joint is also kept which is far more filthy
and vile, though the description of one
will do for all in the arrangement OF the
room. In the basement of the building
an other den was found.
A barber shop is in front and the win.
dow which looks out of the back Of this,
Closed by heavy wooden bars, hides one
OF the worst opium dens in Chinatown.
The reporter had just a glance at the
interior of this den. The little lamp on
the smokers tray afforded all the light
there was in the place. Stretched on
the couch were two forms. one that of
Chinaman, the other white woman.
Both were in a deep stupor, apparently.
Apablssa street, which runs from
Alameda street east, contains the heart
of Chinatown. On either side OF this
street, for a distance of two blocks,
opium smoking joints are numerous and
filthy. In front may be store. a res.
taurant or barber shop. Somewhere
about the place will be room where
opium is smoked.
A state law makes it a misdemeanor
for any person to keep a room where
people come to smoke opium. or to keep
or exhibit to Gny person any instru-
meuts. tools or paraphernalia for smok-
ing opium. There is no law to prevent
q person from smoking 1t.
The city has an ordinance which
makes it misdemeanor for any person
to keep a den, or for any person to visit
q den. Neither law has mnch, If any,
effect. Convictions for either offense
have been very few in this city, and OF
late arrests have been very few.