The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-05

He was in his shirt-sleeves, and his shoes
were at the foot of the bed. There was
very little ventilation in the room, and
the atmosphere was sitting for a novice.
This is my third dose to-day" said the
man on the bed. 'I'm a moderate smoker
but III take enough this time to get the
full effect"
"He smokes seventy-five pills day.
said the young man, through whose inf1u-
! ences we had gained access to the room.
He has the worst kind of habit"
AT 633 California street four women were
found smoking in one room. Two of them
were stretched out on the bed putting at
the long bamboo pipes and filing the room
with hay, sickening atmosphere. An
other girl was on the floor, her head rest
ing on an old valise laid sideways. The
fourth inmate, much older and more bag
gard and glassy-eyed than the others, was
not smoking, but acting as an attendant
for the others.
Evidently she was the owner of the clay
outs" An effort was made to get her
name and find out something about her
Everybody in the house disclaimed all
knowledge of her, however and only po-
icemar's star could have made the in
mates talk.
There's no room for you'se gents to
smoke here" she said, as we pushed open
the door and pressed into the room.
said the "fend" who acted as guide
Lizzie proved to be the tall girl on the
floor. They exchanged few whispered
words and then the visitors had to go out,
and the old woman bolted the door at once
An effort was made to get into some of
the other rooms in the house. Walking
along the Railways one could smell the
fumes of the dope" coming from almost
every door, but the ''fend" himself proved
unequal to the task of gaining admittance.
When he knocked on a door a drowsy
voice would call out:
"Who's there?"
"It's -. | want to see you a moment"
Sometimes one of the inmates would
recognize the voice and the name, but be
would open the door cautiously, and upon
seeing the strangers would grow suspicious.
b On the south side OF Pine street, Just
above Dupont is big lodging house that
shelters perhaps hundred or more of the
'hends." Almost any one who knows of
the place and has desire for the indul-
gence can satisfy his craving or curiosity
there.
The house is frequented by set of
harples that prey on unsophisticated men.
And the men are robbed while under the
influence of the drug. These cases are of
frequent occurrence, not only at this
house but several others in the neighbor-
hood. Sometimes an arrest is made-more
often not-but those who have the proper
pull escape the tolls of the police courts
easily enough.
On the southeast corner of Dupont and
Pine streets is saloon, known den for
"hends. In stuffy back room a dozen
or more hop heads" can be found every
night.
None of these pictures are overdrawn.
On the contrary, care has been taken to
state only the essential facts. Nor have
all the facts been given. They could not
be given in a newspaper.
These places are all unlawful, as fair
reading of the laws already quoted will
prove. These laws have been tested in the
Supreme Court and found valid. To a
most dangerous extent these laws are not
enforced in San Francisco.
Through typographical error in The
CALL yesterday morning, zoos Stockton
street was given in the list OF resorts in
Chinatown where white men and women
smoke opium. The number should have
been 1005N. Mrs. Cum Yuk keeps the
former house. which is not known as an
opium den, but as law-abiding place.