davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

nese undertaker's, Man Fook On, at 724 Pacific
street. The poor dying heather was yanked
out of the wagon and carried up narrow
passage and into room tn the rear of the un-
dertaker's shop The stencil that greeted our
nostrils as the door opened was simply sicken-
ing. 1t was smell suggestive of decomposing
human flesh and musty bones. The wagon
quickly deposited its burden and hurried off.
We pushed our way into the dismal den. A
mummy-faced object hlinked in the light of
the open door and evidently objected to our
visit. The sick man was Leung All Suey, a
Hoy Ping man, and this was the deadhouse of
the Hop Woh Company. On one side was
coffin and on either side were trestle BEDS one
of which contained the sick man, almost
within touch OF corpse. We lighted candle
that was on the table and lifted the coffin
lid with a flesh creeping sensation. Inside
was a dead Chinaman, his face as black
as q coal. The coffin was stuffed with paper
clothes and other articles supposed to be
needed by the deceased in the world of shades
The adjoining room was filed with boxes con-
tanning the bones of Chinese belonging to the
Hop Woh Company that had been exhumed in
different burial grounds, some having come
from the Eastern states all scraped, washed,
sorted and labeled ready for shipment to
China, where they would receive proper inter
ment in the sepulchers of their fathers, and
where those Buddhist and Taoist masses would
be said and sacrifices offered to secure their
peace in the other world.
Some imaginative Chinese boys declare they
can hear these bones rattle every midnight.
Several other charnel-houses were in the same
alley, the one next door south belonging to the
Ming Yeung Company and one next door north
belonging to the Kong Chau Company. These
other doors were locked, but judging from the
stencil that poured through broken window
of the Kong Chou ossuary worse horrors were
inside than those already described.
In the basement of the undertakers on Pa
cifc street was another row of these chambers
of peace" Several collins were here, and
amidst scenes of death was another sick man
groaning upon q bed. An old woman kept the
place, who made her living by waiting upon
the sick and acting as a professional waller
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
CHIEF CROWLEY'S THANKS
He Writes a Warm Letter of
Appreciation to DR.. Thomas
Filben.
No Communication Received During
His Term of Service Had So
Encouraged Him.

Dr. Thomas Filben is one of the warmest
admirers of Chief Crowley and his policy
He wrote letter of coincidence and praise
to that official on Monday, in response to
which he received the following yesterday
OFFICE CHIEF OF POLICE, I
SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 1896.
Rev. Thomas Fil5en, DID,, Pastor First NJ. f.
Church-MY DEAR SIR: Your very kind and
sympathetic letter was handed TO me last even
ing.
The expressions of consolation for the loss OF
my son were such as only a father and friend
could give expression to. Couched in such
language as you have written them nnd II
difficult to convey my feelings in return.
During my many years of public service as
sure YOU have never received any commune
cation which has afforded me SO much pleas
ure and encouragement, ana, coming from one
who has been so thoroughly identified with re-
form work in our City as you, your words OF
confidence in my administration and the
effective aid you and yours have received from
the Police Department in your labors in rela-
ton to the work of reform now in hand are
such as not only encourage an official in the
discharge of his duties, but they, moreover,
tend to smooth the roughness met with in the
paths of the journey of life.
In conclusion, desire to assure you that my
endeavors in the future, whether in IN official
capacity or that of a citizen, shall always be
on the side of good, government; and at all
times do n ot hesitate to call on me for assist.
ance in the work of you and your associates.
If at any time such assistance should not be
as effectual as should be desired, / will deem II
a favor if you will communicate with me, and
If it is within the possibilities the remedy will
be applied to your entire satisfaction:
Again thanking you for your kind words oi
sympathy, confidence and encouragement,
remain, very respectfully,
P. CROWLEY, Chief of Police.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

least inclined to be astonished by the ordl-
nary shadowy pictures of the Mongolian
labyrinths.
1t isthat kind of picture which de-
mands adjectives in its description, and no
adjective synonymous with CHASTITY, hor-
rible, awful will be too strong for its de-
tails.
1t is the picture of the dying and the
dead huddled side by side in one room,
and that room of filth and gloom and
squalor, room of ghosts and grinning
skeletons, of rotting human flesh and tor
turing souls of men suffering more ago
MES before death than Dante conjured up
for the lost souls after death.
These are the Chinatown morgues, or
hospitals, and deadhouses combined. They
are little rooms at the end of long, foul
alleys, where those who are dead and
those who are dying lie together until
their friends ship their dry bones back to
China for burial. There are several of
these places in Chinatown. Primarily
they are Chinese undertakers, but those
who are dying and poor are hauled there
as soon as they become helpless and left
alone in the cham Der of horrors until they.
too, become corpses.
Aside from the gruesome horrors of
these dens, there is also a sanitary con-
sideration involved. Christian people
will shudder at the inhumanity of the
spectacle, and perhaps steps will be taken
to lesson the tortures of the dying Chinese
pauper.
Bat if human sympathy and sentiment
should not be strong enough there is the
aloud for the abatement of such nuisance
as the Chinatown pesthouses. The Board
of Health should act, and doubtless will
when the whole truth is known to them.
The CALL has had the matter carefully
and thoroughly investigated by one of the
best authorities on Chinatown in the CITY.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

over the dead, her lamentations being regu-
lated by the amount of money paid her. Far
ther up the street, at 74O Pacific street, was
the deadhouse of the Yam Wo1 or Hakka Com
pany, where great hullabaloo was going on
A dead Chinaman was being boxed up while
a Taoist priest was droning forth his liturgies.
On the floor surrounding the coffin were fam
ing wax tapers and several plates of sacrific;al
meats, including rice, chicken and crab,
offered TO appease the dead mans ghost
At742 Pacific street was another deadhouse.
bearing the sign Tseng Yeong Sho
or ''Quiet Nursing Place" of the
Yeong Wah Company. Here again was
the same dismal hole of squalor, with
beds for the dying and cofins for the dead.
Dying Chinese who have no friends to take
care of them are invariably brought to these
horrible abodes to breathe their last breath,
lonely and forsaken. AS long as Chinanan
is likely to recover, his clansmen will provide
him with bed and food and medical at
tendance in the homes of the living.
But woe to the patient who is without
blood relations When the native doctor gives
him up. the news spreads. The landlord and
fellow-tenants get alarmed and clamor for his
removal. The room of dying Chinaman Is
supposed to be filed with devils; the tables
and chairs and beds utter mysterious sounds,
which fill the superstitious mind with horror.
There are certain ceremonies which are said TO
drive off these diabolical visitors, but they
cost money, and no one will go to this ex-
pense on behalf of stranger. The landlord is
alarmed at the prospect of general exodus OF
his tenants and an empty, haunted house on
his hands. death happening in his rooms
is sufficient TO put his house in ceremonial
quaran tine for twelve months. The dying man
must be packed off. Where? No hospital in
San Francisco will take him in.
few years ago the Chinese merchants
raised large fund to erect hospital. Plans
were drawn up and submitted to the City
authorities, but for some reason the Chinese
were not permitted to build Large sums OF
money are su bscribed by missionary societies
to erect hospitals in China, but there is
no place in the Christian City of San
Francisco where a sick and friendIess China
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
IN THE THIRD DISTRICT.
Committeeman VIII Meet In This
City Saturday to Decide on
Procedure.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
908 Broadway. March 3.

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
908 Broadway, March 5. !
The new Third Congressional District
Com mittee will meet next Saturday in
San Francisco to decide whether or not
primaries shall be called or whether ward
clubs shall appoint the delegates. The
new committee was appointed by the
State committeeman from the various
counties, who concluded that there was no
Congr essional district committee in exist
ence and so they appointed themselves.
There is much doubt as to what became of
the last comm ittee. According to some a
resolution was passed at the last district
convention deciding that the chairmen OF
the different county committees should
constitute the Congressional committee
for the purpose OF preserving its existence
till its.services should be again required.
There was some doubt as to whether
this applied to the individual chairmen
or was intended to apply to their sue
cessors. Several of the county commit
tees were reorganized and the Congress
sional committee was lost sight of. Dur
ing his last campaign Hilborn appointed
an auditing committee, in accordance with
the purity of election law, and this was
the only committee known to be in exist
ence. This was ignored by the State Gen.
tral committeeman from the Third District,
and they appointed themselves. This is
the view taken by Editor Frank A. Leach,
but he is not certain of the meaning or
scope of the resolution appointing the
county chairmen.
The new committee met after the State
Central Committee last Saturday and ap-
pointed Z. X. Taylor of Alameda as
chairman and Senator Guy G. Earl as Sec
retary. 1t was decided not to discuss
whether or not a primary should be called,
as there was not full attendance, so an
adjournment was taken to Senator EarPs
office, 532 Market street, when the ques-
ton will be decided.
George Morrow, one of the com mlttee-
men, was seen tonight at Temes cal. $50
far as we know" said Committee man Nor
row, there was not any Congressional
committee in the Third District. If there
is one there is not the slightest possibility
of it making any opposition in the face OF
the action taken last Saturday. There is a
difference of opinion about the calling OF
primaries. some want them and others
do not. / favor open primaries
for this county, but l do not
know how my colleagues stand. Some
CT the committeeman may desire that
the ward clubs appoint the delegates, and
it will probably be left to the discretion o1
the State committeeman in each county
There is absolutely no dispute as to the
legality of our existence as the Third Con.
gressional District Committee. / might
say, also, that / do not think we shall
again nominate Mr.. Hilborn."
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

The gentleman is well known for his char
liable work, especially in the Chlnese
quarter. and it is merely for the sake OF
not retarding his usefulness IN THIS olrec-
ton that his name is omitted here.
Itmay be obtained, however, by any
City official or member OF the Board OF
Health who doubt the correctness OF the
facts as stated. Recently this gentleman,
accompanied by CALL reporter, made
tour of Chinatown for the purpose OF To-
eating and visiting these "Cham bers OF
Tranquility" as the denizens OF the quar-
ter call them The report of their lnvestl-
cations is given in the formers words as
follows:
It is time the attention of the Board of
Health was called to those chambers of hor-
rors on Pacific street, euphemistically called
Tai Peng Fong-"ehambers OF tranquil
itv." OF all the denominations of pest1-
lence-breeding holes in that malodor-
Gus quarter these charne-houses are
the climax No wonder q Chinaman buries
his face in his sleeve and gets move on
as he passes by at night. He smell ghosts.
We visited these ghoulish novels few days
ago. Passing down Jackson street we stopped
to watch a sick Chinaman being carried out OF
a basement ana dumped Win III MS oeioiis
ings into an express-wagon.
"Wha' fo so fashion?" I inquired OF the
Chinese inmates, already beaming with salts
faction at having rid themselves OF disagree
able burden.
"Oh,'' said one fellow, che ALA same tramp,
he no b'long my take care, send IN to hospi-
tai" We pondered awhile over this reply. A
hospital IN Chinatow1 Where could 1t be ?
Who ever heard of such place? The driver
whipped up his horse, and the wagon started
off at quick pace, the poor wretch inside
vainly endesvoring to steady himself while
being ratified over the rough eobblestones.
Only Chinese tramp.
Rattle his bones over the stones
He's only pauper that nobody owns"
Curious to know where this so-called Chinese
hospital was situated, we started Off on run
to follow the wagon. 1t halted near the CHI
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

what l want to see is the party
harmoniZed and successful. The trouble
now is that few men are trying to
run the party in the interests of the rail-
road and Doodle. They are getting Mar
tin Kelly to help them. I've known that
man twenty-five years, and l know that
he has always been an unprincipled
loafer and trickster. | am sure that this
committee will do anything it can do
honestly and fairly to produce harmony
and to give every voter in the party an
equal voice and vote in its affairs
1t was lntimated yesterday by friends of
Senator Mahoney and Martin Kelly that
the proxy OF Supervisor e. G. Hughes,
voted by John 7. Dare at the meeting
night before last at $50 Market street, was
not entirely regular itself. Mr.. Hughes
put an effective quietus on those indefi-
mite hints.
Yes, gave my proxy to John T. Dare,'
he declared last evening, land l am sure
he made proper use of 1t. All know
about the proceedings of the meeting I
have learned from the papers, and do
not care to discuss the situation, but I GER
tainly would not give my proxy to any.
body whom | could not trust to make
proper use of it. l gave my proxy in good
faith, believe it was voted in good faith,
and everything is all right as far as 1 am
concerned
The victory of John D. Spreckels in be-
half of political decency and over the rail-
road tricksters has won for him many new
political friends, many congratulations
and many new supporters of his political
leadership. On the other hand, many
Republicans interested in the success and
good name of the party have this week
renounced and condemned the factional
manlpulators whose methods have been
so early exposed and who have started in
to drag the local party through the mire
to G. P. Huntington's feet.
Thomas w. Chandler of the Forty fifth
district was one who yesterday reversed
his political affiliations, condemned the
methods Of the railroad faction and gave
his adherence to the methods and prin-
ciples advocated by John D. Spreckels.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
VERSATILE SPEDON.
Clever Sketches and Impersonations at
the Young Mems Christian
Association.

S. NJ. Spedon discounted the majority of
popular entertainers.
His vivid imagination, his versatility
and his huency greatly pleased large
audience at the Young Mems Christian
Association last evening.
He opened the evenings entertainment
with clever crayon sketches of types like
the street-corner philosopher, the matt
nee girl with cartwheel hat, the bicycle
girl and the dude. He explained and
illustrated the methods by which news
papers are illustrated. This was followed
by clever skeIch of Mount Hood and
vicinity, after which he drew his concep-
ton OF the Venezuela situation, and ended
the series of pictures with fine marine
scene, "The Midnight Arrival"
He gave some good presentations of q
society favorite of the masculine gender, an
old gentleman who had attended services
at fashionable church, ana some National
characteristics.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
Alice Edith Blythe Arrested.
OFFICE CHIEF OF POLICE,

Alice Edith Blythe, who was claimant in
the Blythe estate as the widow of the de.
cedent, was arrested on Turk street last night
by Policeman Livingston for being drunk.
She was very abusive toward the police.
man, and he charged her with using
was arrested for being drunk, and at that time
friend had her placed in the Home for
Inebriates. She has been arrested at different
times on the same charge.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
CHASTITY DENS
IN CHINATOWN.
Where the Dying and the
Dead Inhabit the Same
Quarters.
THE TAI PENG FONG.
Mongolian DeadhouseS Where
Paupers Are Sent to Die in
Horror.
CHAMBERS OF TRANQUILITY"
Morgue and Hospital in 0ne-Interior
Views of Some Chinese Under
takers Shops.
CHAMBERS OF TRANQUILITY"

Chinatown has dark, tragic picture
upon which the white light OF publicity
has never before been flashed. 1t is so
dark, so CHASTITY in its details that the
most daring Chinatown guide never dares
show it to bis best patrons, or to those
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
Bush-Street Temple.

Rabbi Fryer will deliver his first German lee
ture at the Bush-street Temple tomorrow
morning. 1t promises to be a treat. Services
commence at 10 O'Clock. The public is cor
daily invited TO attend.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

COLONEL ANDREWS is still selling sterling
silver at 95 cents per ounce and diamonds at
25 per cent below cost. Store to rent and ele-
CANT fixtures for sale. Diamond Palace, 221
Montgomery street,
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
NEW TO-DAY.

When any part Of,
the body isn't doing
the work that nature
intended it to do, II
puts tie whole sys-
tenn out of tune-out
of harmony. When
all of the parts do
n OF work well to,
gether, none of them
can work just right.
Sickness in one part
of the body is likely
to run into all parts
of the body. It isn't
necessary to be sick
all over the body, in
order that you may
fe el sick all over.
When children stand
a row of bricks on
end they knock the
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

whole row down by upsetting one brick.
That is exactly what happens to the health
when the bowels fail to perform their prop
er function. Constipation makes trouble
all along the 1ine-puts the liver out of
order, is bad for the kidneys-bad for the
stomach. 1t holds in the body poisonous
matter, and because it cannot go any place
else, it gets into the blood The blood car
ries it all over the system. That makes
sluggishness, 1assitude, bad breath and foul
taste in the mouth, fills the stomach with gas
and causes windy belching, stops digestionI
in the stomach, causes sour stomach heart
burn and fatulence. 1t makes pimpleai
and blotches and causes sick and bilioust
headaches. Nine-tenths of all human ail-i
ments are due to this one seemingly trivial
cause. DR.. Picrce's Pleasant Pellets cure
constipation. They really cure it. No-
body becomes slave to the use of the
Pellets" They cause no gripping and are
as mild as they are efficient. AT any drug
store. Look out for the druggist who tries
to sell you something which he says isl
"just as good" There is nothing just as
good. There is nothing that is nearly as
good. Anybody who tells you there is is
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
A GREAT nEplcAL WORK FpEH.

we nave arranged to give away absolutely free
100000 of Dr. Pierces great book, Common
Sense Medical Adviser" II contains zoos pages,
and more than 500 illustrations some of them in
colors. 68o 900 copies of it have been sold at the
regular price. $I.5o per copy. The profits on this
immense sale have been used in publishing the
present edition, a copy of which will be sent to
any address receipt of 81 one-cent stamps to
cover cost of mailing only. Address Worlds Dis
pensary Medical Association, Buffalo, N. Y.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-28
Romantic Story of Girl Who was Flip In
Her Way.

Philadelphia, Pa, Jan. 27.-''NiglIt
Line Annie" a familiar character on
the Germantown night cars for some
months past has come 10 grief, and
the riders on Eighth street during tla
early morning hours are not likely 10
see her again in her accustomed role.
at least not under such favorable cir
cumstances as those which made for
her many chance Acquaintance. That
they ever set eyes on her smiling face
IS just now matter of much regret to
q score or 50 of ensndred men. most
Of them mOtOrmen and conductors on
the Fourth and Eighth streets line.
To those Who never saw or heard Of
might Line Annie" as well Is 10 the
hundred who have seen her but were
unable - find a reason for her appear
ance in the small hours Of the night il
may he explained that her real name
is Annie Pearl Wellington. She Is
homeiy young woman, apparently s,.v-
enteen or eighteen years old. whose
snappy black eyes and smil.DS C0u--
tenaIce are always sure 10 attract at
tenti0n n spite Of her very plain fsl-
lures. For some months pas- she has
been frequent traveller ol tie Ger
mantown night cars. usually taking
Der down trip on The car which leaves
The Germantown depot at 1913. This
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-28
Canine Labor 81 ReIgium.

In this country the dog is really, il
nine cases out Of ten, the master Of the
man In Belgium, however, his status
Is very different. One of the first
things that impresses the stranger in
Brussels is the immense number OF
dogs employed in drawing barrows and
small ARTS about the streets. In the
capital alone over ten thousand dogs
are 50 engaged, and the number OF
drauEht dogs in the whole country is
probably not less than fifty Thousand.
Generations Of ssrvitudo have made the
Belgian dog q race apart. For his size
he is said 10 possess the greatest pull
ing power Of any animal, four times his
own weight being considered a load
wei within his powers. Taking his
average weight IS half q hundred,
weight, this means that something ike
eve thousand tons are daily dragged
about by canine labor IN Belgium.