Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-09-09

Next, we went to Chinatown

ANSNl, "c "eul W SIllud-lO"u.-
Here, all in five or six blocks, live
1900 Cinnamon. 1t is estimated
that 100000 go to China every
month out of this den. Here, to-
day, yellow girls are bought and
sold under conditions far worse than
than yellow girls of another race
were bartered in New Orleans, At
lanta or Richmond forty years ago.
We could have gotten white guide
for $3.50 for each of us. We hadn't
more than entered the Chinese quar-
ter before an old Chinaman, who
could speak English we'll offered, his
services for Sl.00 each. After we
had walked around and refused q
dozen guides, We wanted to see be-
hind the scenes, and then gave q
man who could speak English fairly
we'll 30 cents each to lead us. We
first went to the Joss House, or tenn
pie, and saw some long bearded gods
and the dog kennel in which the
devil stayed. Before the gods were
cups of tea which the friends of the
sick may take away for the afflicted
to drink, if they will first pay money
and replace the tea with new. There
are many curious things, and much
beautifully carved furniture in the
temple. The air was so heavily per-
fumed with burning sandal-wood as
to be very oppressive on entering.-
On all their imported traps, Uncle
Sam makes the Celestials pay q
heavy duty. AS my friend wore q
Masonic badge on his watch chain,
we were escorted through the Chi
nese Masonic lodge. We were at a
high toned Chinese restaurant,
which, by the way, was a rather ele-
giant place. The Chinese Palace Ho-
tel was very unlike the Palace Hotel
L have just described. 1t was a
three-story affair, and perhaps the
first two stories were under ground.
1t was built about rectangular, but
not paved, court. The rooms were
those of single men, and looked very
much like dog kennels. Three au-
ger holes through near the top of the
solid door furnished the only venti-
lation for the inmate. The fellows
on the lower floor cooked their meals
in little pen just outside the door
in the court. The fellows on the
second floor walked across the plat
form to furnace over the toilet
room in the center of the court
There they cooked their meals, with
another toilet room overhead. We
were in the jewelry shops and saw
the Jewelry being made. Down in
the OPIUM dens lay wretches PROSTATE
on their couches still putting opium.
Next morning rode on my wheel
out Golden Gate Avenue to the Cliff
House. Here saw perhaps a hun
dred or more seals clambering up on
the rocks and lowing or roaring, or
making that noise peculiar to sea
lions. / rode along the beach down
near the water where the sand was
firm.
In the afternoon l went upon Mob
Hill to see the fine residences. There
are at least six houses, each of which
must have cost from two to five mil.
lion dollars. The Hopkins house
has been donated to the State Uni
versity as an art gallery. The Stan
fords, Crockers and Huntingtons
also have homes up there. These
four men, Stanford, Huntington,
Hopkins and Crocker were given
$50, ,OOO,O ,OOC by Uncle Sam to induce
them to build and operate the Central
Pacific railroad; so 1 see no more
wonder in their becoming rich than
the Irish man saw in the water's
pouring over the Niagara Falls
What was to hinder them?
Now, if were to go on with
Stanford University and Palo Alto,
l should make a tedious article
longer and more tedious. So shall
here conclude a Year in Califor-
mia; !" and if write again it shall
be A Summer at Stanford" Thus
| can go more fully into my expert
ences and observations here.
In conclusion, shall state that !
received letter this afternoon, and
learn from it that the thermometer
has stood at l4O0 at San Joaquin val.
ley several days this summer. |
have not experienced a temperature
OF over 800, and that for only two
days. Yours truly,
IT. A. LEWIS