The morning times., 1897-02-02
CRACKERS IN CHINATOWN
CelestialS Celebrated New Year
With Fireworks.
YOUNG AMERICA OUTDONE
ID China the New Year Lasts Ten
Days; Here the People Are Im-
bned With the American Spirit
and Only Rest for One Day-They
VIII BE at Work To-day.

students OF pyrotcchnics gathered in
Chinatown last night to the number OF
several hundred. Some valuable infor-
nation and examples on noise making were
given to young Americans, who, twice a
yeaT-On Fourth Of July aud Christmas
exhaust their inventive powers in efforts
10 dazzle the eye and deafen the ear
1t was the celebration OF the Chinese new
year.
AS was generally known, the Chinese
wanted TO heginthe celebration al midnight
Sunday and have it over before the cars
started running Monday morning. The
Chief ofpo!ice objected. compromise was
effected and a permit given tor tie dispIay
from to 10 O'Clock last evening. The
permits were posted in haIr dozen Chinese
establishments along beside the little red
cardS That wished nappy new year IN
the language OF the Flowery Kingdom,
and promptly at 6 o clock tie fun began
The first Tin the field was Hip Chung Lung
His store and restaurant is at 80. 10
four-and-a-half street. Three great boxes
of firecrackers Were unlocked. In each
box there were i'll the neehlorhood If
$4,000 individual crackers The first
bunch was fired promptly at o'cluck
In less than thirty minutes the contents
OF the three boxes was exhausted
''Lthat alice announced Hip Chung
Lung, ana his audience moved away.
An American audience never moves,
however, unless there is something 10
move for IL went dia gonally across the
way to the place OF the Quong Kee Com
pany, No. 323 Pennsylvania avenue. Dur
ing most OF the year this iliustrious com
pany of CeleStials sell tea. coffee, and
groceries on New Years il celebrates
The noise that had been made by Hip Chung
Lung and his crackers was long if rot
prolonged. In the case of the Quong Kec
Company it was both loud and prolonged
Ii lasted for nearly an hour Hing Lee,
one OF the nandarins Of the company, is
authority for the assertion that they fired
dozen boxes, each containing 5000
crackers Reference to a ready rerkoncr
VIII indicate that the aggregate number
Of crackers fired was about 1000
At distance the noise was like the
fusilade OF Cuban regiment upon Span
lSh company hidden behind the trocha.
Now and then there would be the boom OF
Il giant cracker that caused the tears of
envy To escape from the eyes OF every
small boy present. 1t needed no imagi-
nation to associate these with the eX-
ploSon OF mortar or canncn in a military
combat.
The Quong Sang Lung Company, No 3I4
Pennsylvania avenue. has been accus-
toned at tlse beginning nf former Chinese
years to celebrate, too, with crackers and
cannon ndflower pots. Only an occasional
bunch OF crackers was thrown from their
windows, and now and then a cannon
cracker dropped in front OF the door The
celebration was going on within as usual.
but tie management announced that it
had discontinuedi its open-air entertainment
After the firing was over the street
around the places was filled to depth
OF almost three inches with the red wrap
pers of the crackers. The '.black snow
was eclipscd. The small boy again asserted
himself and waded through the stuff in
search OF fireworks that had failed to
perform their duty.
Yesterday was day Of rest through
out Chinatown. From every laundry sign
and from tie sign OF every grocery hung
y
initiated that ii was a day OF Gays
Pictures OF JOSS. the Chinese god, were
placed in the inner temple of every shop
and before him We're set delicacies of
every conceivable variety. There were
cigars, Chinese cigarettes and candies,
dried oysters and the choicest varieties OF
birds nests, built for soup. OF course, it
was not expected ttat the picture would
need these, but they were enjoyed by
every Celestial who called TO pay n friendly
visit ana exchange "A Happy New Year.
in his native tongue
AT the Chinese legation on Fourteenth
street the celebration began among the
lower members of the household. There
were no fireworks. The dinner and the
presents viii be dispensed with lavish
hospitality today.
The new year properly lasts ten days.
and in the East it is observed for the
whole time as a holiday The resident
Chinese, however, have inbibed the Ameri-
can spirit of hurry and hustle to the ex-
tent that they remain from work but a
single day By tonight every worshiper
OF joss will lie at work at his iron or
dispensing groceries from his ever peculiar
little ScaleS