The age-herald., 1898-01-28
STRAY GOSSIP~---uuum~
 OF STREET AND HOTEL

VI OlIEL nlNO tIO LL-
 "The ministers are preaching reform, in- vestgation and almost everything else," said James o. Hearn, of Chicago. who was at one of the local hotels yesterday. 'It is high time the preachers in every large city devoted a few discourses to reform in the police departments. I was in Chicago the other day when a big exposure, was made which is nice example of the rot tenness that exists among our alleged guar dians of the peace in many sections of the , country. For some time 1t has been known that opium joints were run In all sections of the Windy City. 1t is positively against the law and onIe of the most detrimental vices one could imagine. Civilians knew the Chinameu were reapfng a rich harvest [ and they wondered why the police could not catch on when the thing was a com mon topic of conversation. Finally a conn mittee of investigation was appointed and the celestia1s known to be engaged in the business were brought before them At first they were not inclined to say any, thng. One said he was a poor man and could not afford to talk for the police would give him trouble. Chm Tin, who was possibly doing the biggest business of all uncovered the whole affair on the assur- ance that he would be protected and said Hat out that it cost s10 per week to run opium joints in Chicago. If the Chdnamen did not come across the police would raid the joints, but long as they paid the s1O per week they were not disturbed. Chin Tin asserted that every opium joint keeper in the city paid this amount and as there are quite a number of them the police had what the boys term real good thing One Chinaman said his place was raided and he was fined, but he went to a police off, cer in his precinct and got his stuff back The officer tod him an officer had given the order"
 'In several cities hotel proprietors are having trouble with the telephone com panies." said a New York traveling man yesterday. 'tThe other day stopped at a hotel in Washington and the proprietor had just received notice from the telephone company not to allow the guests to use the instrument unless they paid extra My hose was in good sized rage and he carried the matter to the supreme court with a result that order was issued restraining the telephone company from taking any
 
 tained that a telephone service was nec- essary to the conduct of first-class hotel and that he used the instrument very lbbtle himself. A majority of the telephone com panles expect high rates and give very poor service.''
 It Is the opinion of a good many citizens that the report that the dscontinuance of the hre pressure valve by the water com pany under order from the city, would cause higher record by the meters is only dodge by the water company to get people incensed against the city's or der.
 Tt is a matter of impossibility for the meter to register any more," said a gen. tseman yesterday. Any one who under- stands the mechanical construction of @ meter will admit this. If it were gas meter the greater pressure would cause it to register higher but it cannot be pos- sible with a water meter"
 Some credence is given to the talk that the present police commission is not in sympathy with the chief of police and gentleman who has done time on the board was. heard to remark that he believed that things would be made several degrees above the freezing point. Figuratively speaking, this may mean several degrees below zero also, but the above was what the gentleman said.
 '"The chief has one bitter enemy on the present board" continued the gentleman, 'and there are three others who have always been counted against him. The board feels like it has finger in man. aging police affairs, as we'll as subordinate officer, and a recent rushing into print was not taken favorably. A storm Is brewing, and am glad I got out"
 There are few better orators in Alabama than Judge William Richardson, of Hunts vile, who was in Birmingham few days ago. The judge will run against Joe Wheeler, and 1t is said by his friends that he will come out a winner. The friends of this noble fellow tell it on him that when he gets heated In a speech he froths at the mouth and then is the time when everybody in the audience Is giving the deepest attention.
 When the painter and the paper hanger finish with the Florence those who stop ped there a. month ago will hardly recog- nize 1t as the same building. The halls are being re-papered the office will be im- proved and everything made new.