New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-19

the suggestion that Elizabeth-st be extended
from Bayard-st. across Pell-st to Chatham
Square Both these proposals are based by their
advocates upon their belief that Chinatown is
n,ague snot and that the adoption Of their sug
gestions would wipe II out. There be those VINO
.hae their doots" that Chinatown is suf1cieht
of plague spot to merit the extension or streets
and the tearing down of whole blocks or houses
10 wipe It out. Nor can the proposition be ue-
Tended on the ground that the space thus
cleared could be utilized for small park Tor
right at hand only block away. Is the small
mark that has blossomed in the place OF the long
time notorious Mulberry Bend.
WHAT DOESN'T DISTURB CHINAToWN.
7, &c easy to say that Chinatown is a
"nlague spot" but it is not so easy to prove the
assertion. one may say that Chinatown Is any
thing one chooses to call II without FEAR OF con
+radiction for the Celestials don't know 'he!
are being mathematical. and If they dld 'heE
,yould not care. Chinatown cares for nothing OF
the Occident but its dollars
When a reporter Of The Tribune reao 'ha'
Chinatown was a plague spot he felt d ais
,inct sensation Of surprise. He consldereu hlH-
self fairly familiar with the purlieus OF Doyefs-
81 and Pell-st, and the street wherein rSe'h
,ha tosebouse famed afar. and the street
xrbe
gods too numerous TO mention in an article writ
ten at space rates. He had some coiisiue'" o'e
ACQUAINTANCE with the bias-eyed Inhabitants of
that district not the sort OF acquaintance 'na'
"cbuck" Connors furnished for consideration
20 Summing party but real, genuine acquant-
ance and he had never noticed before that
Ch,ra,oun was q plague spot. 1t occurred TO
him that in the blindness Of his youth he might
,he, we're living around loose in the narrow niue
streets among the little shops where are solu
pipes and vegetables edible only 70 the Orlehla
palate And as the afternoon was prlsh' anu
sunny Il occurred TO him that he would go ana
look for some Of those plague spots mat ne must
have neglected on previous visits SO ne went.
NO PLAQUES VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE
The reporter wandered down Park Row and
turned into hottest Mott-st. is far wider than
many a street that has never been accused OF
barboring plaques. It was swept clean and reat
when the reporter turned into it, and the bust
ness day was Just coming 10 close. too. All
the doorways were unlittered. No merchandise
stood in the street or on the walk. The ubqui-
tous pushcart was not 10 be seen. No fakrs
were rending the air with shouts. The reporter
turned into Pell-st and walked through to the
Bowery Then he turned into Doyers-st., past
the Chinese theatre where tragedies several
days long are acted, and so back through Pell-
at into Mott-st., but he couldn't see any sign Of
a plague spot He was more than ever con
WINGED that the plague spot assertion cannot be
proved against ChinatOWns exterior stroll
there will convince anybody that the two little
streets OF Chinatown and part Of Mott-st. are
as clean and we'll ordered any on the East
Side
Chinatown's interior may not be all that the
pious and the millennium seeker could desire.
In fact certain visits that the reporter has made
have convinced him that there is room for i'm
hut hoe hL knnV uFh hot how
talking about say that IL the reformers, the ex-
cellence Of whose work nobody can doubt.
seeking a new field for their labors they can
find soil much more in need Of their cultivation
than Chinatown. There is some gambling there.
Cinnamon will play fantan just Americans
VIII play poker. and there other forms Of