Waterbury Democrat., 1900-10-25
CHINESE pAwNsHops.
Thcae Institutions Have Been rzrov to Have Existed Over 2,50O
 Years Ago. =. 11EHis

What the public house or hotel. is 60 l an English town the pawnshop is to a chinese community, says the London Express. si !'s--'.', ''E
 Its lofty. solid building rears itself above the houses and forms the most prominent feature in the bird's-eye view of any city CT town. They are now national institutions and were known to exist in the days of Con- fucius, over a,5Co years ago. In those days usurcrs charged ex- orbitant interest fer money lent, and very frequently the borrower disap- peared with his booty for good. To one ingenious Shytocl1 there came an idea. As hostages were given in war as guarantee of good faith, why should not borrowers deposit pledges for the money lent them? Thus orig mated pawnbroking in China. The pawnshop is square building, tower ing to some 70 or 50 feet above tho ground. The first % feet are built of solid granite, the remainder of bsst brick. AS precautions against fire and thieves, they are most SoliGly built. No woodwork is allowed on the out side, and ths walls gre raised several feet above tho roof. The windows arc very small and tightly laced with thick iron shutters to rspsl .famez.
 The eight or tsR-storisd b1ildirT stands several fact back from ths straet line. There is a small doorway, an e. hind it stands woodSn screen bearing the name of the paWnsnoP. Instead of the English ''three balls," the Chinese pawning sign consists of two. This represents the bottle gourd, used in China as natural life buoy, and thus proclaims the pownshop as The Life Preservsr."
 Behind this SiSnboard is Q small courtyard where a!l business is tlans- acted. The front of the shop is fenced off with iron bars, like T. lions cage, six feet. above the ground. The Chi neSe coming to pawr. his winter clothes hands up the bundle o the broker be- hind the bars.
 The Chinese "unc.s" Exes the price, gives tho nephew" ticket and the money; the pledge is ticketed and packed away, just as in England.
 The rates ef interest are high. On advances of less than ten Shilliogs s6 psr cent. per annunl is charged. From los. to ], 24 per cent, and on larger sums slightly leSa.
 But during the winter months arti- clea can ss redeemed at reduction; of one-third in the interest, as conccs- sion ts the needs ot thS poor.
 pledge may hold good for three years. After that time it cannot be re- deemed.
 Periodically the ps~rshops sell eff their unredeemed pledges to second hand shops, sales direct to the public being forbidden.
 On migrating to Australia, America or elsewhere, the Chinarnan pawns his implements Of worship-censer, urn, tripod, etc, thus leaving them in se- curity till his return. Pawnshops are also used as banka.
 man having saved some money con- signs i: ts the pawnbrolser for safe custody, paying sEal fee for the priv isge. From tiu,s to time he is admit ted to see that his treasure is still in- tact CT to add mere to it.
 There are three classes of pawnshops in China. The largest are, of course, the most respectable, while the smaller houses are more grssping in their business. Both are duly licensed by lOe SoSSEuulSIt, ana pay all am ual fee. There are also small secret pawn shops existing outside the law and only by conniyancs with the officials whose compIacsncy is purchased. In China tho business of pawnbroking is honor able and followed by the highest men in tho kingdom. Much of Ii Hung Chang's vast wealth has come and still comes from his five large pawnshops. He is pawnbroker as we'll ss a vice roy.
 Ths Chinese "uIcls's" GrsSt enemies are fire and thieves. If hrs orig mates in the shop the proprietor must pay the full value of all pledges de- | ktroyed. If the building is wrecked l by a fire starting outside tie owner is exempt save for a small percentage. | As to robbers, carloads of stones are stored to repsl an attack, prompted by | the rich booty of the pawnshops. The | attendants are alSo armed, but not in- frequently the places are wrecked by | gangs of robbers.