The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-01-05

destruction by the government. and
also upon the question of expense in
connection with the removal of goods
therefrom, ended in the following reso-
lutions, which were adopted unani-
mously,
That this meeting approves OF The
action of the committee appointed by
them, and requests IL TO proceed with
their work of salvage, arrange for
warehouses, and incur such expense
as may ba necessary, such expense TO
Nbe borne by the merchants pro rata
with the sums owing them by the Chi
natown storekeepers Interested.
That Mr.. A. Gartenbcrg be appointed
treasurer. with power 10 collect up TO
800 each from merchants interested in
tie removal of goods from condemned
stores, as preliminary measure for
meeting such expenses as may be in
Cured by the committee.
That the committee be empowered 10
add another member.
Two Opium Dens.
Since the house to house and room
to room inspection has been in prog
ress in the Chinatown district, many
anu 'uIlOuS SlbulS nave DStu
exposed. The latest discoveries We're
two opium dens perched high above the
ground and cleverly screened from a
casual glance about the courtyards
which We're the initial points of start
ing through the maze of passageways
leading directly to the dens.
Going through passageway leading
from King street between Kekaulike
NJ I've g+f.n nc hA N.stn +r,
a courtyard which in appearance was
similar to hundreds of others SO sand
wiched in front the street. Stairways,
passageways, kitchens, sleeping rooms,
groups of Chinese men, women and
children, formed an innocent-looking
picture, seemingly devoid of any secret
openings leading to foul opium dens.
Yet the guide mounted a gickety stair
way at the top of which was landing
and an ordinary whitewashed door ex-
actly like the dozen others facing the
courtyard. 1t was apparently two and
half feet wide, but when pushed open
by the guide after giving a signal, only
a half of the door swung on hinges
Stepping through the aperture thus
formed a space just wide enough 10
turn around in was discovered and
further movement was stopped by an
other and evidently heavy plank door.
The first door was three inches thick.
AnoIler signal and the second door
moved back about twelve inches dis
closing dark passageway hardly a
foot wide and heavily planked on both
sides, through which the reporter had
to walk sideways. The door was tim
bered and bolted together until it form
ed formidable barrier OF wood, five
inches thick. The end of the passage
way terminated in a room about ten by
five feet lined with hunks and had con-
tanned n full complement of opium
smoking outfits. The room had no
windows, was planked in with two
inch timbers, small Sits at the caves
providing the only means of exit for
the smoke and ventilation
The entire arrangement OF landings,
doors. passageways and heavily plank
ed room displayed clever ingenuity
to defeat the police regulation, which
Is only found in the Celestial
A second den showed even more
cleverness of arrangement ana solidity
than in the first one. This was reach
ed by mounting a stairway which led
into the second story of house in the
rear Of a King street store. The door
selected by the guide as the one lead
ing to the Secre.ed den, was a white
washed AFFAIR and looked as though it
might lead into a small storage or attic
ROOM When swung open, only half
the door moved on hinges and was
barely wide enough for one to squeeze
through. The door WAS four inches
thick, heavily planked. A peep-hole,
which had the appearance OF knot
hoe had been bored directly in the
center OF the door. After edging
through this door narrow and very
steep stairway was encountered at the
top of which was another door, in front
% which We're bars of wood three
inches in diameter. placed vertically,
and so arranged in the sill slots that
they could not be removed except from
the inside when the door was opened.
A circular peep-hole was in the center
of the door. which was opened imme-
diately, that is the usual six inches OF
II. The wooden bar was pulled into
the room allowing entrance 10 the in
terror, which in this case was well ven
tilated and lighted by horizontal Sits
underneath the caves. Bunks were ar
ranged around the cramped and Ill
smelling room, and a full kitchen out
fl was also installed. The room was
heavily boarded, and the upper door
was nearly six inches thick. \ chute
led from this room 10 the cellar be
meath, which was evidently used L
drop the opium and outfit into when !
raid was being made by the police. 4!
neatly fitting trap door covered tn
aperture, detying detective from cas-
ual glance,
One peculiar feature of the Sits an
holes in the door was their arrange
ment, which permitted Chinese guar
looking through the uppermost door
through all the others all the wa
down TO the courtyard, giving ampl
time TO conceal opium and pipes II
police officer was discovered,
Board Meeting Last Night.
| \ null meeting OF the Board OF Healt
was held at the Judiciary Building 4