The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-05-07
.OP|UM'S DEADLY HARVEST
THE ORIENTAL VICE RAMPANT
AGAIN.
Hundreds OF Smokers in Open Joints
Every Night and More in Private
Homes-Natives Smoking.


Fifty or 60 opium joints are in full
blast in Honolulu. The terrible vice
OF the orient is making fearful pro-
gress among the population here since
all restrictions to the use of the drug
nave now been removed. Hundreds
OF Chinese and natives may be seen
any night, using the deadly drug
against which the Hawaiian govern
ment so long legislated to the limit
of severely, but against which there
is now no legislation at all. The
late legislature failed to pass any
opium law, and the progress already
made by the vice since the old law
was declared unconstitutional shows
that terrible conditions are sure to re-
suit before another legislature s.
Most of the joints, and the largest
ones are in the vicinity of King and
Liliha streets. There is no attempt
at concealment of them. The Chi
nese all know that the police have no
power to interfere with them, and
they are Indifferent to the visits of
officers.
Deputy Sheriff Chillingworth, fwho
has long been the terror of opium
users is no longer feared in their
haunts. Not very long ago Chilling
worth used to spend good deal of his
time looking for opium, and with
plenty of results. Chillingworth got
so sharp in the business that he could
smell a place where opium was being
used as he drove past in the street
Now he smells such places often, but
arrests do not follow.
Last night Chillingworth visited
some of the opium places along King
street. One of the largest is on a
dark lot near the corner of Liliha
street. There are six rooms in the
building, and in one room were eleven
Chinese on hunks, enjoying pipes.
They greeted Chillingworth with
Aloha" and "Hallo" when he entered.
All of them know the deputy and all
are also aware that he is not making
any arrests for "opium in possession"
now.
The room was arranged like the |
steerage of steamer with hunks ell |
round. The sickly smell of opium was
very strong in the place and the at !
mosphere was thick with blush smoke |
Lamps were by the side of almost
every bunk, and each Chinese lay in |
the characteristic pose of an opium.
smoker, on one side, half curled up,
with the pipe held so that it could be /
easily put to the lamp. From half a 1
dozen hunks the sputtering of opium
pipes could be heard, as clouds of the
deadly blue smoke rose.
The place is one Of at least 1fty
similar iOinfc in HonnluI,, 4aho,,
scattered all over Palama, while in |
private homes from Waikiki to Iwllei,
pipes and opium are nightly diver.
sions.. Opium smoking is having a |
veritable boom throughout the city /
Where six months ago the police had |
to exercise the utmost strategy to !
catch a single man using a pipe, be.
tween two and three thousand are at !
1t nightly The result may show In
the future, in fearful harvest for the |
law courts when a new law prohibit
ing use of opium is passed. Now
are graduating every lay,
and they will not stop for any law,
when once they have contracted he
habit. Instead they will fill the isl.s
and provide work for the courts.
Under the walls of old Kaumakapili
church is small wooden hut, one of
3 dozen that were there a short time
ago. Last night 1t was lit up, and
filed with the smell of opium. In tie
doorway sat native sound asleep, his
pipe by his side, and on bunk farther
in another native sat smoking. They
were two of many natives who are
using opium as freely as the Chinese.
Under the law just knocked out opium
among natives was practical
ly unknown, while in olden times It
was recognized as a serious danger
TO the race. Now natives are taking
It up again. The other huts that were
under the shadow OF the ruined
church became so dirty that the board
Of health had them removed. Opium
went on in them nightly.
Now the smokers are cherishlng the
deadly vice elsewhere.
At the present rate of progress a
few months will see the whole of IA
lama foul with opium dens and few
years will see wrecked opium fiends :
numbered by hundreds.
Where the opium comes from Is a
mystery 1t is not shipped here open
ly from Hong Kong or any Oriental
port. The manifests Of steamers
coming from there show no opium
and no duty is being paid
on opium at the custom house. The
drug may be coming in from the coast
among other shipments, though mani
tests do not show it. In the latter
case the custom house officers do not
concern themselves. II the opium
has paid duty on entering the main
land there is no law against sending 1t |
here. 1t 1t has not paid duty there,
1t is up to the internal revenue men
to find 1t out.
THE SPECULATIVE BOOM.