davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

all Chinese men or boys. Little, thin,
pleasant faced Ching Soy Sing is the
chief operator, and then come the hello
boys" They are Albert Bue, Bing Gay,
Chin Ii. Ching Sing and VIE Park. Three
operators are on during the day and three
during the. evening. while one remains all
night. Not the least important of the
business of the establishment is done by
little 11-year-old Yick Chun, the Celestial
messenger boy He knows Chinatown
like a book. and many and varied are the
messages he has to take and the places he
has to visit. Often he, too, may be found
at the switchboard, coronet of steel oil
his head and black receiver over one
ear for he can Operate" with the best of
them.
One of the most interesting characters
among the ''hello boys is Bing Cay the
dwarf of 20 ysars, very dexterous in his
handling of the Jacks or plugs Of the
B-boards. with their numbers ranging
from "China 90" to "China 299." He is
bright, having reached a grade of 9S per
cent in his studies in the public schools.
1t is a treat TO see Bing Gay manipulate
the plugs and answer call. In almost
the same second that the indicator falls
on the board in front of him his long, slim
Oriental hand has reached the plug AMI
placed If. and the Chinese damsel. it may
be (for the women make great use of the
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

memory and remember many names fo-
the Chinese, Is per cent of them perhaps.
call for party by name instead of num-
Der, and insist upon it until they get him.
Though it is fact that the Chinese lam
guage. probably because it has more
vowels, can be heard more readily and
smoothly through the phone than Eng
lish. the operators are all required to
speak English, and often switch off into
that language in the midst of a converse
ton started in Chinese. The Chinese op-
orators and subscribers can get along well
on lines on which an American heai s
with difficulty. But much of the business
Of the lines is done in English.
This Chinatown office is run under a
different system from any other in the
world. The operators have in many cases
to act as Interpreters for customers. AMI
among the Chinese the whole office is re-
garded almost in the light of a general
information bureau. The operator is sup
posed to know what time the steame.
sails or arrives. all the particulars of the
last fight, ETC.. and if the information is
not forthcoming the inquirer considers
himself insulted.
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

very frequent cause Of controversy Is IN
trying to explain to an impatient Gus
toner that the line Is busy" This
scarcely comes within their belief. and
the operator gets the blame. which is not
wholly Chinese.
Directly opposite the door Of this
strange office for business Is an altar gor-
geous with embroidertes and silken cur
tains, In the recess Of which Is the Joss.
1t was a pleasant idea to have him
there" the manager said, and that pleas
ant idea Is carried out IN the Chinese
characters above the shrine. which trans
lated read thus: "a line will convey good
news to you
On either side are the gilded glass doors
OF the long-distance booths, and beyond
these again is a carved and gilded grill
work. Through this is the main room,
with the switchboard IN a rallied inclosure
Carved sandalwood chairs. rich vases and
daintily carved tables Of ebony are scat
tered around, and on the walls hang
scrolls richly embroidered In Chinese hie-
rogIyphics. When the operators pause in
their work If by chance they turn around
they read from these scrolls such max
inns as Industry and attention TO busi-
ness" etc.
This luxurious part Of the ONCE Is used
as sort Of waiting-room for those who
are waiting for messages. long-distance
calls, etc. Here a pleasant custom is in
troduced into business life that makes the
American telephone Offices seem thou
sands of miles away. No one is being
treated Hospitality while waiting, accord
ing to the Chinese idea. unless he is Of
fered a cup of fragrant tea or a pipe Of
tobacco. So the richly chased little cups
with their saucer-like lids are always
about, and Ching Soy Sing Is often very
busy brewing steaming golden bever-
age. Then, if you drop into the Office at
lust the right time. you may see a pic
ture. Here in one Of the gorgeous chairs
sits Chinese merchant, waiting to send
a message and beguiling the minutes with
a cup of tea and a curious looking water
nine. The mother Of one Of the operators
has dropped in for chat, and she shuf-
1es around sInilingly. carrying In her
arms a baby San Toy, swathed in brilliant
embroidery and wearing a wonderful
beaddress. Through an open door you
catch a. glimpse of group Of Orientals
busy with rice and chOpsticks. You go
ungeringly down the stairs, fearful less
the spell be broken. and the last thing
that floats down to your ears is the
strange call: 'Holar. NUT year no sOrs
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

telephone), has got the call she wants.
There are six local trunk" lines from
this exchange to the main telephone Office
now, and the number will soon be in
creased to ten. The principal stores i'll
Chinatown, the restaurants, the families
and the clubs all use the telephone, and
it would be interesting to hear the varied
and sometimes exciting messages that fly
over these wires 1t is the good angel
of the gambling-house, for it often tells
them of new customers or gives warning
of those raiders who may be about to pen
citrate the inner doors. One can even i'm
agine it friendly agency by strategy OF
stealth, to help the poor slave girl of the
dens.
In conversation over the phone 1t is
surprising how much English is used
among the Chinese. All are individual
lines. and if you want to talk with Chit
nese merchant call for China $50, saw.
and you will almost always get an Eng
lish Hello! Who is this?" in return. Bur
often at the switchboard after the "hello'
of the operator you will see him shake
his queue in a deprecatory way and then
call in mellow voice, "Holar! Nut wear
no so?' This is Chinese for "Hellol What
number do you want?' and YOU know
that the rest of the conversation will
probably be carried on in that language
Inc chinese operator has to have COOL
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

N HE most curious and interesting
telephone Office in the world, the
Chinese Exchange Of the Pacific
States and Sunset Telephone Com
pany. has moved into new and more
gorgeously Oriental quarters. If you are
in the heart OF Chinatown watch for
big blue and gold sign and above it
hanging balcony bravely decked with
palms and lanterns, and ablaze with color
and gliding
1t is bit OF color that is not American,
but above It all wave the Stars and
Stripes. Go between the big brass signs
OF the entrance. climb into the dusky at
mosphere OF the newly painted stairway,
pass through doorway Of glass and GID
ed scroll work, and you are as far away
from the ordinary American telephone
station as you can imagine
No dull orthodox office interior greets
the eye. no counter with a girl behind it.
no glass panels with seemingly miles of
girls and switchboards in the vista be-
yond. Instead there is a, big roomful of
color and gliding, Of sandalwood chairs
and embroideries.
In the midst Of this the prosaic switch
board along one side Of the room with
the great golden dragon emblazoned above
IL, makes but little impression. The
American visitor looks for the Hello
girl" but he does not find her, for they
are all Hello boys" in this queer ex-
change. There is probably no other tele-
phone exchange in the world where boys
and men are used exclusively as opera
tors
This very fact explains why this branch
Office was made necessary in the midst Of
Chinatown. The list of Chinese subscrib-
ers to the telephone company has grown
so rapidly that the telephone girls of the
city found that the various tongues and
dialects employed were more than they
could handle understandingly. So the
Chinese branch began at 754 Washington
street with one wal telephone only. in
November Of 1857. About six years later
it was removed TO the southwest corner
Of Dupont and Washington streets. The
quarters there was in a dingy second
floor room. like a wedge shaped narrow
slice cut off from the front of the dirty
yellow building. There was not much
more than room for the long switchboard,
the two long distance booths, and the
busy almond eyed operators. Yet the at
rnosplere there was distinctly Oriental
one also. In the past year or so business
has Increased TO such a volume that the
larger and much more convenient quarters
now occupied at 7s3 Washington street be-
came an absolute necessity. Here all the
Chinese telephone business of the town
is handled there being 260 subscribers now
on the list and 100 more expected at once
as the result Of the larger accommoda-
tions. These subscribers pay $3.50 per
month straight, all switches outside of
Chinatown being cents extra It will
probably not be long before there will be
a list Of 500 subscribers doing business
through this exchange.
The manager of the telephone system is
Loo Kun Shu, an exceedingly affable
and intelligent Chinese gentleman, who
looks very grand in his stiff silk robes of
crimson and blue when taking tea with
some swell visitor. He has six operators,
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

eHoLAR, NUT YEAR no
sogn
SO SAYS THE CHINAMAN
WHEN BE WANTS A TELE-
PHONE NUMBER.
CHINATOWN has A NEW
CENTRAL.
JUST ESTABLISHED IN
DUE FORM WITH THE JOSS
ALL HANDY FOR cELEs-
TIAL WORSHIP AND MOT
TOES OF GOOD LUCK ALL
AROUND.
THE MOST SocIABLE Ex-
cHANGEtIN TOWN AND THE
MOST INTERESTING.
THE QUEEREsT ooMBIN-
ALTON OF ORIENTAL Gus
TOM WITH OCCIDENTAL
SCIENCE THAT CAN BE
FOUND THE WORLD OVER.
The San Francisco call., 1901-11-17

n HE most curious and interesting
telephone Office in the world, the
Chinese Exchange of the Pacific
States and Sunset Telephone Com
panv. has moved into new and more
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
EIeGting a President.

If the Constitution of the United
States had worked as its trainers in
tended we should all be looking for
ward to the 18th of January with very
keen interest, and probably with ex-
citement, heated controversy and no
little turmoil. For, although very few
people seem to be aware of the fact,
it is the 14th of January, 1901. and not
the 9Th of November 1900, that is
fixed by law as the date for the election
of the President and Vice President
who are to be inaugurated on the 4th
of March
On the second Monday of the present
month of January, 447 citizens who
were chosen for that purpose last No
vember are to vote for Pesident and
a Vice President of the United States.
Each one of these men has a perfect
legal right to vote for any person what
soever, or to vote a blank. Or he may
disregard his obligation and not vote at
all pCO ldI oS we SlC al VI lHC
447 electors are yet alive, and there
is no one throughout the length and
breadth of the land who does not ex-
pect with entire confidence that Mr..
Mckinley and Mr.. Roosevelt will re-
ceive 292 of their votes. and that Mr.
Bryan and Mr.. Stevenson will receive
exactly 155.
Yet no pledges have been exacted
from any Of these men. Their legal
duty does not extend beyond the sim
pie requirement that ''they shall meet
in their respective States and vote by
ballot for President and Vice Presi-
dent .one of whom, at least. shall not
be an inhabitant of the same State
with themselves"
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Professional Eaters.

o. A. Wright, of Madison, Wis, SUI
peryiscr of Indian Schools, brings an
interesting story to Washington con-
cerning the professional eaters of the
Sioux Indians on the DEVILS Lake
Reservation in North Dakota. The
professional eater among the DEVILS
Lake Indians, according to the Super
visor pursues a recognized profession
which entities him to distinction and
eminence, measured largely by his ca :
pacity. The more capacity the more
eminence and distinction.
The Sioux of Devils Lake are a hos
pitable people. A guest must be fed.
and the table placed before him must
be bountifully supplied. If not, it is =
gross violation of Indian etiquette,
which subjects offenders to harsh crit
icism. The obligation on the part of
the guest is equally binding. Very of
ten the latter is the unfortunate vic
tim of 90 much kindne.s. If. how
ever, he should fail to dispose of all the
food placed before him his offence
would be as great as that of the host
whose lar6er failed to respond to the
demands of the prevailing social usage
among these Indians
The capacity of some of these profess
siOral caters is phenomenal. They
are said to be carefully trained to their
ealing, and the returns for their SER
vices are certainly very remunerative
to the Indian mind One who is about
to make a call and who feels that he
will not be equal to the occasion Sc
cures protest. onal eater. The latter
secures for his services the food he
devours and 81 in addition. SuDervi-
sor Wright met one of these profess
sional gentlemen at Devils Lake who
had recently performed the remarkable
feat of eating seventeen pounds Of
fresh beef Some doubt is expressed
here as to the possibility of a man eat.
ing so much meat at one setting. Mr.
Wright told the officials, however, that
the story is vouched for by Agent Get
chell and Father Jerome. the latter
Catholic minister at Devils Lake. The
Supervisor added that the Indian was
extremely modest amid the shower of
congratulations bestowed ucon him by
friends and admirers.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Short Folks Explained.

Good Health in reviewing the recent
discussion in the British Medical Jour
nal on How to Make Short Children
Grow" mentions that among the most
important cases of stunted growth are
want of sufficient rest. fresh air and
sunlight" Boarding school boys or
girls, who are compelled to keep early
and regular hours. are found to be us
ually taller than children attending
day schools, whose parents allow them
to sit uD until 10 or II o'clock at night.
Tall boys in day schools will usually be
found to be those who have been vie
tins of long illness. which has kept
them in bed or those who keen early
hours. Artificially lighted and badly
ventilated rooms are largely re5Uonsi-
BILE for the bad effect on the children.
AS to fresh air. the want of it is said
to be the probable explanation of the
shortness of the average miner.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Wales Income.

The truth is that from the moment
of his birth the Prince of Wales has
been sDlendidly rich. He was born as
the IrishIman would say, with sixty
thousand year in his pocket, and from
that day to this the Duchy of Cornwall
has yielded him that magnificent sum
At twenty-five the Prince married. and
Parliament gave him Marlborough
House and a wedding present of e4O,-
600 a year. That too, has come to him
regularly since 1868, year in and year
out In 1889. when the Princes fam
lily ran away with his money. Parlia-
ment once more came to his aid and
nearly doubled the grant he had re-
ceived since 1863. From 1889 the
Prince has been relieVd of the anxieties
of a father for the financial welfare of
his children by special grant of e36,-
600 a year which comes to him in quar-
terly instalments of $4,000. So that
the public income of the Prince is
e136,O00 a year That is what it is
worth to be Prince of Wales.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Cheap Lunches.

Though Chicago newspapers are try.
ing to make it appear that that is one
Of the w.ckedest cities in the universe,
they are at the same time sedulously
cultlvating the idea that the Windy
City is the peculiar home of reform.
Laying aside the many remarkable
scientific discoveries that have been an
ncunced from Chicago during the past
few months, il will generally be con-
ceded that her greatest record has been
in the direction of a reform in eating.
Never in the history of the human race
Las the problem of living on nothing
come 50 near being solved as in Chica-
ties of the Chicago university first took
up the question, and they had no diff
Guilty after a short period of cirhering,
in showing that a family might subsist
and absorb knowledge at the rate of
10 cents a day. Their Investigations
stirred up the energies of "a large num-
Der of eXDerimenters, and it was soon
made manifest that the family which
that sum must be managed
by a wastrel
In spite of all this, many hotels in
Chicago continued to charge their Gus.
toners from SO to $40 a day for enter
tainment, and the railway: were
crowded with trains bearing beef and
grain and flour to the deDots from
which the people were supplied with
food. Now, however, it is announced
that new institution. the cent lunch
counter, has at last relieved the peo-
pie of the everlasting burden of the
stomach which for SO many centuries
has been making them slaves. Res
have been opened where the
hu- CRY may indulge their aDpetites to
the extent of a cents worth and up
ward, and in which the average of ex-
pepditure seldom runs above three
cents. The program looks exceedingly
promising, but it is to be feared that
uhere will have to be a great change in
human nature before the style of living
becomes universal. AT present the
average man is so constituted that he
will not dine for three cents if he has
a quarter, and will despise the quarter
dinner if he has a dollar to spare. The
lunch will not go until we
develop a race of one-cent men.-Pitts
burg Times.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Renting Locomotives.
Democrat

Hundreds of locomotives are rented
every year, Several CORPORATIONS make
their chief revenue this way. The
Baldrwins have many machine out on
the rental form of payment. That is,
the engines are rented in the same way
that you would buy a stove on Install
ments-so much down. so much a
month, the payments to apply on the
firal purchase Of the machine. 1t IL
seldom, however, that a railroad rents
locomotives. They are usually let out
to contractors who construct TEMPO
rary railways for hauling dirt from ex
cavations. Contractors who hire the
locomotives usually have their own
names gilded on them. The engines,
as usual thing, are cast-offs. They
may have pulled express trains once,
but now they are only fit to pull gravel
cars. The engineers who work them
are oftentimes also the cast-offs of the
professions. They MAJ have operated
express engines, but through careless
ness or other incapacity have been dis
charged from one road after another
until they are only fit to haul gravel or
a wood train.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
NOTICE.

Mate YOst. who resides at Sisters
vile, West Virginia, will take notice
that Nary C.. Reed, did, on the goth
day Of December, 1900, file her petition
in the Court OF Comm Pleas of Wash
ington county, Ohio, AGAINST said Mate
YoSt the object and prayer of which is
to recover the sum of Two Hundred
Dollars, the amount due plaintiff for
natural gas sold and used off plaintiff 5
premises, described as follows: Sltu-
ate in Ludlow township, Washington
county, Ohio. and bounded on the
north by lands of f Edwards. on the
east by the lands of NJ. Beaver; on the
south by the lands of D. Notion; on the
west by the lands of Winfield Cotton
containing fifty acres more or less; the
said amount being claimed under and
by virtue of an agreement or lease on
said above described premises, ent
cred into between said plaintiff and
her husband and w. Gordon on April
TO- 1895. and by said w. Gordon and
others transferred and assigned to said
defendant, Mate Yost. The plaintiff
asks judgment against defendant for
said sum Of $4,000. An order of at
tachment in said action has been duly
issued against the property of said
Mate Yost.
Said Mate Yost. defendant. is re-
quired to make answer to said petition
on or before February 9. 1901,
MARY c. REED.
BY Way & Hancock. her attorneys.
Dec. 81 6Wks Fri.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
"St. Nicholas League"

Is an organization Of those who read
the magazine (-Hhether subscribers or
not,) without dues, and it offers prizes
each month for the best drawings,
photographs, poems. stories, puzzles
and puzzle answers. Some of the work
sent in by young folks shows surpris-
ing talent.
No one who does not see est. Nicho-
las" can realize what an interesting
magazine it is, and how exquisitely it
Is Illustrated; it is a surprise to young
and old. OF literature it contains the
choicest, and in art it has never been
surpassed by any grown folks perlodi-
cal. The new volume begins with
November 1900, and the subscription
price is $500 year If there are
children in your home, you can hardly
afford to be without IT.
BOYS AND GIRLS who read this
advertisement and who wish to find
out more about The St Nicholas
League and its system of monthly
prizes may address, without cost, The
St. Nicholas League, Union Square,
New York.
TIE CENTURY CO.,
Union Square, New York.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
"Nature and Science" :"

'Don't bother me-I'm too busy is
too often the remark from a grown
up person to child who really wants
to know. The editor of Mature and
Science" gives careful attention to ev-
cry question asked by his young read
ers, and "We will write to st. Nicho-
las about it" has become the motto OF
the department, which contains inter
esting short articles, beautifully illus
trated, telling of fCur-footed animals,
birds, insects, water animals, plants,
and whatever pertains to Nature.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
$500 REWARD

We Will pay the above reward for any case OF
Liver Complaint, Dyspepsia, Sick Headache
cannot cure with Liverita, the Up-To-Da
Little Liver PILL when the directions are strict,
ly complied with. They are purely Vegetable,
contain 100 Pills, 10c boxes contain 40 Pills, So
boxes contain 10 Pills Beware of substitutions
and limitations: Sent by mail Stamps taken
NERVITA MEDICAL Co., Cor. Clinton and
jackson sts., Chicago, Ill Sold by
Sold By Beagle & Lytle and A. j.
Richards, Druggists. Marietta, Ohio.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
For Sale.

i Norwood Lot 5Ox15O for 1925. Good
location. 7-roomed modern house al
:.cSt row for $500. 2 vacant lots on
eary payments $l75 each 10 shares OF
the capital stock of the Sterling Brick
CO. Grocery stock at a bargain.
Log mt. Good trade and fresh stock.
Larg lot on car line, above high wat
Ct, Paved street, $4,000. Several
other properties at good bargains.
w. s. BATTIN, Real Estate & Loan
Agent, Room %, st. Slair Building.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Message From Kitchener.
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
London, Jan. 3.-The War Office has
received the following from Lord
Kitchener: Dewet tried to move toward
Bethlehem but he was headed off by
Pitcher and retreated toward Lindley
or Reitz. The railway is damaged
south of Sarfontein. Williams engaged
the Beers southeast of Middleburg.
Cape Colony. and the British now oc.
cupy Graaf-reinet.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
GeneTal AughtOr Dead.
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
Mexico, Jan. 3.-Gen. James Aughtor,
the well known ex-confederate leader,
died in the American Hospital in this
city from pneumonia
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
Save Your Money.

Every working man and woman
should take advantage of the savings
department of the Marietta Building
and Savings Company, and lay aside
some portion of their earnings each
week.
No. Tiber Way. Open from 2 to 5
.. m. each day.
Dec. 5th-tf.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04
A. G. GUSSESS & HARVEY

Receive each week a car load
Of bananas.
Large shipment Of oranges
'ust received will sell at low
prices balance of week.
All kinds Of candy, nuts,
&c, constantly on hand.
Cor. Greene and Ohio Streets
ard No. 8 Tiber Way.
Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-01-04

Constipation neglected or badly
treated leads to total disability or
death. Rocky Mountain Tea absolute
ly cures constipation in all its forms.
35c.
Ask your druggist.