The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-08
CHINESE IN
HIGH SPIRITS
Kew Years Festivities in Plum
Alley in Full Blast.
Do 0BEISANcE TO JOSS
PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH FLASH
LIGHT sCARES WoRsHIPERs

bright LIGHTS buried in China
town last night. Smiling Oriental
y aceE peered out from dingy cor
-srs The rattle Of prayer drums smote
mon the ear from upper stories. wing
sim the efforts Of nose who poured
forth rue music Of their souls via the
n4-tcm and the wooden horn.
Il eas New Years night. Sounds Of
ioyfIl Celebration attested that fact.
files of little red patches Of paper
showing where many hundreds of pack
ages of tirccrackers had hailed the adj
vent o. the season Uttered Plum alley.
In the old aFothecary shop where drag
ms guards are compounded 10 cure
colds tempting bowls of spiced drinks
greeted The visitor and all thought of
tgsness was forgotten. In the sbops
and stores c0mmercialism gave wav to
te glad spirit of the hour and in the
homes of the Chinese 400" unbounded
hospitality reigned.
From the pretentious home of Chin
ChJus, the rich merchant to the
bare room of the poorest labOrer. fruits
and flowers occupied the most con-
s9icu0Gs positions. At each q big table
aden with delicacies awaited the
rls1sure of him who received a welcome
there And alas. On each appeared
large dark bottle Of Mclean" liquor
BE Jest the market affords.
IN the Joss House.
In the joss house-the temple-on the
Cop floor of the huge riekety building
az the head of Plum alley activity was
90 los height The CelestialS came from
al directions TO gaze upon the forbid
d,u features of their auStere deity. to
drink i'm the aroma of the smolderir-
sUda'WOoS AMI myIrh before the altar
end to- learn their fortune for the COM
ing year To make the latter possible.
aged and venerable Sam Cow. keeper
of the temple, was on hand. Holding
ire Two vessels filled with thin sticks
shown i'm the foreground of the accom-
anynC picture the dignified Cow
would agitate them gently. Then his
visitor would select one. From the cab
aIstIe Inscriptions appearing thereon,
Cow would decipher what fate had i'm
store.
To was yesterday that John China
man was to he seen at his best. free
hearted. hospitable and happy save
for the presence Of the small boys and
hO0dIums gathered about his rendeZ-
yous from all parts of the city BE it
said 90 Johns credit that he was pa
tent with that disturbing element
far more patient than his white brother
would have been under similar circum-
stances.
John Was Frightened.
John had many experience. yester-
day. There was one i'm particular. how
ever. that he is not likely to SOOu for
get Through his courtesy. representa-
uves OF The Herald joined i'm the les
urtes in the Joss house armed with
camera. one placed a harmless ap-
bearing tube in his mouth and blew.
There Was "a fash of flame q burst of
smoke and The China boys" sought
safety n fight or stood tTanShxed with
terror IL was their first experiences
with tash-lis5t and the result was
ile acrompanying engraving
Tn 10 sam Gov is shown keeping yiEiI
over the altar. Cow is nearly 60 years,
Old and has been i'm Salt Lake many.
many years. being pronably the pioneer
settler of his race. Long association
with the gods and a chaste life have
rendered Cow proof against fear. so
thai even the performance of The Her
aId man who blew foTked tongues of
flame did not perturb him.
100