The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-10-21
San T FrancisCos
Chinatown
A Description of the Scenes and
PesuliaritieS of the Chinese
in that Famous City.

in that Famous City.
Paper Read Before the ChautaatQua Circle.
In the city of San Francisco one may
see many strange and interesting sights.
The ones which will remain the longest
in your memory are those which you
may ses in Chinatown. In arriving
there you will notice at once the change
in your surroundings. On both sides
of tie street in one block nothing is to
be seen but shooting galleries-run
mostly by Japanese men and women.
The noise is at times almost deafening.
And the tourists are glad when this
block is left behind. The continual
crack of firearms is to be heard long in
to the night. It is then that Chinatown
wakes up. At almost every corner you
will now see sign boards with this in
scription written upon them: "Guides
for Chinatown furnished here" Any
one visiting Chinatown can see as
much, and even more, without guide
than with one. These guides only take
one over certain route, whereas by
going alone, one is able to visit all the
places of interest and will not be forced
to hurry, thus being better enabled to
enjoy the visit.
In the Chinese section the places of
business on both sides of the street are
full of Cinnamon. You see their
strange costumes. You hear their Le-
culiar talk and in every store window
some tempting bit of Chinese bric-a-
bac is displayed, in order to tempt the
visitor to buy. AS you pass down the
street, from time to time a peculiar
Odor aesails ones nostrils which seems
to come from the many gloomy alley
ways and places of entrance to their
homes and stores. One acquainted
with Chinatown would reply, if asked,
"what is the cause of that peculiar
odor ?" some Chink is hitting the pipe
Or that some Hop head was getting his
habits on. In plain English he wished
to let you know that some one was
smoking opium.
Just q few words about opium and
how it is used. The Chinaman is the
gre atest user of this drug and there are
but very few Cinnamon who do not nse
it in some way. Chinatown was before
the earthquake, full of opium joints
or dens. These dens are fixed up in
costly style for the comforts of those
who have become slaves to the drug
On entering one of these dens you are
conducted to low couch, upon which
you may lie down The attendant who
is nearly always Chinaman at once
places small stool or table near the
head of the couch, upon which are the
following articles: A long-stemme6
opium pipe, small Alcohol lamp, sew
eral long needles resembling darnine
needles, also card or small tray, with
a black looking substance spread over
the card or tray. Take spoonful Of
cornmeal mC19a and darken it, then
spread it on a paste board card and yor
will have fair sample of what opium
looks like when ready to be smoked
A small quantity of this opium, about
the size of pea, is placed upon tn,
point of one of these needles, which il
held over the flame, until cooked. Dur
ing the process of cooking the needl'
is given sort of rotary motion to keel
the opium from falling off the needle
The opium has q sort of round fiat sur
face with small hole in the center
The pill when properly cooked, is mex
rolled on thesurface of the pipe unit
it becomes round. 1t is then place,
over the small hole. The pipe is thel
slightly turned, and held sidewise t
the flame, during which, the smoke
inhales the seAoke from the drue
About four or five whiffs is the limi
to pill. One such pill is quite suff
cient for the new beginner, which ger
orally results In the victim becomin
deathly sick. Like all other injuriou
habits one In time overcomes the frs