The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-11


Hung Chang architecture was seated OIL
:. q bench in the center of the room
Cooking n pill' over n tiny cocoanu
!, lamp. On one bunk Il middle Ged
sallow Chinaman was in the midst OF
an opium reverie. a tiny ribbon o,
pale smoke was still rising from the
; pipe he had Just used. Near it there
, was a daub of inky black opium on Z
playing card
Across from him Young Chipaman
in American garb was living back on
the filthy pile of rags that served as
4 pillow and dangerously pulling at
the opium pipe. The rings beneath the
almond eyes Of the young Celestial IN
dicated that the visible effects of the
drug were Just becoming apparent.
In the upper berth on the Young
Chlnaman s side was m American. un-
doubtedIy 4 young man, but appearing
prematurely aged. His face was lined
with the results Of wears of usage OF
the drug. His pupils were dllated and
his appearance was that of terror. He
had removed his shoes and climbed up
into the bunk Just before we arrived.
| His long. sallow fingers were trembling
with haste. He seemed obSesSed of
some terrible hallucination which only
the soothing influence of the drug would
diSpel He appeared far from comfort
able, and pulled vigorously in order to
get under the influence of the drug rs
rapidly rs possible. For him the potion
appeared to be los ing its efficiency.
Young Women Victims,
| A later visit the same night 10 this
! dive showed a change in the personnel
OF lis habitues. The middle-aged ori-
entail was up, sitting on a box, not
fully aroused from the drug produced
stupor The young Chinaman was pac
ing the floor unsteadily The decrepit
Young American was sipping a cup of
tea between draws on his pipe, which
had not vet lulled him TO slumber, and
the old Chinaman IN charge of the dive
was preparing Cwo pills for two new
patrons Of the PLACE
The appearance OF the two new ba
bitues was such as 10 attract attention.
One was a Young American giri. neatly
dressed, with counterfeit of smile
that suggested coQuetry and bclled the
lines in her young face that indicated
dissipation. Her companion was a
young man 10 whom the novelty of
opium smoking had not yet worn off, Z
He seemed inclined to lively converse I
ton. an objectionable oflcnse in the |
opium den, usually as quiet as tomb
Reeking With Foulness
Tn another front room on the same floor |
there is the second flourlshing hop !
joint. This room has in addition 10 |
litter of tin cans scattered about the 7
room three bunks for smokers and q va
ried collection Of habitues. Among those |
noticed in this place were rooming house |
both comparatively we'll known about
town. A rather insoent looking China
man grunted at the visitors and advised |
them to get out or tell their business.
Like the other joints this one was reek
ing with foul odors Of opium and fifth.
The third of the dives visited, however,
was by far the filthiest OF the three. II
is located at the rear OF tho building. and
from IL issues a nauseating odor that is
easily distinsuishablc above all of the
other foul smells in tho building, AS we
liable. ancient OF days. Sitting cross
legged on a cane opium couch this old
Chinaman was industrously preparing a
pipe of opium. lie was leaning over A
lamp that furnished The only
light in the room. Tie dim light gave A
crcenish phosphoresccnt glow 10 his ca
daverous countenance that WAS CHASTITY
in the extreme.
Is Ghoulish Work
No one seems 10 know just what this
Old ChiDaman's name is. lie has kept a
hop joint on Plum alley for ten years.
For years he has watched his victims I'LL
The jails and the prisons or go 10 sui
,ide's graves, He Is said 10 tako a keen
enjoyment in learning Of some new mis-
Try into which his victims have fallen.
The opium smokers and police call him
,y several uncomphmentary but appro
oriatc names. which do not appear TO Of
end the old man, For ten years he has
occn expected TO die almost daily. He
smokes practically constantly and often
S under the Stupor for twcnty-Tour hours.
On our first visit 60 this joint the old
and a white man were in the
'oom. The white man was neatly dressed
and of a quiet appearance. His face wore
he deadly pallor that marked him as
dave To the opium habit The white man
Vas trying to read a paper by the tiny
light OF the cocoanut lamp,
a later visit 10 the opium den showed
he old ChinanIan I'm a s,upor sitting bolt
Upright on the cane cot and a Chinese
woman busylng herself about the room
making superficial attempt at cleanli-
iess. An effort was made 10 photo
,raplI the old Chinaman as he was lnder
he Influence Of the drug. A storm of
ackling, protesting ChiHamcn however
rousod the old man and he left the room
'efore the camera was in place. To the
.hlnaman pholograph Is an omen of III
lso most willing 90 fight rather than
ave his picture taken.
In the same room which housed the old
,hinamen two other subjects were found
ater They were two white men lying
N the dirty cane cot preparing for their
rug induced dreams. They did not
hare the Chinamans antipathy to pho
oSraphy. When the fIashlight went of
here was loud chorus Of walls from
very part OF the building and orlentals
nd white men and women rushed wildly
q
urrying pell nell TO the street.
Opportunity in Plenty.
In addition to The three public dives
, this building there are private layouts
every room, There are a number OF
plum sellers who dispose of opium to
atrons who wish to smoke at home The !
narge Is 30 cents for little dab or
plum on playing card. a year ago this
mount could be secured for ID cents, The
lcreasc I'm price of opium necessarily in
reases the petty thievery and crimes
bout town. for the opium ficnd knows Of
o moral ethics That would prevent his
'saling in order 10 satisfy his craving
10 the poorer class OF opium fiends
en-shec is sold, Gen-shce is the resi-
ue IN the pipes after the opium is
noked: 1t Is taken out OF the pipes with
van hook when the pipes are cleaned
he yen-shec flcnds chew this and Obtain
ired In smoking opium.
In Many Forms.
other forms OF the opium habit arc I'm
IT. use OF morphine and Iaudanum The
&c OF these drugs and cocaine comprise
10 most terrible OF all forms of tho dru~ !