New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-11
CHINATOWN BARS IDLE.
Mo "ReaI Drink" in the Quarter
and DenizenS Are Sad.
EXCISE LICENSES REFUSED
No One Seems to Know Why,
and Comment on the Subject
Isn't Fit to Print.

Quite the happiest sight in Chinatown
these nights is the startling combination
Of colors-red. yellow. blue, white anc
black-in the flags Of the subjects Of the
Son Of Heaven that partly hide the dirty
faces of the tumble-down buildings, and
the saddest sights by far are the wrinkled
and SCARED faces OF CHUCK" Connors,
Smiling Smithers Of Liverpool and
"Chummy." These pioneers lounged
about the crooked and dark little streets
as forlornly and with as little activity as
hung the flags above.
And il was all because the only drink
sold in the quarter was of the hair tonic
ilk-sarsaparilla ginger ale, etc. Other
wise life with them, as in the glorious
past, would be we'll worth living.
What was the use in anything, even life,
II one quite gayly took "Chuck" by the
arm and trotted him over TO George
Stiver's Chatham Club. across the way
from the bloody angle" where one met
him, only to find that George wasn't per
mitted TO pass any real drink over the
bar? With face heavy with commisera-
tion one nodded a solemn parting to the
former serene and prosperous George and
turned ones steps toward Pell street; Out
side Jimmie" Kelley's old place, at No.
II, stood Smiling Smithers Of Liverpool, y"
who, as OF yore and habit, winked his
one eye twice and darted into the side en-
trance. In half a minute a selection OF
Liverpoolian epithets rose up among the
flags and paper lanterns swinging idly
overhead. "Jimmie's" place, one learned
had also failed to keep its LIQUOR license
OF course, he had ginger ale and all that
sort OF stuff, but
Surely good and glorious old PADDY
IMullin. down in Mott street, would not be
disappointing. There never was an hour
since Chinatown was that Paddy" went
back on an old pal" Never! So Chuck,
"Chummy," Bugs" and sailor with
wiggly, rubber legs HE'D themselves there.
The little old "shack" was changed not
a whit. The little three-headed dog.
stuffed until more grotesque than 1t
could have been In life. still sat in the
front window, guarding the hundred prints
of prizehghters and other sporting men.
With a dizziness born Of long acquain-
lance "Chuck's" stubby fingers found a
crack In the door and a button that
responded TO pressure. Dams negro
Bud" stood before them.
You all don't allow as how you achin'
for this here red liquor, do your" He
.snorted and then added, "Dogonne. these
,hear excise persons done took away our
license. or sumptin" 1t was nearly
true-the state excise department had
also refused TO renew "Paddy's" license
Thinking that surely Big Jack ,sirocco,
around the corner, in Doyers street. and
behind the little milk shop, would be
well able TO Stake three ambitious thirsts.
they went there But Jack" had lost
interest in retelling the sad story and had
gone home TO bed.
To make long and sad story short,
the three locked arms and wandered
further down the line" No one in the
little old village" could sell them
drink. No one seemed to know why IL
censes had been refused. 1t was said that
Police Inspector John DAILY, who has
twice cleaned out Chinatown, recon-
mended to the excise authorities that
they refuse to renew the licenses, but the
inspector couldn't be found last night
Trooping through the long and dark ar
cade that starts opposite Stivers Place In
Doyers street and ends in front Of Tsue
Chon Wok's little old den in Mott street
were squads and squads Of grumbling and
thirsty sailors-old friends of Chinatown
from the fleet in the Hudson. Their
language isn't 1T TO print