During the past decade the well-known Chinese quarter or "Chinatown" of San Francisco has changed considerably for the better. It is the fashion to describe it as a loathsome region, a hot-bed of vice, and so on, No doubt this part of the city, which occupies an elevated region between Dupont, California, and Kearny Streets, is very much inferior to the more fashionable shopping promenades frequented by the whites, but it is certainly quite as respectable and well kept as any of the Chinese thoroughfares ut Hongkon; as for the vice, which of course must be present in a population largely consisting of buales, many of whom smoke opium, it is not by any means so glaring as that which obtrudes itself upon any one who takes a leisurely walk ulong Dupont Street, and studies the names of the house occupants cly the light of their flaring windows. The Ghinese Consulate-Genieral is w fine and dignitied red brick building just on the skirts of Chinatown, bearing the superscription Ta Ts'ing Kreoh Tsuny-i-shi Kiean Shut or Consulate-General of the Great Pre Empire," and Consul Bee" seems quite an institution in San Francisco, whi his face must be familiar to all the inquisi tive reporters. The various proclamations and notices posted up in the streets belie all suspicion of political intrigue on the part of the Chinese officials o headmen. They exhort the traders to observe moderation and justice in their relations with the unfriendly barbarians; warn bad characters that they will forfeit all sympathy if they indulge in lawless behaviour offer facilitated passages hunewards to those in distress or difficulty; and, generally, point to a desire on the part of all the better disposed Chinese to live peaceably and industriously according to the laws of the land they are in. Within the charge on Sundays and holidays, and recent years large numbers of Californian there are quite as many white as negro shoe-Chinese have adopted a sort of mixed dress, blacks, even in some of the negro States§ better suited to the temperate climate, and hence it cannot be argued that such labour contrasting less conspicuously than their is derogatory to white dignity. In most own with that of the white populations American towns the hotel landlord warns amongst whom they mix. The favour his guests that he will not be responsible costume seems to be a short coat or ma-kwa for boots left otitside the bed-room doors. somewhat longer than the coolie jacket of The result of ea leaving them is successful China, but not so long as the gentleman's in the coast towns, where innocent foreign-robe, and made out of blue Russian cloth [ers congregate, to this extent, that the or broadcloth. Underneath this is a mass proud white putter condescends to clean of ordinary Chinese clothing in layers suit-them, but charges ten cents a day lusted able to the perpetually varying tempera-of five in the streets. There are no Chinese ture. The trousers are of the same ma-barbers employed on white men's heads terial, but loose at the ankle, and differing and chins, in fact washing, cigar-making, little from the European cut. The "pig: railroad navvying, coal-portering, steam il" is usually worn hanging, and the boiler stoking, cobbling, tinkering, tailor-fait hat or an American soft." billy-cock." jead-dress is generally a Chinese pork-pie the chief Chinese industries. According ing, evoking: and uckstering seem to. Native Chinese shoes are worn. Complete ito some of the Chinese an exodus front European attire is rarely seen, and the ma-California homewards is now taking place jority of the working men dress as in China. or at least contemplated, and new arrivals Afew swells" may be seen strutting about are not encouraged by their compatriots, in fashionable Chinese costume, but vut of There are said to be 2,000 Chinese in San vers the well-to-do seem to find the mixed Francisco, and there area good many in the dress most convenient, Few if any dun! occupation of factories, shops, and stores ing saloons are to be seen in the Chinese in the white quarters. The whole Chinese quarter, at least for themselves; those population of California for 1880 was that exist are for the lower class whites, 75,200, and some authorities estimate it who seem to tind congenial company in this at 123,000 for 1888; but the exact number region, which is fringed by a doubtful colony cannot be known before the next census of Italians and other nationalities of nou-"Idiots, Indians, convicts and Anglo-Saxon type.
There is very little Chinese are excluded from voting." ro dines, much less squabbling than in New Hampshire, Vermont, North and South China, no public exhibition of vice, and Carolina, East and West Virginia, Alaska, very tolerable cleanliness. As in C Alabama, Arkuusas, Dakota, Delaware, and in fact wherever Chinese are to b Florida, Georgia, Ulinvis, Indian Territory, found, industry is everywhere apparent Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and and, whilst the white population is taki Minnesota, there were no Chinese according its pleasure after the business of the day, to the census of 1880. In Kentucky (10), the laborious Chinaman is still iru Tennessee (25), Arizona (1,630), Conuectiont and (123), Colorado (612), Indiana (29), Lowa working steadily almost into the small (33), Kansas (19), Louisiana (489), "Maine hours of the morning. A great many Chi-(8), there were, according to the same cun-nese are now employed in cigar-making, sus, small numbers ranging from 8 to 1,630. 'This appears to Lo from first to last a pure-But as there are now very considerable ly Chinese enterprise, and many factors numbers of Chinese washermen in Boston have as many as twenty or thirty' © boys"
(Massachusetts), it is probable that very (i. coolies) working for them. The cigars tnany have also migrated westward since are of very fine quality, quite equal to the 1880 to other large centres such as Chicago, ordinary five-cent American cigar. Many It is certain that there are very few in foreign" saloon-keepers pander to the Mexico, except a dozen or 30 at' El Paso anti-Chinese movement by advertising that del Norte on the north frontier, which they undertake not to sell any Chinese-is connected with El Paso (Texas) by made cigars. The chief industry is washing; but even here the Chinese who fairly foot In_ 1880 there wore 51 in Mississippi; in Missouri 91; in Montana established themselves in this business long 1,765; m Nebraska 18; in Nevada 5,416 before any white men ever attempted to ow Jersey 170; in New York 907; in undertake it for a living, are being en-109; in Oregon 9,510; and in Oregon croached upon by the ' white laundries, idiots, insane, Chinese, convicts and the or steam-laundries, which latter can do the United States army" are excluded from work just as cheaply as the Chinese. The voting. In Pennsylvania there were 464 usual charge for collars and cuffs is two in Texas 136; in Utah 501; in Washington cents a piece (uvt a pair) which is about Territory 3,186; in Wisconsin 16; in Wy-the same as in China, Owing to the pre-erning 9) in New Mexico, Rhode Island, valence of celluloid cuffs and collars, it is and the District of Columbia, none, possible to do with very little washing, and extremely probable, however, that there is as shirts, drawers, etc., cost from 10 to 25 searcely & large Chinese town in the States cents to wash, it is probable that the outer without at least one Chinese washerman, garments of many a good San Franciscan In Arizona marriages between whites and conceal a multitude of sins. Bathing is Chinese are prohibited by law. The total not carried tu such an excess in the United number of Chinese in the United States in States as to have become a vice, nor has 1880 was 105,613, being an increase of about the morning tub yet become a peculiarly 42,500 since 1870, so thut it is not likely national institution, from all which it may uow to be much below 150,000. be inferred that che special advertisements referring te cuffs and that shirts and '*vests" are ubjects fur ucca-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.