A NEW ZEALANDER AND UNCLE SAM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7501, 2 July 1903, Page 2

A NEW ZEALANDER AND UNCLE SAM.

[l!Y DONALD DONALD. J

THE LIGHTS OF 'FRISCO. Never was the first eight of tho Golden ' Gate more welcome to weary pilgrim. We passed through about midnight, and on coming to anchor were confronted by the brilliant lights of 'Frisco, which extended for miles along tho water frontage and far back amongst tho hills inland. The lights and their reflections in the water together made a most pleasing panorama. 'Frisco, like most American towns, is well lighted. Market-street at night is one 6t the best I saw in the States. The large hotels and stores are decorated with incandescent lights, and to such an extent that they present a similar appearance to our own streets when decorated in honour of the Duke of York. The electricity is obtained fromeourcee two hundred miles distant. It is generated by water power in different localities, and the several sources of supply are concentrated in one power bouse, from which the electric current is distributed. This is the greatest distance electricity is economically conveyed in large quantities at present in the States; but it is thought that in the near luture v distance will make little difference in transmission. Tho " Golden Gate " has acquired its name through the beautiful orange glow left over the Pacific Ocean after the sun has set, and which ia more distinctly visible through the entrance. Cliff House stands on the Northern Headland, and nearit, within a stone's throw, there are several rocks rising out of the ocean, on which a largo family of sea Hone have made their home. I counted seventy on one rock. Some of these great beasts would weigh, I should think, nearly half-a ton; and the way they could clamber up those rocks was simply marvellous^;Their occupation seemed to be climbing out of the water to the top of a rock, where some stronger rival usually shunted them off, at which the whole community would grunt and squeal as if thoy enjoyed the fun. Speckles' Building, about fifteen stories high, is about the tallest structure. There is a restaurant on the top floor, where you can have a meal, and, at the same time, have a bird's eye view of the city. I couuted sixteen elec-. trio cars visible at one time in about one mile of Market-street, showing their ser* vice was a live one. Chinatown is an interesting localityIt contains about eighteen thousand Chinese, and is, I believe, precisely what you would find in any ordinary town in China. We made up a party of about eight at the Palace Hotel, and employed a guide at a cost of two dollars each. There wore two ladies in the party. We left the hotel at eight o'clock in the evening, and the street car landed us near our destination. We were first taken to a Joss House, or place of worship; it was decorated with Chinese figures, representing gods who ran the various departments, bearing a strong resemblance to the manner in which our own Government is run. The evil spirits are Beared away by praotical fire-works, instead of oratorial, as they are in our case. By paying half-a--dollar we were permitted to sit on the stage of the Chinese theatre, and watch the performance, both in front and behind the scenes. The performance starts early in the day, and continues till about midnight, one performance lasting about a week. The acting is not half bad, representing battles, lovers' scenes, etc. One old general flourished his spear in a great state of excitement, and just as the battle was nearly won, the spear unfortunately broke and struck several of the audience, at whioh there was a great commotion. We quietly withdrew, and moved along to the opium dens. I think the Americans are wanting in their ideas of modern civilisation when they tolerate in their midst for one moment, the vile disease-breeding dens in which these people live, and still more so for permitting the demoralising practise of opium-smoking and gambling. We passed down passages with only room for one to walk at a time, and on either side were rooms measuring about six feet by six, in which in some cases four or five Chinamen slept, with little or no ventilation. In the opium dens, mostly underground, were men lying in all directions continually smoking and replenishing their pipes, some in the last stages of disease and unable to move. We were glad to leave these scenes of: horror and breathe the fresh air of the streets once more. The gambling dens have very strong doors, whioh lock automatically. A watchman is kept concealed, and on the approach of Europeans he causes the door to slam. You can hear the slamming going on a chain in advance. Many of these doors bear the marks of being battered with axes or clubs, but are able to resist a good bit. The chemist's shop is a place of interest, They sell you a dried seahorse to make you thin, and a pressed toad to make you fat. For oertain ailments they will give you several pounds of medicine, or a pill as large as a hen's egg. The principal shops are well conducted by intelligent Chinamen, and carry very interesting and valuable stocks. Daring one day in 'Frisco, a few incidents of every-day life came under my notice, which, I think, are worth recording. The body of a well-known man was found in Golden Gate Park. He had been shot, and thrown out of a cab. The murderers were a man and a woman; they were never identified. A mail coach was stuck up, and the conductor shot dead. The driver crouched down, and galloped his horses out of range. A street car was " held up," and a passenger who had the pluck to draw hi; revolver was shot dead. In both the&p cases the murderers got clean away. j was doing some business in qne qf the large buildings when a man came into the room, and asked the clerk who was atyencling to me if he knevy so and so, because he had just been shot in one of the upper stories. He was shot three times and died at once. Not a bad record for one day I -■:■ The Palace and Grand Hotels have 1400 rooms and oan accommodate about 1500 people. The vestibule is lighted from the roof over 100 feet high, it is furnished luxuriously, ornamented with large palm and ether trees, and presents a brilliant effect at night. Notwithstanding the extensive accommodation if was difficult to* obtain a room, even at a cost of fourteen and sixpence a day, without meals. All American towns boast of having something, the biggest in the world. 'Frisco boasts of the following :— It is the leading whaling port; m it has the crookedest railroad—Mount | Tamalpais; it has the largest horse, his name is Sampson, he weighs over one ton, and his height is 82 inches. California boasts of a corn stalk measuring 36 feet high, a potato weighing 18lbs, and a water melon weighing ISOlbs. How does that sound■?. -. • - l The population of' Frisco is now about 490,0QQ. The the Philip' pines will make 'trade with' the 'West much more important, and the town should go ahead very rapidly. (To bo continued.)