File:The American metropolis, from Knickerbocker days to the present time; (1897) (14803926243).jpg

Identifier: americanmetropol04mosso (find matches)
Title: The American metropolis, from Knickerbocker days to the present time;
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Moss, Frank, 1860-1920
Subjects: New York (N.Y.) -- History New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs 19th century
Publisher: New York, P. F. Collier
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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e feud between these twosocieties has led to affrays on the street, the useof slung-shots and hatchets, and numerous criminalproceedings. Experience among these people showsthat, no matter upon which side they are enlisted,truth is an unknown virtue, perfidy is a nationalaccomplishment, and brotherhood has no significationto them. They have no concern in our governmentor in the affairs of our City, except so far as theymay be protected from the operations of our lawsupon their customs and habits. They have learnedthat money buys peace, and they have purchasedpeace at liberal prices. They have their own mayorand council, and not until recently have they beenfound in our civil courts. High Chinese officials aremuch disturbed at the recent disposition to seek theintervention of the American courts, and the aid ofthe Chinese consul has been invoked to secure arenewed allegiance to the authority of Chinatownofficials, and obedience to its decrees in all matters 406 K C ^ H K o K < c H o
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I I NEW YORK CITY LIFE of difference. Their religious practices consist inbribing numerous gods, either to intervene in theirfavor, to send them good luck, to ward off disas-ter, or to reveal the future. Of worship they ap-parently have little idea. Joss-houses they have,and the curious American gains admittance veryeasy, and finds the priest open to the influences ofAmerican money. Idolatry is not evident; of theworshiping of images there is no trace. A China-man going to the joss-house makes his offering tothe priest, who either prays for good luck uponsome undertaking, or endeavors to divine the fut-ure upon some enterprise. Their little sticks of in-cense are familiar objects to us. He lights a bunchof these, and extinguishes the flame with a waveof the hand rather than with his unworthy breath,leaving them to smolder on the altar. Then heprostrates himself before the altar, and by the shak-ing out of one stick from a bunch, he finds anumber which corresponds to an entry in a care

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