FoundSF - User contributions [en]

Chinese Telephone Exchange

2011-02-13T08:48:36Z

Dalampasigan: Added scan of vintage postcard of Telephone Exchange.

''' Unfinished History '''

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'''Silent footage of Chinatown, including a few seconds of telephone operators working the old exchange, c. 1920s.'''

''Video: [http://www.archive.org Prelinger Archive]''

[[File:ChinatownTelephoneExchangeCirca1940.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Vintage postcard of Telephone Exchange in San Francisco's Chinatown circa 1940.]]

[[Image:chinatwn$bank-of-canton.jpg]]

'''The Bank of Canton at 743 Washington Street was once the original Telephone Exchange in Chinatown in 1887. It was originally the site of the first newspaper in the city, Samual Brannan's ''California Star''.'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

'''743 Washington Street '''

Chinatown began its own telephone service in 1887. The new Chinese Telephone Exchange opened in the fall of 1901. At the time the manager Mr. Loo Kum Shu employed only male operators. Women became the chief operators in 1906. An article in the ''San Francisco Examiner'' claims that women were preferred over men because of their good tempers The owners wanted to switch to female operators in 1901 but found that they came too high as they would have to be guarded by a platoon of armed men and official chaperon to look after the proprieties. Both male and female operators had to remember nearly 1500 names along with the owners place of residence. They had to know all of the languages spoken in Chinatown as well as all of the different dialects. These operators knew all of the 4-5,000 residents of Chinatown. They knew all of the extensions for the businesses and residences in the area. The phone company remained functional until the advent of dial phones in 1943. The phone system was also a method for contracting labor. Employers called with job offers and the operators would know to whom to put them through.

In the 1840s this site was the location of Sam Brannan's ''California Star'', the first newspaper in San Francisco. In January 1847, the newspaper published the official change of name from Yerba Buena to San Francisco.

''--courtesy Northern California Coalition for Immigrant Rights, from an immigrant history walking tour conducted Sept. 20, 1997.''

[[Chinese Exclusion Law| Prev. Document]] [[The Golden Dragon Restaurant Massacre | Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:Chinese]] [[category:labor]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1900s]] [[category:1840s]] [[category:1940s]]

File:ChinatownTelephoneExchangeCirca1940.jpg

2011-02-13T08:42:45Z

Dalampasigan: Vintage postcard of Telephone Exchange in San Francisco's Chinatown circa 1940.

Vintage postcard of Telephone Exchange in San Francisco's Chinatown circa 1940.

Chinese Temples in San Francisco

2011-02-13T08:22:30Z

Dalampasigan: Added historical photo of San Francisco's Lung Gong Taoist temple.

''' Unfinished History '''

[[File:TaoistTempleChinatown.jpg|350px|thumb|right|A circa 1890 photograph by I.W. Taber of a Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown.]]

[[Image:chinatwn$tin-how-temple.jpg]]

'''The Tin How Temple in Chinatown'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

'''Tin How Temple. '''125 Waverly Place between Washington and Clay Streets, just west of Grant Avenue. Top floor. Open every day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Voluntary donation requested. If it's true that spiritual power accumulates over time, then the Tin How Temple may be one of the "power spots" of San Francisco; Chinese sages have been communing with the deities here since the 1850's. The temple is consecrated to the goddess T’ien Hou (also known as Mazu), revered as the guardian angel of fishermen, seafarers, and women in distress. The Temple's atmosphere, with its clouds of incense-smoke, spirit-inhabited carvings, and altars with fruit offerings, hasn't changed much since earliest Chinese immigrants worshipped here in the days of the Gold Rush.

[[File:LungGongTempleSanFrancisco1887.jpg|320px|thumb|right|Photograph by I. W. Taber of the altar of the Lung Gong Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1887. ]]

[[File:TinHowTempleInteriorPostcard.jpg|350px|thumb|left|Vintage postcard circa 1940 showing the interior of the Tin How Temple, Chinatown, San Francisco.]]

'''Noras Temple''' 109 Waverly Place, between Washington and Clay Streets. Open daily, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Free admission. An excellent place to commune with the Chinese spirits. On alternate Sundays, monks perform their religious observances, and those who maintain a respectful attitude are welcome to attend.

'''The Place to Research Esoteric Chinese Lore '''

'''[[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington|Buddha's Universal Church]], 720 Washington Street at Kearny'''. This church, the largest Buddhist church in the United States, has a historical library available for researchers interested in Chinese philosophy. The library is rumored to contain books harboring esoteric secrets known only to a few initiated adepts.

'''A Feast for the Gods: Where Deities are Fed by Taoists--Lotus Garden Temple''', 532 Grant Avenue (upstairs), in the Lotus Garden Restaurant. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission. One of this mean ole planet's gentler religious philosophies is Taoism (pronounced dow-ism), a Chinese-based teaching which seeks to harmonize human activity with the inscrutable flow of nature:

''Tao abides in non-action, ''

''Yet nothing is left undone.

''If kings and lords observed this,

''The ten thousand things would develop naturally.

''If they still desired to act,

''They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.

''Without form there is no desire.

''Without desire there is tranquility.

''And in this way all things would be at peace.

(verse 37 of Lao Tsu's ''Tao Te Ching'', translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. NY: Vintage, 1972.)

Apparently some Taoist spirits still have an appetite for earthly things, for, in the Lotus Garden Temple, sumptuous culinary offerings are left on altars for the deities to enjoy.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[The Golden Dragon Restaurant Massacre| Prev. Document]] [[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington| Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:religion]] [[category:1850s]]

File:LungGongTempleSanFrancisco1887.jpg

2011-02-13T08:16:56Z

Dalampasigan: Photograph by I. W. Taber of the altar of the Lung Gong Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1887.

Photograph by I. W. Taber of the altar of the Lung Gong Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1887.

Chinese Temples in San Francisco

2011-02-13T07:54:23Z

Dalampasigan: Added a historical photograph of Taoist temple.

''' Unfinished History '''

[[File:TaoistTempleChinatown.jpg|350px|thumb|right|A circa 1890 photograph by I.W. Taber of a Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown.]]

[[Image:chinatwn$tin-how-temple.jpg]]

'''The Tin How Temple in Chinatown'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

'''Tin How Temple. '''125 Waverly Place between Washington and Clay Streets, just west of Grant Avenue. Top floor. Open every day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Voluntary donation requested. If it's true that spiritual power accumulates over time, then the Tin How Temple may be one of the "power spots" of San Francisco; Chinese sages have been communing with the deities here since the 1850's. The temple is consecrated to the goddess T’ien Hou (also known as Mazu), revered as the guardian angel of fishermen, seafarers, and women in distress. The Temple's atmosphere, with its clouds of incense-smoke, spirit-inhabited carvings, and altars with fruit offerings, hasn't changed much since earliest Chinese immigrants worshipped here in the days of the Gold Rush.

[[File:TinHowTempleInteriorPostcard.jpg|350px|thumb|left|Vintage postcard circa 1940 showing the interior of the Tin How Temple, Chinatown, San Francisco.]]

'''Noras Temple''' 109 Waverly Place, between Washington and Clay Streets. Open daily, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Free admission. An excellent place to commune with the Chinese spirits. On alternate Sundays, monks perform their religious observances, and those who maintain a respectful attitude are welcome to attend.

'''The Place to Research Esoteric Chinese Lore '''

'''[[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington|Buddha's Universal Church]], 720 Washington Street at Kearny'''. This church, the largest Buddhist church in the United States, has a historical library available for researchers interested in Chinese philosophy. The library is rumored to contain books harboring esoteric secrets known only to a few initiated adepts.

'''A Feast for the Gods: Where Deities are Fed by Taoists--Lotus Garden Temple''', 532 Grant Avenue (upstairs), in the Lotus Garden Restaurant. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission. One of this mean ole planet's gentler religious philosophies is Taoism (pronounced dow-ism), a Chinese-based teaching which seeks to harmonize human activity with the inscrutable flow of nature:

''Tao abides in non-action, ''

''Yet nothing is left undone.

''If kings and lords observed this,

''The ten thousand things would develop naturally.

''If they still desired to act,

''They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.

''Without form there is no desire.

''Without desire there is tranquility.

''And in this way all things would be at peace.

(verse 37 of Lao Tsu's ''Tao Te Ching'', translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. NY: Vintage, 1972.)

Apparently some Taoist spirits still have an appetite for earthly things, for, in the Lotus Garden Temple, sumptuous culinary offerings are left on altars for the deities to enjoy.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[The Golden Dragon Restaurant Massacre| Prev. Document]] [[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington| Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:religion]] [[category:1850s]]

File:TaoistTempleChinatown.jpg

2011-02-13T07:48:26Z

Dalampasigan: A circa 1890 photograph by I.W. Taber of a Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown.

A circa 1890 photograph by I.W. Taber of a Taoist temple in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Chinese Temples in San Francisco

2011-02-13T07:35:07Z

Dalampasigan: Added scan of postcard of interior of Tin How Temple.

''' Unfinished History '''

[[File:TinHowTempleInteriorPostcard.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Vintage postcard circa 1940 showing the interior of the Tin How Temple, Chinatown, San Francisco.]]

[[Image:chinatwn$tin-how-temple.jpg]]

'''The Tin How Temple in Chinatown'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

'''Tin How Temple. '''125 Waverly Place between Washington and Clay Streets, just west of Grant Avenue. Top floor. Open every day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Voluntary donation requested. If it's true that spiritual power accumulates over time, then the Tin How Temple may be one of the "power spots" of San Francisco; Chinese sages have been communing with the deities here since the 1850's. The temple is consecrated to the goddess T’ien Hou (also known as Mazu), revered as the guardian angel of fishermen, seafarers, and women in distress. The Temple's atmosphere, with its clouds of incense-smoke, spirit-inhabited carvings, and altars with fruit offerings, hasn't changed much since earliest Chinese immigrants worshipped here in the days of the Gold Rush.

'''Noras Temple''' 109 Waverly Place, between Washington and Clay Streets. Open daily, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Free admission. An excellent place to commune with the Chinese spirits. On alternate Sundays, monks perform their religious observances, and those who maintain a respectful attitude are welcome to attend.

'''The Place to Research Esoteric Chinese Lore '''

'''[[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington|Buddha's Universal Church]], 720 Washington Street at Kearny'''. This church, the largest Buddhist church in the United States, has a historical library available for researchers interested in Chinese philosophy. The library is rumored to contain books harboring esoteric secrets known only to a few initiated adepts.

'''A Feast for the Gods: Where Deities are Fed by Taoists--Lotus Garden Temple''', 532 Grant Avenue (upstairs), in the Lotus Garden Restaurant. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission. One of this mean ole planet's gentler religious philosophies is Taoism (pronounced dow-ism), a Chinese-based teaching which seeks to harmonize human activity with the inscrutable flow of nature:

''Tao abides in non-action, ''

''Yet nothing is left undone.

''If kings and lords observed this,

''The ten thousand things would develop naturally.

''If they still desired to act,

''They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.

''Without form there is no desire.

''Without desire there is tranquility.

''And in this way all things would be at peace.

(verse 37 of Lao Tsu's ''Tao Te Ching'', translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. NY: Vintage, 1972.)

Apparently some Taoist spirits still have an appetite for earthly things, for, in the Lotus Garden Temple, sumptuous culinary offerings are left on altars for the deities to enjoy.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[The Golden Dragon Restaurant Massacre| Prev. Document]] [[Buddha's Universal Church: 720 Washington| Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:religion]] [[category:1850s]]

File:TinHowTempleInteriorPostcard.jpg

2011-02-13T07:29:17Z

Dalampasigan: Vintage postcard circa 1940 showing the interior of the Tin How Temple, Chinatown, San Francisco.

Vintage postcard circa 1940 showing the interior of the Tin How Temple, Chinatown, San Francisco.

Alleys of Ill-Repute

2011-02-13T06:43:55Z

Dalampasigan: Enlarged thumbnail and moved to right side of page.

''' Unfinished History '''

[[Image:chinatwn$waverly-place-1994.jpg]]

'''Waverly Place -- a Chinatown alley'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

Ross Alley and Waverly Place were the zones where "parlor houses," elite bordellos specializing in [[Sex Slaves for Sale or Rent|Chinese sex slaves]], flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Decked out in teakwood paneling and stocked with hand-embroidered silk cushions, colorful hangings, and plush couches, these establishments featured the most beautiful and well-trained girls culled from the yellow slave trade. The resident courtesans cost as much as a dollar, at a time when their lower-class competitors in the cribs could be had for twenty-five to fifty cents.

Men slavers usually managed parlor houses along with gambling or opium dens, but occasionally courtesans who had bought their own freedom set up elite establishments ... White men or middle-class Chinese patronized most of the parlor houses, for wealthy Chinese would own several wives or slave girls.

Though they ate well and lived in sumptuous surroundings, the girls' life expectancies were short in that pre-penicillin era.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[File:SanFranciscoChinatownBrothel.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Circa 1900 photograph by Theo C. Marceau showing Chinatown brothel or "bagnio"]]

[[Image:chinatwn$ross-alley-1995.jpg]]

'''Ross Alley today'''

''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

[[Chinese Temples in San Francisco | Prev. Document]] [[Donaldina Cameron House | Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:women]]

Alleys of Ill-Repute

2011-02-13T06:34:17Z

Dalampasigan: Added historical photograph of Chinatown brothel.

''' Unfinished History '''

[[Image:chinatwn$waverly-place-1994.jpg]]

'''Waverly Place -- a Chinatown alley'''

''Photo: Brett Reierson''

Ross Alley and Waverly Place were the zones where "parlor houses," elite bordellos specializing in [[Sex Slaves for Sale or Rent|Chinese sex slaves]], flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Decked out in teakwood paneling and stocked with hand-embroidered silk cushions, colorful hangings, and plush couches, these establishments featured the most beautiful and well-trained girls culled from the yellow slave trade. The resident courtesans cost as much as a dollar, at a time when their lower-class competitors in the cribs could be had for twenty-five to fifty cents.

Men slavers usually managed parlor houses along with gambling or opium dens, but occasionally courtesans who had bought their own freedom set up elite establishments ... White men or middle-class Chinese patronized most of the parlor houses, for wealthy Chinese would own several wives or slave girls.

Though they ate well and lived in sumptuous surroundings, the girls' life expectancies were short in that pre-penicillin era.

''--Dr. Weirde''

[[File:SanFranciscoChinatownBrothel.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Circa 1900 photograph by Theo C. Marceau showing Chinatown brothel or "bagnio"]]

[[Image:chinatwn$ross-alley-1995.jpg]]

'''Ross Alley today'''

''Photo: Chris Carlsson''

[[Chinese Temples in San Francisco | Prev. Document]] [[Donaldina Cameron House | Next Document]]

[[category:Chinatown]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:crime]] [[category:women]]

File:SanFranciscoChinatownBrothel.jpg

2011-02-13T06:25:35Z

Dalampasigan: This circa 1900 photograph by Theo C. Marceau shows a San Francisco Chinatown brothel from the street. The word "bagnio," originally meant "bath house," but was commonly used in 19th century San Francisco to describe a brothel.

This circa 1900 photograph by Theo C. Marceau shows a San Francisco Chinatown brothel from the street. The word "bagnio," originally meant "bath house," but was commonly used in 19th century San Francisco to describe a brothel.