Albuquerque Morning Journal

TOMBSTONE CHINKS' BURROWS UNCOVERED

Tearing Down of Chinese Shacks Reveals Underground Passages Rivaling Those of Chinatown in Frisco.

The burning down of the Chinatown district in San Francisco disclosed a number of startling tunnels and various contrivances that had been used in hiding the members of the different tongs when pursued by officials or others. The tearing down of some old Chinese shacks in Tombstone that have stood in that city for the past twenty-five years, during the past few days, reveals the fact that the Tombstone Chinese inhabitants had a number of the same sort of conveniences.

A few weeks ago W. R. King purchased several of the Chinese laundry houses and began to tear them down. The work revealed the existence of a number of passageways from one building to the others so that it would be possible to enter one building and come out the door of another half a block away and on another street.

In one of the buildings a secret door was found in the floor, which, when opened, revealed a box buried in the ground large enough to hold the body of a human being living down. Running from the top of the box to the roof was built an air flue about six inches square, so that one hid in the box could be furnished air. The box shows evidence of having been in recent use and no doubt has been the hiding place of Chinese who have entered the country illegally from Mexico and were hid here from the watchful eyes of the immigration inspectors until they could be spirited away to other parts of the country.

Couldn't find the one man in this town who wants that saddle or driving horse of yours as surely and as quickly as a For Sale ad can do; and Sherlock's fee would be larger.