Editing Tong Sing Wo (section)

==Tong Sing Wo==
Tong Sing Wo had the largest of the Chinese Merchant shops in Bodie; the Tong Sing Wo General Merchandise Establishment - Domestic and imported. It was three stories high. It was on the main street of Chinatown. It was one of the few substantial buildings in Chinatown. The first floor was filled with Chinese merchandise that both Chinese and whites would purchase. It was about as far as most people ever got. It was as far 
as most people ever expected to get! Dark tales were circulated about the upper floors!
 
But it was the second and third floors that showed the darker side of a Tong and the Chinese culture. On the second floor was the gaming hall. Many of today's most popular gambling games were brought by the Chinese to this country. Games like Keno, Mahjong, the West's ever popular faro, and the very difficult Pai Gow Poker. When one entered the second floor it was crowded with Chinese men and a few whites.

It was the opium that pervaded the gaming room that would have been most noticeable. On the sides of the walls were opium bunks. No one paid much attention to them, except the addicts. The addiction to opium showed different stages from those who were twirling the little round ball in the flame of the lamp to those to those were done smoking and having their dreams. The opium bunks were never empty!
 
The third floor was very private. Only a special invitation could get one up there. The third floor was just an opium den - but on a grand scale. It was filled with teakwood bunks all enclosed by silk curtains. Not only was it private and expensive, it was said to contain better opium.