Chinese Laundry
 

Kearney Hub, July 15, 1889

Fined –

Sam Lee and Puck Lee, proprietors of the New York Chinese Laundry, were ordered to clean up the place. The cesspool was running over with filth

No attention was paid to the request
A few choice Chinese imitations of American profanity
They were fined $7.70 and ordered to have the place cleaned up by tomorrow.

Kearney Hub, July 17, 1889

Limbo –

Sam Lee, one of the Chinese laundrymen who were fined $7.70 for maintaining a nuisance in the shape of a brimful cesspool on a lot in the rear of the Golden Eagle Store, failed to comply with the demand.

Today he was placed under the direction of the Street Commissioner, Forehand, who proceeded to initiate the celestial into the mystery of street grading. Sam objected to manual labor and when the ball and chain was attached to him, he lit up a weed and took a loan against the lamp post, his language and actions clearly indicating his dislike for compulsory measures.

Up to last accounts Sam had not diligently improved his time.

Kearney Hub, July 17, 1889

Court –

Sam Lee, the offending Chinaman who played the mule act on Street Commissioner Forehand yesterday, went to work this morning cheerfully as a tired schoolboy excavating for fish bait.

From the City Directories –

1889 – Golden Eagle was listed under Trunks & Traveling Bags. I suspect there were other items in the inventory but I didn’t find it listed under any other types of business.

It was located at 2101 Central. Present building has Nelson’s Furniture, formerly ABC Drug.

Sam Lee is listed under Laundry (New York Chinese Laundry not listed.)
Located at 10 East 21st Street which puts him around the corner. A cesspool behind his business, probably where he dumped his laundry water, would also be behind the Golden Eagle.

Lee lived at the same address as his laundry,

1892-3 – No Sam Lee, he must have moved on.