I would love to post them on my site, pretty please!

Virginia

I've checked the maps and have a pretty good idea of the streets mentioned in "Behind That Curtain". I'll look for the Oriental apartments and see what is down Waverly.

Rush - in the pages you sent, is there any clue where "Kirk" resides since that is where Chan starts from? This would give me some idea of which direction to go on Grant. I'm wondering if I start at the north end of Grant or the south end. Of course it says "Chan turned up Washington street" so it might not matter that much - I'll look for a hill.

GS

You remind me of an old song about "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail and our caissons keep rolling along" . . . or something like that as Lee would say in Olympics!

Virginia

Dear GS,

Yes, Mr. Chan walked along Grant toward Washington St. If there is still time, I will try to locate tha approximate location of Kirk's apartment.

By the way, I had forgotten, but we have links to the text for eack of the Biggers Chan books here, in the "Charlie Chan Links" portion of this web site. If you can, you might take a look. You may even be able to have the computer search for key words within the text.

Sincerely,
Rush

Dear GS,

Here is more text from "Behind That Curtain" that will place Barry Kirk's apartment for you:

Rankin pushed the facetious one aside. "Don't interfere with your betters, my lad," he remarked, and added, to the driver: "The Kirk Building, on California Street."

The taxi swung out into Market Street, followed the intricate car tracks for a few blocks, and turned off into Montgomery. In another moment they were in the financial district of San Francisco, now wrapped in its accustomed evening calm. The huge buildings of trust companies, investment houses and banks stood solemn and solid in the dusk; across the doorways of many, forbidding bronze gates were already shut. Gilded signs met Rankin's eye---"The Yokohama Bank"; on another window, "The Shanghai Trading Company"; one may not forget the Orient in the city by the Gate. Presently the taxi drew up before a twenty-story office building, and Rankin alighted.

The Kirk Building was architecturally perfect, in the excellent taste that had marked the family ever since the first Dawson Kirk had made his millions and gone his way. Now it was the particular hobby of young Barry Kirk, who lived in bachelor splendor in the spacious but breezy bungalow on its roof. Its pure white lobby was immaculate; its elevator girls trim
and pretty in neat uniforms; its elevator starter resplendent as an Admiral of the Fleet. At this hour the fever of the day was ended andcleaning women knelt reverently on the marble floor. One elevator was
still running, and into this Bill Rankin stepped.

"All the way," he said to the girl.

He alighted at the twentieth floor, the final stop. A narrow stair led to Barry Kirk's bungalow, and the reporter ascended two teps at a time. Pausing before an imposing door, he rang. The door opened and Paradise, Kirk's English butler, stood like a bishop barring Rankin's path.

I think that this may help find the starting point of Chan's walk to Chinatown.

Sincerely,
Rush

I posted my tour yesterday - regrettably before I received your update on the Kirk building.

Today I am heading to Sacramento for the National Acupuncture conference. I printed your latest information and will compare it to my map of my tour. If anything looks promising, I'll let you know. I don't think I'll be able to "walk" the tour again.

Tomorrow we fly back to the other coast.

GS