Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-12-10
EVENING STAR.
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
NEW YORK. Doc. 8. lS5

NEW YoRk, Dec. 8, 1856.
Life in city Is an epitoms of the existing 2
phases of society throughout the world. The
most splendid wealth, the most squalid pow
erty, the highest intellectual attainments, and
the most debasing animal passions make 1,
their abode. The lowest and the highest jostls
each other in the street. By the side Of the
church stands the house Of infamy In the
rear Of The palatine residence Is den OF
thieves. The refined and cultivated breathe
the breath OF the depraved and vulgar; tbs
virtuous and vicious inhsle the came atmos-
phere. There is no place like . city to make
US feel the brotherhood Of humanity; nor Ia
there any place where less brotherly feeling
exists. There is more difference between in
dlVfduals Of the Same race In a place like this
han exists between the most widely different
nations. Esquimaux and Patagonian resem-
bic each other moro closely In manners, NOR
als, and physique, than the beings who inrsss
the Five Points and Church street d. the resi-
dents of the Fifth avenue and the most fash
ionabis street up town. Tho differences in
natonaiities are after all simply differences
OF interests. The French do not look with
moro aversion upon The Mlscovites than GER
tain classes look upon each other here nor do
the bedouian Arabs consider travelling pill
grims fairer objects for plunder than do one
class Of persons who infest our city their fel-
low christians.
We have among Us thousands who live en-.
tirely by what they can purloin. Theft is not
now an incident, but profession in which il
Is necessary TO secure regular apprentice
ship before person Is admitted to practice
upon his own account. There is also a secret
sign by which the regularly graduated mem
bers make themselves known to each other.
q WI NJ -
ing to rule, 1T is said that q very respectable
iiVclihood may be obtained; bat, as in moro
iegltlmats professions, some venture rashly
and bring up suddenly ut Sing Sing. Being
scnt there for term Of years s iocularly
called by the fraternity going through the
bankrupt court. There are schools in which
all kinds OF thefts are taught by accom- plished
masters, and workshops where all the nece.
sary implements for burglars, and others, are
manufactured. The police are well acquainted
with these things, end yet disturb them not
Our retail traders arc complaining of the
hard times. Business is very dull, and those
Wto depend upon their daily labor for live.
lihood are looking forward to the coming win
tor months with considerable anxiety. The
reports In the financial columns Of our CON-
nercial papers are not always q correct index
OF the times. They relate the transactions
between parties who do not suffer by the loss
OF few dollars but the condition of those 10
whom every cent is Of vital consequence is
seldom spoken of in I" money articles"
There l. one thing in favor of the poor this
season-health. The doctors are being ruined
Those who do best scarcely pay expenses The |
deaths for the week numbers 1856 of these 81
were men, 65 women, 1lS boys, and 95 girls
l07 OF the total number died Of diseases Of the
throat and lungs, or, In other words Of con-
sumption. Is it not strange that this disease. |
the most fatal in our climate, has up to this |
time received so little attention; the doctor. |
contented themselve. with sitting down and
pronouncing it inourable.
As an example Of the immense travel on
streets, instance the receipts If the Sixth
and Eighth Avenue railway cars as being fifty
thousand dollars the last month When it is
considered that those are comparatively OBJ |
scure streets, and that the fare does not ex- |
eesc, for each person, five cents, some idea
may be formed of the number Of persons that |
move along our moro central thoroughfares.
TBeUMsEa.