The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-02-03
The Pioneer Correspondence.
From cur Regular New York Correspondent.
Matters and Things In New York.

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 1855.
Fires the Night and Nth 'e Maehins'-Nidnight
Resors-1he Bali and the Poor, de-, DC.
For two successive nights we have had large
fires, whilst the terrible tragedy at Fort Wash
ington is still fresh in our remembrance. Six
buildings were burned last night in the Bowery,
and the night before the flames laid hold of one
of the old landmarks of Brooklyn. The heavy
clang of that new bell on the New York City
Hall. wakes up all the inhabitants of the three
cities with its first stroke. If one lives near
an engine-house, he is strongly tempted to jump
out of bed and rush after the machine, as it is
whirled away over the stones by so vigorous
arms. A fire in the nighttime, especially where
there is a little fighting episode is quite an ex-
citing occasion.
Travelling home after the fire at or 2 clock
in the morning, you have chance to see who
else wrests the small hours from sleep, and for
what purposes. Whte-kidded tops are help
ing languid ladies into carriages before the
steps of some brilliantly lighted mansion, where
the music ard the dance still 60 on with flying
feet. You may step into house of quiet and
respectable appearance, by the back-door, if
you choose. You will find long room filled
with jovial companions gathered around social
tables, smoking and imbibing to their hearts
content. These are the quiet, family men, who
love the social glass, but do not want to be
seen in bar room or common drinking saloon
They chat cozily about the war, hard times
and sporting matters, without getting violent
or excited. Go down into the common saloons
below the level of the street, and you will find
different set They are swallowing "brandy
smashes" and "gin cocktails" and wear their
reckless swagger, and their speeches proclaim
tn m to be of the Nose and Sykesy" order,
and proud of the name at that. They have
been running with the machine, have stopped
several times before to take something" and
are now red hot fer quarrel on the slightest
occasion. A word Of Disagreement to the ia
vorite machine, would be provocation enough
for general melee. Then rushes in the
Star, and calming down the furious combat
ants with few blows of his short oak club,
he seizes the one who bears the blacklist eve
bloodiest nose and hauls off his prize to the
station-house, followed by the whole brawling
crowd. This is specimen of the lowest class
of the midnight resorts. If you want to find
where the promising young men of NewYork.
the heirs at law of our merchant princes keep
themselves at this time of night, we will in
troduce you to "St. Claus" or some other of
the magnifcently furnished drinking establish
ments that line Broadway; or step into Fields
billiard saloon, where you will see in what mr.
suits the students of our city colleges and med
ical schools.wastc their midnight oil or, again,
turn off Broadway, stop at house whose in.
mates appear to have "shut up and gone to bed"
Give double knock and you are admitted
cautiously. If your appearance is not susni.
cious, you will be admitted, further, into q
brilliantly lighted apartment where the revolv-
ing fortune of the faro table fascinates a crowd
of foplings and dashing roues. These estab-
lishments are liable to visits from the police.
and are therefore obliged to be careful in the
admission of company but we must not at
tempt to initiate your virtuous readers any
further into the midnight amusements of our
citizens. The rest were better imagined than
described. So we will walk home in peace, if
the gas happens to be lighted. II the almanac
has promised a moon, there will be no paa. for