The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-11
COUP D'GlL OF THE GREAT METHOpoL IS.
She Lights and Shadows Of New
York Life.
"A Night with the Bell Ringer OF
the City Hall.
Scenes and Sights in the Streets by
Sun Light and by Gas Light.
Tho Material and Social Life Of the City,
&C., &c., Sc.

One, two, three, fouri The ponderous bell in the
cupolA OF the City Hall has struck the signal fer
hre in the Fourth district and before the echoes
died away all the bells in the eight New
York have repeated the alarm. The aremen Who ap-
pear to have been in possession OF the almost be-
fore the man in the look out himself, rush from
AL quarters OF the city to the OF The conagraon
making the streets their cries. Now they
address their engine with the most endearng termsfor
never was ship better ,ved by her captain than the
mschne Is by thsm-and now they urge each other to
renewed exertions Pull together, mem pull together"
they shout aloud, in chorus Yankee Doodle hal
pull lively men, pull lively hi! hill hill Where is she
now2' Now they sweep through the thorough.
fares like torrent out into Broadway, while omnibus
drivers and hackmen, who beyond the control
Of the police leave wide berth for them and they
in front OF the burning building working with their
usual energy and sefdevotion. But 1t is not OF the
Hremen would speak, Of their services TO the
munity-our readers already familiar with them
their schevenents have been often made the theme
of public eulogy.
Whne the bell Is yet striking the ALARM we
will 60 up into the eupola and there, in
company with the bell ringer, spend few hours
In the contemplation Of the magnificent vary
ing which the great metropolis presents
to our view. 1t Ave O'Clock The courts have ad
journsd more than houV ago-the clerks have abAn
oned their desks in the Mayors ofce-the complaint
book closed and both branches of that worthy body
known the Common Council Of New York have just
assembled and been called to order by their respective
Presidents Passing the spiral Staircase devious
the ways justice herself reach the grand corridor
Of the second story and turning either to the right
left Of the srce, stopped in further progress by
grated DOOR This generally locked, but the
sion Of vid the bolt withdrawn by the warder
himself and after ascending another fight Of steps
stand upon the corridor Of the third story Of the City
Hail. Here the jury is situated but 1t vacant,
and the only sound heard passed 1t, the
echo Of footsteps.
Another staircase, growing narrower as We ascend,
and then another and after passing through trap
the floor, in the lookout Of the bell ringer
hundred feet above the city, which lies like vast map
beneath us
Mr. Georgs Bevius is on the watch to-day and at his
post in front OF the bely ready the first signal
appearance Of ere to strike the alarm The long wooden
shaft within arms length OF his seat is attached to two
iron rods with the tongue OF the bell and
he works this Ike pump handle his greeted
with the sound Of thousand cataracts, and every
article Of furniture in his little trembles as II in
stinct with Hfc 1t is indeed ponderous instrument,
weighing over twenty thousand pounds and when the
wind il favorable be heard the remotest limits
OF the city. The apartment known as the Lookout s
about ten feet by ten, and is furnished with two or
three chairs stove, writing desk OF the most minute
Dimensions, looking glass, pitcher, and Few
other Indispensable articles In the centre OF the floor
and running up TO the ceiling is large wooden case, or
box enclosing the gigantic pendulum of the clock, the
works OF which occupy the apartment Immediately over
this Above this, again. is the dial room which s IL
Illuminated every night by dozen gas burners Another
room, remarkable for nothing but most intoleraoe
Odor Of dust and decayng and the highest point
IN the interior OF the cupoa is reached About fifteen
feet above stands the statue Of Justice bearing in one
hand the theoretical scales and In the other the sword
The minute hands on each Of the four dais have ira
vsrssd half their circumference since entered the
City Hail. and when they have accomplished the entire
circuit viii be six O'Clock. The day, which has been
none Of the brightest, becoming still more gloomy as
the shades Of evening gather the city The sky il
shut out by heavy leaden coloed Clouds which have
threatened from early morning. compelling careful
people y encumber themselves with umbrellas and
overshoes all day long The stages going up town are
crowded with passenger and in hour two more the
lower part Of the city will be deserted as plague
stricken. Nassau street is crowded with working girls
Of every pation-the press feeders, the corset
MAKERS the straw hat makers, the book sewers, the
button makers, the gold leaf packers, the fancy box
makers, the pocketbook makers, the bookfold
srs, the umbrella MAKERS all are represented in
that thronged horoughfare, too narrow for the hu
man tide that Gibbs and flows through II every
day. There, too, the merchants clerks, the clock
and watch makers, jewellers, eagravers engineers,
plumbers, hat makers, japanners, locksmiths, mat
Makers shopmen and and aborers OF every
Kind. The various ferry stations beset by
crowds and the boats hardly large enough for the hu
man freight with which they are lo,ded are pressed
down nearly 20 the waters edge. The tardy gas com
panies have despatched their messengers over
he city, and the pale glimmer Of the lamps struggling
with the fast fading light Of day The heavy clouds re-
feet back the glow from the Illuminated city and IS the
darkness OF night increases the North and Fast rivers
are more easily distinguished by the innumerabe lights
suspended from the masts OF the shipping
Six ocock-the factories the wareh suses the stores
and nearly all places Of busness in the lower part OF the
atty are deserted the docks which all day crowded
with sailors merchants and representatives from the
Numerous departments OF the mercantile and commercial
world have suddenly become depopuatsd At the magic
hour Of sr tho material life OF New York is parayred
and its social commences. The poor light their
candles aad the rich their gas and shs cheerful nrs
draws the family circle around II in pleasant
| converse. But there homes in which IL
docs not burn brightly, and in which
grief poverty has thrown shadow on the hearth
What revelations might we behold from lookout
bssds this Gre bell, could We lse Le Dsba BoiteuI o.
lie Sage, raise tho roofs like veil from the atty thou
sand houses whish make up what IL called the great
metropolis What varied scenes, what sunshine and
What shade Tilsre, In that ~retchsi Of all the
miserable localities Of New York-ths Five Pontsths
ehdrcn Of poverty and vice s tho efforts Of the
benevolent to raise them from their degraded condition
and 10 elevate them socially and morally and there they
un eentinus TO resist them 80 long those Efforts are
nisdrectsd, and so long rs poverty s regarded a.
synonynous With vice and crime. For what has been
done towards s reformation let AL due praise be award
ed for although Cov Bay and hurdersrs Alley stall exist
Bome for the poor has been erected the site q ths.
abode Of thieves and homcdes the Old Brewery. There
too within stones throw Of the Points, its massive
granite walls dimy visible in the gloom ofevenny, stand,
the Halls Of Justice, appropriately entitled the
Tombs calling up the fearful enscences OF s hsto.
Tsere IA stands an rroupdad bv the noor and tha