The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-12-30
New York Letter.
From our Regular New York Correspondent.

From our Regular New York Cerresponden
New YORK, Dec. l6, 1859.
Business is dull, except the retail trade of
the city proper. The great vital trade of
the city, its commerce with North, East,
South and West, by which it disburthens
itself of the masses of goods and merchan-
disc which are constantly pouring into it
from home and foreign sources-this trade
is stagnant, and promises to be for another
month. By the middle of January, it is
usually the case, that the Southern buyers
come forward and lay in their stocks for
spring and summer trade. At present the
activity of our business men is confined to
preparations for the coming campaign. The
closing business of the year is "takipg stock"
! when an inventory is taken of all that re-
mains on hand Of the years purchases, in
order to squaring of accounts. This
"taking stock" is no easy matter, when the
stock is made up of multitude of odd lots,
remnants of parcels, etc., and therefore
dealers are generally disposed to clear out
such odds and ends at reduction from
their market value. Fortunate is the mer-
chant, and more fortunate his clerks, who
can finish their preparations for the new
season before Christmas, in order to enjoy
one undisturbed and careless week of holi-
day. We are eagerly looking for sleighing
weather for holiday week, of which there
has been some prospect until lately, but at
all events we are likely to have good skating
on Lake Manahatta," the sivery surface
in the Central Park. 1t will be flooded
newly every night and re-frozen, so as to
present extraordinary facilities to those dis.
posed to skate every day.
At meeting of political character last
night your correspondent had the pleasure
of scrutinizing the visages of our municipal
rulers, the gang of "Short boys" "Dead
rabbits" etc., whose brawny muscles are on
sale at every election to the party which can
bid highest for their services. About three
or four hundred were present, of this sort.
The leaders were be-whiskered moustached
young men, of a staggering fineness of man.
ner, and dressed in fancy" style; some of
them appeared to be gamblers they had
under their control set of countenances
which the pencil of Hogarth would alone
have been competent to depict; villainy,
brutality, malignity, mingled occasionally
with some traces of better though ruined
nature; these are creatures OF darkness,
being rarely seen together by day, our citi-
zens are mostly ignorant of the class as an
original and formidable band of despera-
does. There was at the same time an ap-
parent lack of individual courage among
them they looked desperate in the man
and towards in detail, with some few mark
ed exceptions. 1t is fact that the bruis-
ers" are not brave as class. Probably the
most efficient soldiers which could be raised
in this city would be drawn from respect
able fire companies made up of young me.
chanics, vigorous in the muscle and indom-
liable of nerve. 1t is standing question
how we'll the famous Seventh Regiment,
made up mostly of clerks in wholesale bust
ness, young lawyers, etc., would fight if real
fighting were needed; but they most GER
tainly have their incentives, being regarded
as the special protection of the beauty OF
upper tendon.
Public attention is being directed to the
fact that the mortality returns show very
marked disproportion between the deaths
and the number of inhabitants in the rich
and poor wards Of the city. Labor is un-
doubtedly favorable to the increase of
years." The Fifteenth Ward. it appears by
the mortality returns, is by far the healthiest
in the city. This includes Clinton Place,
&C., and is the residence, perhaps not of the
wealthiest, but of very well-to-do class OF
citizens. 1t is also the case, probably, that
the air about Washington Parade ground is
the most pure and healthy of any part OF the
city or at least is not exceeded. There is
great deal of made land in the upper aud
lower part of the city, built over marshes
and the former tide limits, leaving fever
breeding soil.
The Sixth Ward is probably the most
unhealthy, in consequence Of the low ground
and tie crowded state of the tenement
houses. This includes the Five Points but
here some improvements are making. The
famous " Cow Bay is being cleared out
worse locality than the Old Brewery,
and this den of thieves and prohigates bids
fair to lose its notoriety.