Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-27
The Night Side of New York.

That "half the world does not know how
the other half lives,o will hold true of that
latter half of the inhabitants of New York,
who, quite respectable people as they are,
60 to bed early, and, lost in peaceful slum-
Der, are unconscious Of the busy scenes and
sleepless activity OF large numbers around
them. Newspaper slaves, as we are, and
therefore habitual night workers, and keep
ers of most improper hours, and strongly as
we would warn our young readers espe-
cially against falling into the same evil
habits, we can yet assure them that, for
once, a walk through the streets between
one and two in the morning would afford
them some little information, and supply
material for serious reflection. Should their
steps take the direction of the City Hall,
they will see the lighted precincts, where
our police rendezvous, and where the night
charges for drunkenness, disorderly con-
duct, and minor offenses are disposed of
while across the Park, in Printing House
Square, they will hear the ceaseless clatter
of the printing gmachines, low under ground,
of The Tribune and its neighbor, as the fly
ing press throws off the impression of the
paper for the coming day, at the rate of
twenty thousand per hour. Down toward
the Astor House one constantly meets or
hears the tinkling horse cars that supply,
the belated pedestrians of Third, Sixth, or
Eighth avenue with the means of reaching
their homes. There is Sunday silence
along Broadway-thatis,a is, all the estages have
ceased running-but the heavy teams, the
hacks, the market carts, the solemn tramp
of the policeman, as lie glides in and out
trying doors and shutters, the hasty tread
of the steady ''old party" ashamed of being
seen out so late, the stealthy step of the
thief, the shuffling, tluttering run of the
'unfortunates," the brawl of the drunkard,
the roistering merriment of the bacchana-
lians who lave just left the orgies, the
sounds of music and dancing from the va
rious saloons and "hells," and the inde-
scribable hum of these varied noises, turn
night into day, and mock the silent stars.
In the minor and second-class STA Gets, though
not those of the lowest class, one of the
most striking features is the overflowing
abundance and activity, at all hours of the
night, of the colored people. Streets that
i'll the day time might be passed through
without the presence ofa negro population
being suspected, will be found at night to
swarm with the, certainly not in this case,
"children of the sum-" What time they
sleep or rest is certainly mystery-at all
hours Of the night you will find the doors
of their houses open, men smoking, talking,
loating, women washing, cleaning or cook
ing, and the only natural sound that strikes
the ear is perhaps the cry of sleepy and
tretful child at the turmoil around it, while
knots of the 'darks" dot the pavement,
promenading, courting, or quarreling, as
the case may be. Toward the North river
night is rendered hideous by the cracking of
whips shouting of drivers, and the rumbling
and jolting of produce teams, milk wagons,
and kindred vehicles, over the ill-paved
streets and on the river side. Along by
Barcalay street all night long is busy
scene, that would do no discredit to coun-
try market. All the liquor stores are open,
and their fiaring lights, flashing over the
road, illuminating the molly group per-
spring at the work which it is necessary to
prepare for the morning market.
Everybody is working with zeal, but
Notwithstanding everybody seems some
what sleepy. There is German butcher
snoring away in his chair, with fine SIR
loin serving for pillow for his shaggy
head. All the produce dealers and market
gardeners are busy landing fruit and vege-
tables from the wharves on the river or the
wagons, which line the streets, with their
nets, and doubtless doing and dreaming of
the quiet stable away off in the country,
and wondering why they should not be
elsewhere an hour after midnight. Whence
is that delicious fragrance thousand times
surprising in its delicate fumes all the efforts
ofthe perfumer's skill. 1t comes from those
hampers of peaches which are being un-
loaded. Of course, there are many scenes
beside these, many in the haunts and dens |
where the vicious herd, orgies of which one
ca1 hardly hear without blushing for our
city, our country, and our kind that can |
md delight In sutn degradation. We glad |
ly draw the veil of darkness over them.