The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-14

The interior of these Enclosures are emf
up into irregular narrow lanes, full of |
holes, rocks, stumps, and other impede |
| ments to honest pedestrianism, designed
to bother the police in their pursuit of
| felOns. But we are informed that the
police rarely invade these enclosures,
except. in strong force. The inhabi-
tants have no respect for the Metro.
politan star, and the appearance of one
would cause q sensation to which no pen
can do justice. Men, women and boys
would set upon the intruder, who would
be considered fortunate if he escaped
with his life. Not long since several
policemen ventured to pursue o fugitive
into a settlement on the east side Of
Third avenue, thinking themselves
strong enough to defy the mob. But no
sooner had they effected an entrance,
than they were assailed in every direc-
ton. Furious old hays rushed at them
and attacked with tooth and claw,
stones, bricks, clubs, and missiles nei-
ther pretty to name nor sweet to smell,
were hurled at them from every side by
unseen parties. On attempting to beat
retreat, the officers found themselves
entangled in perfect labyrinth of lanes,
ambuscaded at every corner; and it was
only after most perilous encounter that
they were able to fight their way clear
of all obstacles and regain the street. =
OF course every hole in these Enclosures
is well known to the wretches who make
them their home, and once securely in
side, with their home-guard of old wo-
men and boys fully aroused, they are
comparatively safe. No honest mans
house is securer castle than the shanty
of thieving squatter Is to him.
1t will be remembered that from these
cabins came the hordes of infatuated de-
mons who formed the main body of the
rioters in July, 1863-the men who burnt
the Orphan Asylum and meant to burn
the whole city. 1t was within few
yards of the shanty city that Superintend-
ent Kennedy was nearly killed by these
very ruffians, and it was into the dark
alleys of their cabin fortresses that hun
dreds of their dead and wounded friends
were hurried out of sight. 1t is beyond
doubt true that large number of vic
| tins died there, and were secretly car
ried over the river by night or thrown
into graves nearer at hand. The bills o.
mortality never recorded half the deaths
caused by the riot.
1t may be surmised that the unprom
Using character of the inhabitants ha:
not invited the writer to avery clos'
personal inspection of these settlements
but look into several of the more de
cent shanties in the outskirts (perhap
| we should say in the suburbs) of one Q
the least pOpulous Enclosures, gives SOME
idea of their general character. We are
free to say, we did not find them models
of neatness, nor could the presiding ge-
muses. be accepted as types Of pure unso-
phisticated nature. In one, o large-sized
cabin-in what might be called
! the Fifth Avenue Of Shanty-dom
we found five large and prolific
families distributed through four rooms
The mistress of the establishment
was robust, large-boned, red-facet
: woman of about forty-five, decently
dressed, and not Unlocking. In ON
window she kept cigar and candy
store (the former two for five cents, anG
warranted Havana) and the investmen
of brace of tens Modified her int
quite laxative mood. We found, OF
inquiry, that in addition to family o
over twenty persons, the shanty or cabir
Accommodated, in Darkroom, twenty
five pigs! Six or seven goats were
browsing about the premises, and a pla-
cid COW was Illuminating over the scene
through side window! This is not q
|
Judge what must be the character of the
dens inside the enclosures where the
4 :, npulatiun is more crowded and the &C.
con,,, ,ndations less extensive. We have
bonn In med, however, that the settle
wants IN tho rocky knobs are healthy
cnmnared with he tenement houses o
our lower wards, being open 10 uns set
air. The squattings in ,pe aSw 2; ,un rain,
lots are frequently fiooa.s1 -
weather; but even there the l. Wv, !, 7,
IS not large-a blessing which tL y "A'
free to be thankful for.
These souatters hold the balance o.
power in the Ward. In ordinary times
| their powers of annoyance are supreme
but their greatest triumphs are on cleo
ton days. Then, if ever, they rule the
roast. Living SO .irregularly, they are
never registered Ruling the poles, they
vote as often as they please, and put
their own creatures into office. De-
cent people are kept away, or stay away,
rather than come in contact with them.
They are always ready for row, and
can get up big fight on the shortest mo-
tice. Long practice has made them
such excellent marksmen in throwing
stones, that they will "dropo an unfor-
tunate victim at twenty yards with UNI
erring skill. disappearance OF strong
police squad will disperse them to their
settlements, where pursuit were worse
than useless.
The presence of these turbulent squat
tiers, and the apparent impossibility of
getting rid of them short of general ex-
Termination, has an injurious effect on
all kinds of property in their neighbour
hood. They prevent sales of lots, they
discourage owners from building houses
which would tend to relieve the over,
crowded parts of the city, and they make
every one who owns property there anx-
ious to sell and unwilling to make i'm,
provements. Every attempt to induce
q sauatter to move away is regarded by
the whole community Of squatters as an
insult, and it il resented according,
while, asalready intimated, AN attempt to
remove shanty by force would produce
a riot, and entail q long series of out
RACES against the peace of the audacious
invader OF the rights of squatter sove-
reignty. Yet the people of the Nine
tenth Precinct are not alone concerned
in the abatement of this source of riot
and disorder. The wretches who make
their haunts in these squatters' settle
ments are the ones who SO frequently
turn that pleasant place of resort, Jones'