The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-14
NEW YORKLSMS.
lEfom our o,On Correspondent.

NEW YORK, July lS 1868,
Ifone can make up his mind to bear the crowd
with the patience OF practical philosopher,
walk down the Bowery of Saturday night IL
not without its significance. The Jam, ind sed
is not confined to the Bowery, but commences
little below Cooper Institute and only begins
10 slacken Off towards Sweeney's Hotel. within
two blocks Of the Sun ofIice Between these ter
mini ebbs and flows the tide OF working people
intent on spending, in as short space OF time
rs well can be. all the money they have re-
ceived an hour or two previous. Tue sidewalks
are brighter than Broadway even is
at night, for calcium lights are
out unexpectedly at every turn, and vari-
ous patent refiectors give to the shop-wlu-
dows an alluripg radiance, beneath which the
purse. strings seem tn open of their own accord
The Third and the Fourth Avenue cars alter
nately passing and repassing, keep up an In
terminable jingle, and are eternally crowded
both in their upward and downward trips
Crowds are surging around the innumerable
drinking saloons which line the length o.
those converglng avenues, and sweltering
masses are pouring into Tony PASTORS Opera
house, q dirty. greasy, ill.smelling, but ex
trpmeIy popular resort. Mothers with bare
footed children are hurrying into cheap shoe
stores, and clerks who ape their betters and
sun themselves in the parks of q Sunday,
hang around ffth-rate gentlemeu's fur
nishipg stores where everything is sold at
bargain and below cost AS you proceed lower
down. you become sensible OF q more COM
plex ENHANCEMENT In this Bowery skein Of
life, and when row of tall white pillars, seen
from sfar by aid OF the extensive gas lights be-
hind them, looms up before you q sort OF pea
nut magnetism informs you that you are In the
immediate vicinity of the notorious BDwery
Theatre where Miss Fanny Herring is thrill
ing pit and four tiers with her proteau suscep
IL.
front of the theatre is hung with melolrama3io
transp ,rencies representing virtue and vice In
different stages OF triumph and discontinue
and from q wide saloon on the northern side OF
the theatre roll mingled suspirations of to
bacco and lager beer. This saloon is the AT
lantic Gard en-, and there the crowd Is thickest
from sunset until midnight.
Imagine hall 8 large as your National Hall
in Market street, though not by any means
lofty, with dais assembled by half dozen
steps at The furthest end and gallery over the
doors of entrance. These doors are approached
by sort OF low square vestibule, which
answers for bar and restaurant for those who
do not care TO take longer draughts of enjoy
ment inside. Over the vestibule. on q line with
the gallery Just mentioned, extends dining
room, where refreshments can be ordered more
composite in nature than those attainable in
the great saloon. Imagine this vast hall rudely
frescoed In crimson and gold, planted with
immovable benches and tables, painted red
and hung with chandeliers, each showering
light from sixteen glass. globed burners Each
table is capable OF accommodating six guests
In the centre of the south side of the garden
stands the bar, over which is ranged the
orchestra. Immediately opposite these, in the
centre of the north side, is a small square
alcove, in which a fountain, some bird cages
and unhealthy foliage. are grouped together, as
M
figure of speech is helped by an occasional
suspension of bird cages throughout the rest of
the hall, although they might as well be empty
for any songs that issue from them. But per-
haps the canares, brought up from infancy in
an atmosphere of Limburger and Weiss beer
grown old before their time, have learnt in suf
fering what they refuse to teach in song, and
sre callow and cslous at once.
Almost every table is full, and of a Saturday
night there is difficulty In obtaining a seat. The
orchestra leaves little time for the buzz of chat
and chatter to be heard. The tunes, all OF them
popular, follow one another quickly, and when
the orchestra is not playing a wheezy old In
strument, called an orchesrlon, lifts up Its
voice In vain. Evidently this orchestrion has
tubercles for 1t spits and coughs all through
Its scarcely audible performances, 10 the great
admiration of the public, who regard the
effort much as they would that OF favorite
Notwithstanding his cold. Few people come in
alone. Men enter In groups of twos and threes
very few women enter unattended. At rare
intervals, q woman alone, not addressed, but
with Sufficiently assured air tn II indicates
she knows perfectly we'll what she is about
quietly takes prominent seat, and sucks her
claret punch up through straw. The mass of
the men are laborers, who will spend the NOR
row at Harlem or Hoboken, and the mass
IohA ttryiu init hn,Y
countenances and scrawny babies 1t Is dismal
to see these weary looking females, their hair
uncombCd, their persons uncleanly and una
dorned, their dresses unlocked, dragging
and slatternly, 1t is dismal to behold
these hard.featured women gulp down beer,
and then hold the half emptied glasses to the
lips of their bow legged babies. That dissipated
looking twoyear old, who is looking at me so
eerishly and patting its head in time to the
music, has swallowed one glass OF lager already,
and is hankering after another. When the
mothers don't have any babies they distribute
their attention between pet paroquets and pet
dogs. One wretch ed-looklng drab, soon after
being seated opened the bosom of her shredded
bombazne dress, and taking out paroquet,
green. and. crimson as an autumn leaf, fed 1t on
pretzels, and bought sponge cake for 1t
labelled SARAH" AuoLher-it must have
been the same watched at Ho
boken - fed her terrier on the Ice
cream she left, and gave him half glass OF beer
to wash 1t down with. The orchestra is princi
BaIly remarkable for the amount of drum IL
manages to ring into the music. Briareus
with his hundred hands, would have made q
good waiter here, for the supply of walters is