The New York herald., 1868-02-28
PANIC FROM HIGH TIDE.

Tho Irish shanties ON GOwnnus Hay N
Danger Of Being submerxed-Panc and
Flight of the Inha of
the Threatened District.
Within the precincts OF The City OF Churches ana
within stones throw of Hamilton avenue, Is a con-
sdseabe region covered with miserable wooden shan-
ties the abodcs OF the poorest poor Irish popua
tion, who, carrying out the principles Of squatter
sovereignty have settled here till such time as the
march Of improvement shall have converted
these low Hats into HIGH stable ground aud
the tidal waves from the sea, having their
progress stayed at the farther beach Gowsnus Bay
will enable the erection here Of permanent buildings for
residence and business and compel moving
OF the present population Van Brunt, Richmond, Co
umbla. Hicks and Henry Streets their progress of
construction to Gowanus Bay penetrate this region Of
Irish shanties Beyond lies the bay itsef beautiful
n It's grand outlines and pleasant 10 its proplnquy
when the invlgorating salt air gently waited
is placid bosom. but an unwelcome and terrible pri
when s tides, rising with threatening tunut and
roar come surRng in with mad and irresistible force
giving fearful promise engulph IN Its waters tho dwell
ings and their Inhabitants
The dselers in these shanties suffering from
apprehension OF return of the extraordinary rise in
the tide that created such dsmsy ana accom- shed
such damage four years ago large number ipanic
sfickcnl left two days ago. Night before last, ~
those remaining yery few went to Sleep and IL the in
coming tides continue 10 augment they have tDere
will SPEEDILY be general exodus of the whole popie-
tou. The exist pan clor all tho solemn seriousness
lying at Its basis in view OF the possible toss
OF life and lamen,abo misfortune. at the least,
OF tho sudden wholesale deprivation OF houses ana
shelter ctrtan To II the waters continue rsiug
has ts comic features tour through the threatened
district yesterday revealed judicous taking OF time
by the forelock well iudcious taking care oi the
pigs keose ducks md dogs comprising 30 LARGELY the
personal property OF this peculiar people All are IN
readll ess TO move a, a moIaent notice Beds arc tied
up dishes packed and hee is the general confusion
OF army camp having just received orders to strike
n
ing pigs, cackng hens and geese, ducks quacHing,
chdrens squabtling and contes,ing and women
INDUCING IN the vocabulary OF iraie indignation; but
tins jarSon IN the present excitement has attained
Noisy height far SURPRISING All ord dpary noisy demon
st,at:0Qs. VIM the oil losing their homes and pigs
amt poultry there IL no fear Of the police, ana whle
having regard tor prompt getting out Of the way when
II To The there Is sort OF regard Tor tho
moral municipal law Tnkerville is one name 81. en-
TO this congregation OF IRISH snantics, and Eombon
Hook Is another, and Cork is another aud publ Is
another. IL is thoroughly H,bcrDian IN every respect
Hbernlanisn that smacks OF tho bogs OF the Emerald
Isieuniyersal poyer,y aud mrh and lighting and DIRT
and ain mixeo.
Stepping up to one of tho women, who was buslly
engaged AZ packing furniture scodiDg thildren, "h h
iugi pigs that would persist in posing the4r mud
covered snous into everything that promised them
mpnhfu OF TODD and sssing' and chickens at one
aud the same moment respectfully inquired OF her
the cause OF her extreme haste.
Turning her broad, tat low.browcd face-made moro
than usually red by anger and hurried work-she, h
q cur Of her short, thick nose, repled:-
snow. yeso mus, altner be jokn ov mo or else yer
an omadhaun Don't know that II ia expected ov the
tide Ia the Aist river till rise ii did forty years as
the oud paipe around here boyont US says Il did and
dhrown u Tue Lord be marcul TO u.s. added tho
| woman, mumbiing prayer passing her right hand
myseriousy over her face 'au thot ud VIC be don',
| Msther what bese yer uarne, wild de pigs an the
cnildors tie ducks an the dogs an tho hins an
selves more oe,oken av the wather shud take noiion
| Till come an dhrown uss"
"But Is there any danger ?" we asked looking as in
nocently possible the resident of this "Dnbin."
"Me name 4, IS Molly oshanghn9ssy. & an an I've live. live
nifty years aso. an If yer hrouDed wd awaik spot In
yer head don't yc bese hinkn that every won else is
al nd fhufau sttl tharA
lipi, continued Mrs. Shaughncssy, turning round and
addressing naxen. haired YOUTH whose face and body
would not be greatly injured by rise in tho tide pro.
vided il covered space OF sixty seconds, and
who with two three 'cuos OF his age, were piaeuig
in tho doorway OF Mrs q IS shan,y; HAVE ye bether
| manners than be bedevin' wild tho plgs Git out ov
there and sind them ducks from attn oy the oats Tor
! yer daddys horse."
| s.And the dof" we again inquired, meekly.
"well, sc see alanna, Mhther URourke, an, hos the
gentleman, fhot used to be schoolmaster at Deny
Cashei, has been hgern the thing down, he says; an
| It's his opinion that the wather III rise, an whn
| 1t does shure tl dhrown Us all! unless We lave at
"Ana you propose moving hence the snow storm 2"
''0ch. an the Saints presarve Us, responded tho
| woman, 'thati dipnd on the wather Jimmy, that .
me man, says how helI sind tho pigs an tho
chickens an the dhucks TIL safe place. wild tho bod
ding an the pots an stove an kape an the chit
dhers here TIL Msher O'Rourke gives the cry av
DANGER An shure nigh, joost well
to be lettering wild Gil TINS holaboloo aroun usI Now,
dont ycse think 90 ysrself. maybor
| We said In answer that We thought so, and then
quietly moved to other and very similar scenes leav
Ing the hotaced, and, at times iras Mrs
| oSbaughnessy TO resume her packing, seedlings OK
postulatiors aud trbuations generally with tide
tho furnture "the pigs the chiiders. the ducks and
the hens' and Tho Elegant shany that'i be dhrowned
out TO the wather."
| The men are employed principally In cartng dirt to
build further out the projected and in gassbow
| ing Establishments in the vicinity The women find
employ ment taxing in washing going out TO wash
| They can lie counted by hundreds. They flourish aud
fatten the ohal brought in tho loads OF dirt liiug
OF the athey show very little fear OF their eisn.
bors though II is difficult 10 tell which makes the most
noise the cswpg OF the tho jang OF the
In tho bay abundant seagulls who circng through
tho air unite their shricks with tho other mudinous
noises serving to make both day and night hidcous
Dapdated weather bound bnrges are feature OF the
bay aud dofunct baIhiug houses and hulls Of
| steamers which have remained where tNev from
The tmo that the memory OF tho Oldest inhabtsnt
day. the falling In great deliberate skes those
OF special poeca procvities might be able TO discern
unusual picturesque beauty Up the bay and beach, and
bages and low rooted huts, and human habi ants aud
sketches OF winter scenes feeling their souls up
| lifted TO the fartbes fights Of ideal, might
| have found in the surrounding objects food as
| they fondly dream OF for imperishsble canvas
aud form but Gradarnd-lke, groping for factsfac.s
real aud earnest the revealed embodiment or the hard
human life hucwe saw nothing Of the kind, poetica
phase, nothing to stir any other emotion than the in
tenses sympathy and broadcast feeling OF ton
| We entered many OF the huts, and might oil columns
describing them and tho people IN them but II
/ cessary. They oil alike. alike poor and wretchsd
and the people aikeths personcation OF poverty and
wrechednss An eycsore these shantes the City
OF Churches--a moral pest The kindly tide may sweep
them away, which municipal legislation fails to do; but
IL Ia TO be hoped will not with loss OF life or Of tho little
all they possesa Thus ends visit to these abodos,
though the panic that with the unwonttd rising or
waters their ears, but which, for oil the pre-.
sen. apprehensions may subsde in day two, It
will II The subside aud give them another lease
l OF tie grorn1s thoy occupy.
Il -----