The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-06-03
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TIE SEWERS OF NEW YORK.

Experience Of Wanderer through the SelC-
ers Of Nea0 York-HStOry Of a Self Nude
Sca0cnger-Daring Exploits Mysterious
Scenes-Recorery Of Valuable Property
Horrors Under the Streets, &c.
In the Nineteenth Ward, bordering on
the East River, can be seen a very neat
little two-story frame-house covering al
most an entire square, surrounded by
beautiful garden, the occupant and owner
Of which, though German, is what we
call one Of the self-made men of New
York, and ranks among the wealthiest.-
Though a man of little or no education,
il would make ores blood run cold TO
listen to his daring exploits, and the
many adventures he has passed through
under the streets of our city. Some fit-
teen years ago he landed in this country
a perfect stranger, and with but little
money; this he had the pleasing satisfac-
tioD, if such we may call il, of being rob-
bed of on his very first night in the city
at German boarding house on Green
wich street, His vocation at home was
that of night-scavenger, and he was not
long In procuring q situation In the same
business in this city. For five years he
followed the same as an employee, which
enabled him TO save considerable money.
During the time he had frequently found
many valuables, and SO persistently were
applications made TO search for lost pro-
perty that he conceived the idea of work
ing the sewers of our streets in its search.
He had also become quite accustomed TO
sewers, as he had frequently been COM
| pelled to clean them out, and was as
much ct home in these narrow and filthy
| passage ways as upon the streets. The
leading contractors in the above business
! found him SO valuable and so daring an
explorer that they were continually call
ing his services into requisition. There is
hardly sewer on the island in which he
has not been and he seemed to take q
great interest in watching The building Of
new sewers aad drains. He knows their
size, length, every turn and crook, their
inlets and outlets, and claims to have
many hsunts below the ground, where.
by the force of water, valuables that are
lost are sure to settle ere they can be CAT
ried out into the river. It will be re-
nembered it was but few weeks ago
that Il man was arrested 10 Hoboken
with quite q number of valuable articles
in basket, and it was discovered that he
had got them out of the sewers of New
York Now, many presumed that this
was a new business, the like never having
been heard of before, yet this is not so.-
There are quite number mostly Germans
who follow this same business bet they
are very careful not to divulge the same,
as it is said they are making an independ-
ent fortune. It is regularly established
business in France and Germany, and in
many places they pay go much for the
proceeds of the sewers. 1t is said that
there have been those who have tried to
aeeustom themselves to the business, but
who were unable in many instances to
endure the unhealthy oder and poisonous
gases.
PROFITABLE TRIP.
The first trip ever taken by our inform
er along the sewers of the city was on
Courtlandt street, in search of pocket
book that hac been lost in the sink of one
of the prominent hotels ON that street, and
which contained 81 $50 in money, and
drafts and notes to the amount of S23, 900.
The sink bad been searched. but all ef-
forts to recover the lost property were
fruitless; it was evident that it had been
washed out into the main sewer, and the
owner offered the whole amount of money
in cash, 81, $50, should it be recovered.
Hermann, for as such he was known
among his associates, concluded to work
the street sewer that night and see if it
was possible to find the same. That
night, accompanied by two brothers. he
equipped himself in full rubber suit,
revolver, hook, dark lantern, and a
sieve shovel. Descending at the first
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