The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-22
MISERY By MOONLIGHT.
Bedford, alias Alaska Street-A Night
Tour Through the Domain of
Depravity-Some of the
Denizens "Inter-
viewed.n
What has been Done and What can
be Done for their Regeneration
"A Christmas Dinner for
the Ragamufins.

and whimsical at times. Almost everybody has
heard Of Bedford street. has justly conceived IL TO be
the very quintessence Of degradation has fetched
sigh for the wretched creatures who burrow in its
moral and physical filth the rabbit burrows in the
ground has declared that 1t is disgrace to the city,
has gone so far as to say that something or other
ought surely to be done towards roofing out the
dens OF vice. the hotbeads OF disease and the abodes
OF squalor with which it and the surrounding locality
abounds. What master-stroke it was, then, for
Councils to wipe out utterly and forever the shame
which its existence cast upon great city, by chang
ing with one grand act of legislation the name OF
Bedford street to Alaska! The old name had be-
come unsavOry; 1t was a stencil In the nostrils OF
the community, an oense in the eyes OF all decent
people. The new name is as cool and refreshing as
a delightful breeze floating down upon US on
stifing summers day from the land OF icebergs and
sea-lions. It is true that Alaska street figures
quite as prominently in our police reports did
Bedford street before the COuncilmanc master
stroke but, then Bedford street is no longer daily
rebuke to decency and ORDER and nobody imagines
that Alaska has taken its place. Moreover, there is
a fitness in the change that will strike the most
thoughtless Of readers. The name Of Alaska be-
comes the locality. All che nobler instincts all the
kndlier sentiments, all the purer ties Of nature have
been utterly and eiectuay frozen out OF the hearts
OF the reeking multitude packed into its confines by
poverty, and disease. and filth, and vainy, and the
heartlcss eXtortion OF the men who own the fee
blHple Vi bIc ueScCIdlcu sui. DuI IHC CldlRG III
the name of the principal thoroughfare Of this des-
perate precinct has not wrought corresponding
change in the place itself, which remains essentially
the same as it has been for years-"a common sewer
of vice, corruption and degradation as Judge
Peirce recently described it, after personal nspeC-
tion.
Misery by Moonlight.
Late on Monday evening, in company with the
Rev. John d. Long and Oficers Mccullough and
Dougherty, OF the Seventeenth district police, we
paid visit to the locality about an hour being de-
voted to an inspection OF the south side OF Bedford
street. between Sixth and Seventh, directly opposite
the Mission House. TO faithfully depict all the
scenes OF wretchedness witnessed during that short
and contracted tour is quite impossible. perfect
picture OF human depravty it here exists, cannot
be impaired by pen and ink; there are certain lights
and shades which are too heeting to be fastened
upon the canvas, there are depths OF depravity OF
which we are not suffered to speak to ears polite.
On the ''kinchin Muy.''
little to the west of the Mission House, on the
opposite side OF the street, is dapidated frame
building, which is of the most notorious dens in
the neighborhood When Judge Peirce and the
Grand Jury visited the locality recently they found
this establishment boted and barred against them,
and an opportunity to inspect it was wanting 1t
therefore determined that we should make begin-
nlng here, before the alarm had been given, and up
a creaking and winding stairway opening upon
narrow alley we accordingly made our way. There
was some little delay at the door Of the viest room
in the whole vile structure, but an entrance was
finally effected through the imperative demand OF
Onicer Mccullough. The apartment proved to be
about ten feet by twelve in diameter, and its only
occupants at the time were four white women. The
elder of these, who was the reputed mother OF two
of the young girls, was reclining carelessly upon
a filthy lounge, which, with small table, solitary
chair, and low stove, comprised the outfit of the
place. This woman has the reputation of being
fairly unrvalled in the iniquity OF her life, but dur
ing stay she was garrulous but respectful in her
demeanor
In the chair by the stove sat young girl who
has recently figured in our police reports. In COM
pany with young man she was not long since taken
into custody because OF assortment OF boots and
shoes which were found in possession OF the twain
They gave the names Of John and Jennie Claypole,
and their examination before the alderman proved
that they are ttngly named, being lifelike
terparts OF the famous Noah and Charlotta who
have been so offensively dished up by Dickens in
"Oliver Twist" John was, like Noah before him,
"on the Kinchin lay While Jennie aspred at times
to the pursuit OF the "igher art
'What are you doing here, Jennie? 2" inquired the
officer.
"Oh, I'm still on hand" she responded. 'You
took John down to Delaware, but none OF the
whipping post for me-"
"Suppose am come for you now."
81 guess not; I've done nothin."
.'Didn't you steal those boots?"
t'You know"-indlgnantly- didn't steal them
boots"
"Wer, won't disturb you now."
''You'd better not"
care you staying here all the time
s'Oh nos I'm only on short visit
The dialogue was getting monotonous and we
soon terminated it by departing.
stopping Mt ''The CONTINENTAL"
In another narrow alley few steps distant we
were then conducted, and introduced into an open
space in the rear OF frame building On one side
stood small frame shanty, about hveby seven feet
In superhcial area and not more than six feet high
ON nreyious visit two or three years ago we had
ansnected the same structure, which then rejoiced
in the title OF 'The Continental" 1t being at the
time devoted TO lodging purposes The landlord OF
those days was venerable African, who Kept a
'fetocious dog and eked out miserable existence
for himself and his canine companion by taking In
and doing for" sundry outcasts at the rate of ter
cents per night, cash in advance A tap at the dool
caused IL To open quickly, but there no chance
no need to cross the threshold. At the rear was
shelf on which were q few bits OF crockery and
lighted candle which threw hickering glare oVe
the inmates. Sitting upon the moor opposite th'
entrance was white woman, and by her side lay
sleeping infant. Right by the door sat upon TIN
noor young man, extorting grain OF comfor
from a clay pipe. Between him and the woman wa
a low charcoal stove, and closely about 1t wer
huddled the inmates that neither of them coul
have turned about without turning its glowing con
tents upon the noor.
s'What do you pay for the use of this place J? wa
our first query, after the customary greeting
'rrwenty cents day. answered the lord OF til
castle in q tone Of voice and with manner that wa
entirely free from responsiveness
"Do you pay your rent every day ?"
eyes. II is easier to pay twenty cents day tina
il is TO let two or three days run together"
''The owner would probably set you out II yC