The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-02-06
Written for the ApvooAfH.
The PuTIieus of Philadelphia.

its Water street Baltimore its Eastern ave-
nue., and Philadelphia it's Pine alley, it's Bed
ford, Baker, Spofford streets. The Five
Points is most widely known as the rendez-
vous Of the most vicious scoundrels with
which the metropolis is sccursed, bat |
doubt whether, within its confines, the
scenes enacted are one whit more h0rrifying
TO our every finer sensibility, than those
which nightly occur ID our own purIieus
Philadelphia has a reputation among those
VINO have never thoroughly inspected its
various parts which, to say the least, is I'M
deserved. The very name Of the city bellies
il Brotherly or neighborly love does not
obtain ia il 10 one-half the extent it Is reputed
to- Ii is true our tenement houses are few
er IN number than those OF New York, less
favored with an abundance Of space. IT'S
! true that the majority of our laboring people
are more comfortably situated, that our mar
kets afford to the poor greater facilit IS for
procuring varieties of substantial food at
prices less enormous than in New York, but
Il is also true :, fraction Of our popula-
tion are condemned to lives Of horror, in
miserable novels, in an atmosphere poisoned
by the fumes of viilaInous Installations, and
surrounded by leprous human beings, in the
lowest stages OF vlleness. A week or two
since | had occasion, one evening, to be
away from my home, which is situated in
the extreme southern section Of the city
Matters of business detained me until an
early hour In the morning, and on my road
home was compelled to pass through Sew
enth street, from South TO Carper 'a-, or
reach il BY a ciTcuitous path, which was
too worn out TO do. 1t is upon this street
that Bedford. Spofford and St Mary streets
all have an outlet, and in it, within the Inn
ITS of the two streets above named, the des-
titution seems 60 have attained its highest
point Although | was born and lived in
Psiladelphls, never having been away from
it excepting during the war, this was my in
itia Orv visit to this place at that late hour.
The impressions had previously formed of
it, from hearssy, were but as daylight to
darkness, in Comparison to those formed
from actual, ocular demonstration, of its
manifold miseries. My nerves are not re-
markabe for their delieaey, but they ex-
perienced shaking, BY the sights { wit
messed The buildings are about half and
half Of dingy brick and delapidated boards,
crazy with age and built 10 an antiquated
style, none # them being over three stories
in height, while the majority are but two
Nearly every second hoase, and in some
parts nearly every hOuse, is occupied as =
groggery, where Is dispensed q vilAInous
compound ca led whisky aud gin, varying in
price from three TO ten cents the drachm
Though very little sale is found for the high
priced article, ten cents being generally
more than the filthy cenizens Of this section
can afford to expend for the poisonous con
coetion.
At the hour at which passed, about three
A he Aull all
still open, and IN them were cORgregated
crowds Of filthy, brawling, drunken wretches.
The profanity was simply horrible, and the
stencil calculated to sicken the mo st callous
stomach. The inmates were about, in equal
numbers, black and white, male and female,
the female, if anything, in excess. As rule,
they were gross looking set, with scanty
clothing, their countenances fearfully blood
shot with disease, their haif-naked bodies
suggestive OF wailOwing swine, the filth hav-
ing coated them thickly, aud some of them
looked as though they had never seen or
known the use Of comb. The sidewalks
are sadly in need Of the handiwork Of the
walk-layer The streets literally filled with
refuse matter of the most revolving chSrac.
ter. Coal boxes are here ana there sand
wiched along the pavements between delapl.
dated tobacco and liquor signs, where the
better class Of these miserable Wretches can
purchase their winter fuel at so much per
bucket.
The night was such an one asfevery lover
Of comfort dislikes. The air was heavy with
dew, the pavement moist from the same
cause, and the sky above indicative Of an APP
preaching storm. Notwithstanding this ev-
cry cellar door, or steps, had been selected
as the sleeping place Of some poor unfortu-
nate, exhausted by the excitements of the
surroundings, the want Of food, or more than
sufficlency Of the poison misnamed gin,
men aud women, black and white, we're pro-
miscousiy piled up together, Justify snoring
and apparently ENJOYING heir heavy SUM
bers Curiosity impelled me TO enter one Of
the groggeries, which would never have
dared to do had not friend with me. We
proceeded to the bar and called for SOFA wa
ter, which was poured out to US in filthy
glasses, from which thousands of diseased
lips had no donbt, before imbibed with rel
ish. We did not dare to decline the bever-
age, fearful, lest it should excite the ire of
the ponderous and dirty. bped who officiat-
ed behind the bar and that Of his numerous
satalites, who looked as though they enter
tanned prominent desire to inspect the con-
tents of our wallets. However, no attempt
was made to interfere with US, and we U ade
our exit, sick at the heart-rending scene we
had witnessed. While we were in the room
several mulatto girls entered, and laying on
the counter q learfully mutilaled ten cent
note and five greasy pennies, called for gin.
The proprietor handed them glasses and
large bottle They filed the glasses to the
brim and swallowed the vile mixture without
as much as a drop Of water to stay its ehok.
ing tendencies. One Of these females had
beautiful features, which bore but littIe evi-
dence Of the seventies Of her present life
We lnvoluntarly pitied the poor creature,
but felt assured that Der redemption was
nearly impossible.
Glad was I when we had safely gotten
away from this sickenng and dangerous
neighborhood, and when |, an hour after, laid
my head upon my pillow, it was to see, in
dreamlsnd, what | would gladly obliterate
the memory of. What q sod commentary
are scenes such as that | have made but
feeble attempt to describe, upon the heartless
selhshness Of the wealthyf Should they not
bring blush Of shame to the cheeks Of that
class OF garrulous old maids, whose philan-
Ihropic actions all centre around the little
blacks OF Madagascar The majority of the
actors in such scenes were forced by a mis-
fortune they were unable to avert, 70 take
the first step in crime, and that taken, the
journey to the horrible goal Is speedily made
The establishment Of soup houses will
never eradicate these foul blots on a city's
escutcbeOn, because they are but giving idle
hands that which enables them to continue
idle. Work for those willing to accept it and
the prisons fer those who refuse, 10 the only
means by which the evil can ever be arrest
ed. II is such work in which thuss who
nave an abundance should engage, and their
peace with the Almighty, who has conferred
upon them such multiplicity Of blessings,
will more speedily be assured.
! PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 20, 1859.