The New York herald., 1870-02-16
Chapter Third.

pity In the heart OF the CITY, 1t IL the Bloody Block BY
this the bloody block upon which were severed so
many heads ana which now remains as relic in the
Tower Of London Is not Indicated Though the latter
eliminated some Of the cruellest events in Eng
lish history, ITS successor on this island has
darker record. II Is where virtue is and
has been mangiod-where peace has been
destroyed, and where law and order have been
dehed. 1t ts rank, reyoting rottenness Notice its
boundares-Houston street on the noin side, Broad
way, Beecker and Crosby streets Thus It Is the
isolated block the BLOCK Island or crime in this CITY,
There is o tradition that Captain Kidd ana numerous
other bandits, outlaws and pirates used to rem
devious at Block Island, at the eastern end OF Long
lsland but IL Is no tradition regarding the locality
described 1t IS q Iamentable fact that for years
the bloody block has stood alone as q COM
parative island receiving the foul deposits washed
up the streams OF backiegs and criminals that nfest
the community. AbOur its shores purity has been
blockaded and even decency has been sWept away
by the violent tornadoes OF crime.
:. Romance writers have been fond OF finding for
their weared and worn heroes some quiet Island in
the sea where such worthy people might enjoy the
rep0se Of their after lives. But romance writer
himself the hero Of his own fiction; has given his
early struggles, Industry, "W0olly horsesn ana
oil that; but .. strange to say nowhere does
sary island. Yet he did buy it. ana
with only this difference from ordinary heroes
has neglected. TO become Its inhabitant. But OF
course +. I. Barnum Is not like other men; lie has
striking personality OF his own. lie conceived the
idea Of having distinct territory Of his SUBJECTS of
presiding over dominion himself Or course he
desired congenial population on his domain, ana
being an advocate OF temperance It became
perfectly ris natural 70 give leasehods to gm
for credulous countrymen, IL was also within
his purview 10 provide them with attractions OF
panel houses; as he mad formerly KEPT twenty-five
cent stores, reireshnent saloons ana lecture roou,
whence whence he derived princely income, ne could
cess0ts in Houston street, and as he had To-
presented bogus tragedy 50 long, IN his dig
nilcd retirement he spurned tho spurious, aad
instead OF presenting the pasteDoard body OF an
Egyptian mummy or the cnalKed and gashed mask
OF Bowery ragedian, the real victhns were found
in the cold corpses Of Lazarus and Marx Mcclure.
This has been Barnum's transformations II may take
tia feature Of whose life mas been deception there
is scarcely any ncon2ruity IN stepping from one
department Of the same branch 10 another II
man can with equal facilty bring ont
Joyce Heth and get the peoples money, or write u
sketch Of his own tmposlons for pubic sale anl
profit or seize upon popularism ana ldeatiiY his
from low, rotten and reekng dens, OF the
existence OF which It Is impossible for him
TO be Ignorant the distinction Is small
which. In any case. would change the de.
gree OF his salvation Barnums museum, therefore
became the Bloody Block; ana he mas had the serene
satisfaction OF roposng Ia his elegant mansion on
Fifth avenue and knowing that his old customers
could pass the night among the mysteries OF panel
house, could suffer broken head, mutiated cOun-
tenance and oil the other little entertainments
which existed by his suneranee If not
support. The Commissioners OF Charities and
Correction should have put up sgu-
board similar to the one which formerly
piastered the corner 0f Broadway aud Ann street.
and let the Bloody Block have Dcen labelled 'Bar.
NUNS Museum.n The temperance " lecturer and
ex. siowman hardly practised the same amount OF
whether from the character OF hts exhibitions or
IRON the fact that they were sufficiently remunsra-
i've; Out however this may be II Is subject Of