The New York herald., 1871-03-19
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD.
SlOcum's Little Game-What the Brook
lynites Think of It-What the Officials
Say-Ihe National Profit and Loss.

A walk through edjrty streets OF the Fifth ward,
Brooklyn, is the sort Of recreation which few would
indulge in. As matter or public duly HERALD
reporter promcnaded through that famous district
the terror OF revenue officials and the
ARCADIA OF ILLICIT SPIRITS.
Slouchy looking men hung goomlly about the
corner groceries and liquor stores; satternly wo-
men, barcheaded or with coarse shawl over the
cranum, passed laz,ly to and fro; dity but jolly
little children nitted in and out OF bind alleys,
heaped with ashes and other garbage, or clam.
bered over the horseless carts and wagons beside the
pavement.
no. we don't want the Yard removed. The pee
pie round here are against 1t being stirred. Tno
property holders don't want 1t sold.
NOBODY But SLoCUM
that ever could hear Of thinks 1t nuisance. II
amt nuisance to the grocery people, nor to the
boarding house keepers, nor 1t amt a nuisance TO
me.'
This was the speech of business man OF the Fifth
ward in reply to query OF the reporter.
"It's bread ana butter to many one round here
but OF if 1t Is public nuisance the govern
ment won't consider that; why should they?n said
another.
RErORTER-"General Socum Is your Congress
man; and II it Is against the wish OF his constituents
why dom, they take some action in the matteren
anything serious In 1t. I'm democrat and so IS
slocum, His party is In minority, ard If lie didn't
have something like tnat 10 blow about nobody
would listen TO him.
REPoRTER--'.Tha question was mooted at the time
OF his election ana If it was test question the dis
trict Is pronounced in It's favor.n
at was and II wasn't test question. A good
many democrats voted for Webster the republican
candidate; but lie ddnt have q show. HIS own
party run another man ana beat him.,
KEPoRTER-"And that whlskey raid Just before
clecon?'
like, and they'd yoc on nothing but democrat or
republican,
kEroRrEn-.General soeum says the city OF
Brooklyn wants the water front aud the valuable
land which Is occupied 5y the Navy Yard,
".,bout the ground cont hear people talk so
much but II they
why don't they use all tnat along Williamsburg and
Brooklyn that's lying idleT,
REPORTER--''It Is SAID General Slocum objected to
1t On democratic grounds, as being nursery for
radical votes"
OF The men in the Yard live permanently In Brook
lyn: and who can keep track OF man when ne's
outside It's almost enough Tor them 10 know your C
a Fifth warder TO have you refused employment;
but that's mostly on account oI tho whiskey busl-
ness.o
AT this point OF the conversation a man somew hat
under the maiiyn influence approached and an.
noGnced they had .'sacA,dn dischargctI hun. lie
didn't care. not he and If was any satisfaction
the Yard authorities he could tell them that h !
. always was and always would oe democrat
The reporter moved on and lett the business mau
10 tne mercies of the maudlin democrat. lie now
bent his steps toward the Navy iarl gate, Witch
stands with 1--WE pa-relier anchors on its portals AZ
the end OF York street. The blue overcoaled marine
with shining rife at his shoulder VINO sentiiolcI
the entrance placed no bar to The seQorters pro-
gress. After q walk Of about enc hundred yards
nc arrived at building on the lett hand siic before
which another
and In front or whlcn stood number o brass guns
captured by the United States Navy IN Cullior MIA,
together with mementoes of the late unpleasantness
IN the shape Of the pondcrous ram oi the rebe IRON
clad Mississippi the rebel torpedo boat Nidge, with
It's curious tipcat shape and long bowsprt bearing
the torpedo at Its point; rebel solid shot AMI
piece OF rebel iron plating, With huge ragged
hole In its centre through which loyal round shot
tore It's uncercmoniuus way.
.'The executive ollcer IL down at the water q