The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-09
"POOR JACK"
ASHORE.
Hypocrisy in High Places and the
Misery of the Poor. Fla
NOW TENEMENT HOUSES ARE RENTED.
Sights on james Street.-The on
tf 4. o Chatham Street. Ill


esaid the sergeant), there is not anything to be
seen now which can at all compare with what
AOuriehed here some years ago. The worst dens
have been rooted out, ana tine dance houses have
been shorn OF all their glory since the commerce
Of the port of New York went down and steam
ships have supplanted sailing vessels. However,
some remnants are still left, and In a few moments
the ofncer whom propose to send with you will be
here.n
While waiting for the onicer the usual contin-
gent OF drunk and incapabes staggered into the
station, either escorted by officers or tottering
slong themselves, to seek nights shelter. Every
aow and then poor wretch, whose only crime
Seemed to be poverty mingled with the dissoute,
gagged and depraved throng, bearing in his face
! Nc evidences Of happier days and more comfort
n ible circumstances The lodging consists Of
boarded moor, tuaa
n WITHOUT COVERING OR PILLOW, er
md stretched upon it the ha1itues Of Cherry,
Water and Oak streets slept as soundy and sweety
~ the millionaire would in Fifth avenue on his
luxurious couch of down. The roon1s were nearly
al on this particular night the majority Of the in
: mates being women in the last stage of want crime
and misery. Sergeant Kelly informed me that the
greater number OF arrests made for drunkenness
IRE those OF women, they being served with the
aery drinks Of the bucket shops at half the
mtes charged to men. In the station there are
eWy-tWO c0us anu ~ Is no unuSuai Jnlng OF uVeIy
night to find them all filed The cells are well
ventilated and the walls are clean, contrasting
hvorably with many other city prisons, which sadly
Aeed 0verhauling rf#
When the examination OF the prison had con-
tluded the policeman who was to be my escort for
Abe night arrived. "Mr. - said the Sergeant,
N wish you to take this gentleman around the
ward and show him everything that is worth being
seen.n Gan right" said the officer; ~ will just
change my hat and coat and be with you in iify."
tn a few moments the officer was ready and we lie
tarted on our mission My guide was thoroughly
acquainted with the ward, having been stationed
n II fol years, and as we went along we were
susrIcIousLy STARED AT
by the groups OF people wto were hud0ed
on the doorsteps or lying stretched on the pave
ment "Tllere' said the officer, pointing to large
gscnement house. on the first moor OF which Is a
bucket shop, IL the last house that John Allen
the wckedest man. built before he got religion
and turned pious." In the dim light OF non-explo-
sve lamps groups OF hafnaked people could be seen
preparing to retire to rest while every now and
shen the noise OF fight could be heard from
The rooms the hoarse notes OF the men
mingling with the shrill OF their wretched
wives ana daughters. The windows were all
broken in, and from them the ragged garments OF
the inmates nuttered in the night air. John was
apretty tough man, said the Officer .'and viii
show You his dance house on Water street where
he made all his money. In the meantime let us
turn up Cherry street, and take a look at the
sreys.n
When we came on Cherry street the place liter
ally go
swAREED WIFI HUMAN BEINGS,
rom the old harridan to the tottering infant.
Every doorway and every basement was crowded
with deprave1 wretches who made the night
sMeons with profanity and oaths. Girls
Of lender years, who had been nursed in the school
Of vice since earliest infancy, took the lead in the
ndecency, and many were the pressing invitations
we received TO loiter on the way.
uY4r. MODEL ALLEY.
Directly In the rear OF the station house there Is
place known as Sweeney's alley-a narrow court
way opening on Cherry street-in which two per.
sons would not have room 10 walk abreast, and
which is so pitchy dark at night that it is im7os-
sibe 10 see yard in advance The side walls OF the
court are backeDed with filth and dirt, and the
terrible smell would make the strongest man feel
weak and faint. The houses are very hugh and the
roofs close together that person can easily step
nom one to the other Not even st. Giles itself
could exceed this terrible place in the depth OF
misery and forbidding appearance, and thought
OF the old adage, ''one-han OF the world does not
know how the other half lives" I'm that alley said
the oflcer, "more than seven hundred people live,
and OF a hot night you can see them lying, pant
ING FOR air on the sidewalk and you have to pick
ssns Who " ssem an Ssr here
risks his IFS for the population Is mainly composed
man or dollar han nave followed men in mere
several times, but tell you II was tough JOB for
me to get my e away to say n snrn
morning, in the present year, man was
found murdered up at the further end, where
the early morning with his coat under his head,
and his money gone. No clue could be found TO the
work up the case. The inhabitants Of the alley
denied all knowledge of the affair, and stated that
1e not the first murderous ARRAY that Sweeny's alley
has seen within my own knowledge and In all
10 come up the alley, and as we went we stumbled
over seepers OF all ages, who were stretched on
insupportabc that we were forced to retrace our
steps, followed by the muttered maledctions Of
the miserable wretches whom we had disturbed
TENEMENT HOUSES
There are two or three OF these alleys In every
block, and when the promscuous manner in which
men and women, girls and boys hudde together Is
considered 1t is not al all astonishing that the
standard Of morality Is 50 low in Cherry street.
Some few respectable Irish families live In the ten
cment houses but they are in small minority,
e Pumps rna
store or bucket shop Is encountered, the latter
Of which is always nled with drunken wo.
men, qreediy drinking the poisonous stun
which IL sold by bulk, not measure. The Easements
AL seem as low lodging houses, and stranger TO
~ i,yvsihE nheo Lic uiseurlihS hoies, III cNciJ
one q which scores Of people burrow like rabbits,
woulu wonder II there was such institution in
the city as 5oard OF Health. IL is however, but
Just r. ay that the Health commissioners are being
aroused " q sense OF their duty. and VIC may ex-
pect IN the course Of time. to BE rid or the nlrser
lee OF disease and abodes or crime and fifth which
are now standing disgrace 10 the city. Those
Wretched habitations ATE
RBNTED or RICH MEN
and pous men, TOO Qf the record OF The churches
fstrue), 10 spectators, who III turn sub-let them
mt ex0rbitant rates to the poor families: and Al h
an ordinary thing TO family OF ten or Twelve
the occupants Of single room, in which there IL
no bed but the bare boards and covering but the
dapldated roof through which wind and rain and
~ kinds of unwh0lesome draughis pene .Eate.