The New York herald., 1873-07-13
Poison Whiskey at Five Cents a
Glass---Whites and Blacks
Equal Before the Bar.
A MISSIONARY WELCOMES The HERALD.
Chrlstianity's Work Among the BrOtherly Love
Cily's Savages Respectable Men Rfteiv-
ing Rent from DiSOrderly Houses
and Thieves Dens.
PHILADELPHIA, July io-Midnight.


low the example Of other publishers, and present
In his Illustrated magazine. or IN specai sneet,
pictures OF the rOOkeries you see about you, and
then give them to humanity exactly az they are.
have appeared even as late as last year, before
the city authorities and asked their aid Tor extend
iLg the mission, but all In vain, l0r in each elort
was quietly rebuIied, ana turned away without a
cent. l have frequently said that some day the
New York daies would send their correspondents
here, and that they would become the means OF
setting our own journals an example, and OF &C.
quaintng the country with Its greatest haunt OF
SIN and misery. | am glad that you have come. In
the name OF their mission thank you, and bid you
hearty welcome !'-Rer. John ID. Long. Missionary.
Immediately alter my arrival in this city l pre-.
sen'ed my card to Captain Helms, Chief OF the De-
tective Police, and in few words described the
object of the visit. The gentleman extended me
an earnest greeting, and, after commenting to
some length upon the magnitude and danger OF the
undertaking, gave me in charge OF Mr.. William p
Mears, one Of his most steady and reliable
associates, with the following directions :-"You
are absolutely excused from all duties tonight, for
the purpose Of conducting this gentleman around
the city, Take him through all the haunts you
know OF and pass by no house about which there is
the slightest interest. See that no harm befalls
him.n
PHILADELPHIA's "FIvE POINTS,
In company with Mr.. Mears we set out from the
headquarters OF the city police at about seven
O'Clock, and after long, circuitous walk we found
ourselves in lower Sixth street, among the scum OF
the city and in the destitute habitations OF the
poor. The contrast between this locality and sIm-
lar ones in New York is very great, and doubt
whether there could be found among any OF our
dingiest thoroughfares one so
REEKING IN FILTH AND POVERTY
as this. The street filed with graceless vaga-
bonds, and black and white were indiscrimnately
blended. The clothes OF the women were rags,
and the boards of the men were all unshorn. while
drunkenness and riot were seen on every side.
Hundreds Of men and women Of all ages, OF all
nationalities of all colors who by day are scat
tered throughout the length and breadth OF the
city, cluster here at nightiail to spend their
earnings for drink, which inname their
minds to the highest state Of frenzy, until
their sole intent is to riot and their highest amb
tion is to fight. There were white men lying upon
the pavement senseless, and there were black
women lying there in the same condition beside
them. Women with swollen faces and bloodshot eyes
hung in an almost nude state from the windows
above, and other females, lower yet in their degra-
dation glared ferceiy at us from the cellars below
street in ward which has no bright side, and IN
which
VIRTUE OR MORALITY HAS NO ABODE
"Don't get nervous yet," said the detective, as
an indecent incident caused me to pull him along (;
'ths is but the beginning; keep all your nerve for
the end"
LOWER DEPTH.
From Sixth street we passed into the narrow
alley OF st. Marys This is celebrated for being the
ylest and wickedest in town, and we believe 1t Is
the vilest and wickedest in the world. Upon the
corner stands the dramshop OF the two Spaniards,
s. Lertora and G. Arata. We entered and were
presented to the proprietor. Its interior arrange
ment is both novel and striking and New York
contains nothing like it, The apartment is Of me-
stands bar; behind the counter tiers OF kegs rest
against the wall, from which their contents are
drawn through spiggots The room was literally
GRAINED WITH NEGROES,
the majority OF whom were women. We make no
exaggeration when we say that at least fifty
wenches were crowded in writhing, twisting
mass between the counter and the door, and, as
the proprietor's attention was soon called else
where, the detective and myself were the only two
white persons in the room. The inmates of this
place comprehended all conditions of their sex,
from girls, who appeared to be mere children, up
to crones and hags IN the last Stages Of desttution
and disease. The woman behind the bar was never
idle and her customers drank the liquid fire she
served by the glass full No sooner would one bevy
Of tippers master their dram than another bevy
would take their places; those in front swore for
being hurried, while those behind grumbed for
the forms OF these creatures were soed and
ragged and upon their skirts was the filth of the
gutter outside.
A TRANSPORTATION SCENE.
"Come this way" said my friend, after pausng
here Tor few moments more, and by dint OF great
labor we wedged our way through this crowd until
we gained the upper end OF the bar and stood
against a slight partition which separated us from
some other apartment beyond. AT whistle from
the detective we we're admitted, and the sudden
transformation was almost dazzling. The two
rooms presented about the same contrast as a
Water street grog ship ana Demonico's. The bar
In this room was merely an extension OF the
counter In the other, but was adorned with tasteful
orname tation and very rich panellings; behind
It, In rows one above the other, stood handsome
decanters, and in them glistened the liquor while
the background was wrought in pyramids OF ex-
quiste and dainty glassware. There were many
tables IN this room, ana upon them fell o flood OF
soft and mellow light.
Who were the customers grouped about these
tabesY
Negroes. every single breathing soul OF them
Not negroes however, poor aud ragged and des-
titute; not negroes drunken and bloated and
riotous; not negroes crawling up from the cutters
ana reeilng in nalf irenZed, from the cellars; but
negroes well dressed and high-toned clothed in
nicely httng garments, appropriately supple.
representatives OF tine African aristocracyEtho
elaborate and ornamented coored beaux OF the
town. Their amusements were those OF the best
metropolitan clubs-poker, whist, cribbage and
loo. PlebeIan rye or ragamuffn gin was no drink
for themi they molstened their lips with wines
and cordials. They indulged In no wrangnQ
or disputes; the burden OF their conversation
was not obscene; they talked OF politics. religion,
roof-nay. even upon the same noor, and sepa
rated from each other by single partition-were
two grades OF blacks, which, though OF the same
race, we're as different In their aims, habits and
morals as though they had been born In different
countries and paid their reverence TO two distinct
nags But on. how painful was the contrast
ere could be no such thing as afiation between
/, the two. Indeed, was informed that the intru