Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-11-28
RUN THROUGH THE WASH
ISl:TON SLUNS.
.>HelI,. Isostom,'' tho sEeadqHaT-
tcrs Of rEc Man and Brother IN
that City-Onc of shr Results Of
ssErrcpSOst...

tcrs Of rI.c Man and Brother IN
that City-Onc of shr Results 81
ssErceaOsn.-'
ssGath," the Chicago Tribune : " s!i-
ington correspondent has been III
vestigating the rough side of Washing
ton society, and among other glorles
of that freedom cursed city discoV-
ers and tells all about 'Helis Bot
tom, - the headquarters of the Radical
voters of that city. He says
This is the startling name gwen to Il
quantity of scantling, canvas, and stnc-
co shanties which cover the space be-
tween Ninth and Fourteenth end be-
tween O and Boundary streets, ada
cent to the new and most fashionable
quarter OF Washington. in the rear OF
the State Departn ent. The land bore
is owned Ey GvariciOuS and Tnetter-
prising old citizens, who collect rents
from a great tribe OF coutrabands'
houseless blacks, thieving mnlattoes,
and q very few white Migrants, which
suuatted here after after the beginning
of the war. 4 number OF low grog-
geries splash the lnOnotony of tins
waste. and at night the inhabitants be-
gin to raise howls of melancholy lubl-
fancy, pop off old shot-guns, ami
count over, in their kennels, the plum
der brought in by the negro sneak
thieves who harbor there. This dis
trict has given for ten years the greats
est trouble to the police, as the negroe-
are less distinguishable from each
other than white offenders, and are
persistent plunderers of clothes
lines. back-yards, stoops, shop-fronts,
and hall-parcels. 1t is dangerous
to pass through Hell's Bottom after
dark, as the lettering castaways there
| would probably assall stranger pick
| ing his way over that unlighted pla-
teau. A new street railway has been
carried up this district, and many OF
| the streets paved and parked !; and the
| District Government is endeavorlng,
little by little, to have these shanties
removed as nuisances. A good conf1a-
grafton, such as lights up the con-
caves of the real place of this name,
might serve Hell's Bottom righteously.
| To deal with such negro offenders as
inhabit this large tract, where abide OF
hide large percentage of the $4,000
negroes of the District, is study in
the latest accession to criminal charac
ter. The Washington negro is neither
indigenous nor sui generis. He is
scraped up, raw and ragged, from all
parts of the Slave and Border States
and his native nature is qualified by al
the varieties of mastership and by
white admixture. The Maryland ne
gro from the old tobacco-peninsulas
Catholic in religion and poor in expert
ence, meets the Carolina negro with al
the shrewdness and treachery Of mixe6
blood and pursuing sensualitv. The
full-hlood African from Virginia, who
was nourished on the tradition OF Ma
Turner. finds his counterpart in som
Younger ruf1ian who has already &C
quired the science of pusilism, and i!
predatory and quarrelsome- The.
covet each Others women they live Il
gregarious mischief and mutual annoy
ancc little contents them, and it il
sweetest without work; the white man
town isnear at hand. anil he is the dali.
victim. They find him ouS by thel
washerwomen, house-servants, ans
mendicants, who penetrate his luxur.
and tell The secrets OF private portals
Instances of burglary amongst negrt
mechanics have occurred, and the muir
ders OF some of the full FLOODED
Africans have been OF cannibal cruelty
There was Tom Wright. for example
who killed Il peddler at IL O'Clock a
NJ, packed him in closet, and dine'
beside the body with his mistress
and did not carry the body off tn
premises until 8 p. III. Yet this negr
was the champion bruiser OF his race
and the little negroes looked upon hin
with awe and admiration. With sue
ii population, yet in shiftless heather
ism IN thousands of cases, some hu
manitarians are seeking to mix b.
force the white scholars of the Wash
ington public schools, and make Ish
meal and Isaac sit together, that tn
one may communicate his toleratlo
and the other his vermin. The school
here are Of the best character, as ca
. be seen from the fact that $3.50, 900 ha
been spent upon their construction i
: a period of four or five years. Th
whites and the blacks have two differ
ent Boards, but the general manage
ment and supervision are impartial
and the Summer School Honse, 70
colored children, is one of the mos
elegant buildings on the Continent
The enrolment is 900 colored t
10000 white pupils; but, in view q
this mixed school project, the privat
schools get as mulch white attendanc
as the public. The cost per pupil
nearly go per annnm, and thus til
: local white residents will require t
pay upward OF $500, 900 yearly to Civ
schooling to these vast negro add
tons.