The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-16
new YORK UNDERGROUND.
The Cellars and Easements of
the Metropolis.
What Business Is Done and Who
Do Business In Them.
WEALTH, WITHOUT AIR OR SUNLIGHT.

Basement Stores and Saloons, "Lodging
Cellars" and "DOuble Dackers."
History informs us that man originally dwelt in
the ground or under IL, IN caves and rocks; and
even civilized man seems never wholly TO have
forgotten has original dwelling place. for even to
this day. In all great centres OF population, there Is
q large proportion OF the population who exist
underground"
The underground worldn Of great cities may be
divided into two parts-one which is inhabited,
the other which ID not. To the latter portion be-
long the sewers which as Ia the OF Paris are
often the scene OF activity and fecundity In the
lower forms OF life, and when are In themselves
well worthy Of investigation and description,
while the sewers Of London are likewise. from
their very vastness, notab.e), such excavations
as the famous catacombs at Rome; while to the
former, or inhabltable portion, or the "under.
groundn belong
THE EASEMENTS OF NEW YORK
These Easements or cellars OF the American me-
trOpolls are much more numerous and more popu-
lous than any would imagine previous to tnvesti-
eating the subject; for. from the very nature OF
the case, our underground population does not
appear on tho surface, and is, therefore, over
looked and unappreclated altogether In any super
ncia survey. Yet it will be proved in the present
article that the city OF New York comprises larger
underground population, In proportion to its size,
than any city in the world. The basement, cellar
or underground population OF New York may be
divided into four different classes OF persons
classed according to the great impeling cause or
motive which compels them to seek ON UNDER
ground existence.
UNDERGROUND LIFE FROM BUSINESS POINT OF
VIEW.
First. the high price Of space In this city, the
tremendous rents and the terrific demand for
room in which to transact business have com PEELED
large number OF business men to utilize cellars
and Easements throughout the city. For these a
larger rental is paid relatively than for the upper
parts OF the buildings. but then the real amount
OF money demanded is smaller. Besides, cellar
In good location Is better for business purposes
than palace In an out OF the way locality. In
sequence OF all this it Is found that not only many
OF our poorer and smaller rradespeople, but also
not o few Of our leading bankers, brokers and
corporations have taken refuge IN what may thus
be styled the business easements OF New York.
In single block. at the junction Of Broad ana
Wall streets. running along the line OF Broad
street, there are twenty-slx Easements or cellars
occupied by business men, chiefly by men engaged
in transactions ION the street.n
In Wall street, on the block between broadway
and Nassau street, there are twenty cellars, or
Easements, similarly occupied; between Nassau
and William, on Wall street, are fourteen cellars
devoted to business, and on Wall street. between
William and Pearl streets, there are twenty-five
Easements occupied chiefly by respectable brokers,
insurance companies, &c. Here, then, In q small
area of four short blocks are eighty-two cellars,
or Easements devoted to trade and finance.
In these eighty-two cellars over 500 men
millions OF dollars OF business transacted weekly.
Yet In the majority OF these cellars the light OF day
| IS like x In algebra-"an unknown quantiryn-cer.
| tainly comparative stranger, and business ID
done chiefly 'under the gaslight." The ventilation
Is as imperfect as tine light aud che results alike
upon the eyes ana the general health OF the par
ties employed are very unfavorabie. Cases are
quite common in which the sight OF brokers ana
clerks has been seriously injured BY these condi-
tions. but the demands OF business and OF space
are Imperative. vn
The lower portion Of Broadway also abounds in
cellars or Easements devoted to the purposes OF
commerce or finance. Some Of these Broadway
Easements are tremendously deep, very dark ana
Enthusiastically damp as well as dirty. But. never
tneless men, rich men, plod their lives out down in
their dark damp depths from Monday morning to
Saturday evening with rare breathing spells.
MILLIoNNAIREs UNDER GROUND.
In one OF the largest OF these Easements, occu-
pied by leading firm, It Is SO dark That only on
light in the front OF the store. while the rear OF the
once IL Illuminated by gas. and gas only from one
In this cellar exceeds $50, 000, 900 annually.
1t Is generally assumed that only the wretchedly
poor live in the .sbasement dens" OF New York,
and That only the very dregs Of the community are
liable to tine ills which arise from foulness damp
ness and similar causes. But, in reality, quite
percentage OF our respectable classes are liable 70
what DR.. Stiles has suggestively styled "the archi-
tectural causes Of disease"
al n
is carried on are OF iron or stone are chill and
have q tendency TO check perspiratiOn. In one
the clerks have contracted neuralgia, rneumatlsm
and similar diseases from the dampness. In an
other basement still larger, occupied by tailor
ing establishment, the proprietor has been an
invalid Tor years from diseases arising from the
unhealthness of mis- cellar, and similar instances
poweress In this matter. Its officers can only pro-
test against this state Of things as they al
record the facts OF the case. wnica are II that "a
large, too large, portion OF "business New York;
is ''underground," and that proprletors, imam
ciers, tradesmcu and clerks are constantly falling
victims to blindness, rheumatic disorders ay,
and even ultimately death itsel, IN consequence.
attention to the matter that between the Battery
and Fourteenth street and between the North and
to Business EacS NV 81 tseae
WIZ average from three to seven people employed
In It the greater portion Of the time THIS would
give wnat might be called basement business or
underground trade population OF about 5000 per-
sons VINO seldom see the sun, save IN The streets,
and VINO exposed to all the evils OF lack Of light
and lack OF ventilation. n
This estimate IL Within the truth, considerably
less than the exact figures. probably, but even as
1t stands IL Is startling enough This estimate, 1t
must be borne In mind Is outside altogether OF the
basement restaurants or wine cellars, which are
even more numerous and winch are scattered all
over the length and breadth OF The metropolis.
These wine cellars form what may be regarded
as the second class division OF underground llfe
comprising that division which ID devoted to pleas
ure and relaxation.
ssFEsTIvTTY USDERGRoUND.v
1t Is calculated that there are ABOUT 100 cellar
restaurants and wine rooms, or underground
saloons In the city OF New YORK. or these about
500 are German, $50 are French, Swiss, dtc., and
about $50 are Irish or American. These restali-
rants and saloons employ about 900 people from
morning till midnight some all night, and these
5000 people literally live and eat and drink, even
II they do not all sleep under ground.
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