The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-14
A STORY OF STARVATION.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Having been thrown out OF employment by re-
verses caused by the financial crash, determined
upon coming to this city in search OF employment,
and arrived here one day last week. hungry and
with single copper on my person, with the ex-
pectation OF finding friend. After an lnefectual
search of hours l learned that he was not in the
city. Soon after this found myself in the great
stream Of humanity on Broadway. An hour later
turned from it into a side street. invested my
last cent in bread. and began to search for work.
At stables butcher shops, coal yards, freight de.
pots, everywhere received the same answer
''NO ONE WANTED"
Night came on at last, and, although surrounded
by million OF persons, felt as if was in mid
ocean, alone on q wreck Slowly wandered
along the streets, suffering severely from pinch
ing hunger and piercing cold, until found that
could no longer stand. Then applied to an officer
and he told me to go to a station house, which
did land which proved to be the one in Oak street.
There found two officers, and, upon making my
wishes known, was consigned without ceremony
to the lOdgers' apartment and there and then, for
the first time In my lie, found myself within the
lions were painful, then they became sickenlng.
AS stood before the brilliant jets Ut gas my eyes
rested or scores OF human wrecks stretched on
great platforms, reminding one OF a field hospital,
but 1t was Onlya
MORGUE For THE LIVING.
The sight was enough to make one ask II such
life is worth living for. AS weary as was, the
scene Infused life into me, and, by bathing my
face and repeating the act every thirty minutes,
made out to stand on my feet until morning, for to
lie down in such place was to be only clothed in
vermin. At daylight the starving occupants were
turned into the streets to starve and freeze until
night should once more come, when they would
return again to this den.
In the morning, when once out OF this earthly
hell turned my mind again
IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT,
but weakness had Overtaken me and l could
scarcely stand Hunger, however drove me from
place to place in search OF the necessities OF life.
OF labor. Still, everywhere l got the same
respOnse-''NO one wanted" The day wore on;
night again set in; darkness ana dreary
winter lowered over the city. Hunger, with
the very jaws OF death itself, had been
gnawing for hours at my vitas. but
moment would fall asleep my feet, therefore
moved slowly about to prevent sinking down in
the snow that everywhere DISTRACTED the side
walks My eyes were becoming more dim, my
throat was parched to q crisp and swollen. My
fingers had become quite tremu.Ous, and, while IN
this condition, l found myself in Leonard street
and was admitted, when | obtained lodgings on
the floor and the following morning was furnished
with o cup OF coffee and two or three ounces OF
good bread, this being my only
NOURISHMENT FOR SEvKNTY-TwO HOURS,
f0rty-eight hours previous. Such life as this
lived for five days. varying 1t the following night
by lettering on Broadway, from the Battery to
Fourteenth street. enduring the freezing cold and
suffering all could from hunger rather than
lodge in the human denS known as dodgers rooms
at the police stations. II. I'm.
NEW YORK, Feb. Ii, 1874.