The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-23
BONE ALLEY.
THE HOME OF THE RAG PICKERs
Where the Rags, Bones, Fat and
Bottles Go.
From Cellar to ROOf-DOWn In tho Depths
The Toilers in Dust and Miro.

AmouB Luc poor QVdTLers VI tuc City none are
poorer than that which borders the East River,
from James slip to the foot OF Houston street.
This district includes, In It's two extremes, the
wretched cellars of Water street, with their &C.
compartment Of bucker shops, velvet rooms and
"sailors decoy dens, and the reeking tenements
Of Cherry, Pitt, Wilett and Goerck streets The
northern portion Of this squalid region is, in
great part. the home OF the rag pickers, and here
lies Bone alley.
Passing down Stanton street to a point where
the East River breaks into view with is throng OF
vessels. whose naked masts stand in serried ranks
IKE the wraitfs OF persisted forest OF pine, one
comes suddenly upon locality SO wretched and
dirty that feeling OF repulson we'll nigh irresist-
Die creeps over the nerves and almost drives one
from the place. On either hand human beings,
oent under the weight OF great sacks OF filthy rags
and refuse gathered from ASH barrels. are passing
IN the throng. These persons are OF both
sexes, and while some old and
feeble, barely able TO totter along with
the heavy load they have collected, others
are hale and muscular, with bronzed faces and
sturdy limbs. Often the eye rests upon child.
sallow faced and attenuateG, who hurries past as
II under the lash OF taskmaster, casting stealthy
glances from side to side from under brow hope
ess and lowering. These unfortunate slaves OF q
nineteenth century civilization, bearing upon their
backs the castaway rags and atters OF the street,
that are TO reed the nav Of the printing press,
scattering thought far and wide through the
world, are hurrying to a common centre. Down
svery highway and byway they stagger moving in
and out, jostling and pushing their way through
the crowus. Through every street and avenue
everv alny and lane OF the city, they have been
tramping since the 1--WE sma'" hours OF the Night.
they have glanced into every nook, they have
penetrated every area they have searched every
gutter, and their iron hook has explored the con .
tents Of $4,000 ash barrels. Converging nom all
directions they enter Wiett street, and In the
centre OF the block lying between Stanton and
Houston streets they turn rapidly down a narrow
lane, which is
THE ENTRANCE TO BONE ALLEY.
long, narrow lane II t. paved with gray nag
stone, and clean in comparison with the filthy
streets without. Beyond rises long dreary tene-
ment house, resembling q barrack or prison.
Entering the lane You face the centre OF its
bristling front. Its windows are draped with many
coiors; its walls are dingy and present but one.
Along the roof are rugged hundred lines, from
which are pendant festoons of rags. Extending
along the entire front OF this building is the
famous alley.
Swarms Of children and many groups OF meanly
attred women are gathered upon the pavement.
They look at You, laugh at you and crticise you.
You hear their comments as you pass and are
forced to acknowledge their good nature. The
agent stands little way down to the left. He
smiles and shows his teeth. and then he
comes forward, and after lew remarks
Indicative OF his curiosity to know the
object OF your visit, he becomes obIglng and COM
muntcative. Strange as it may seem, he never
loses sight Of the fact ceases to remind you
that he has two rooms to let, which must be Sc
cured early, or any opportunity to enjoy the ap-
be forever lost
This - the hive whence TOW in continuous
little heap Of miscellaneous rubbish, extracting
from IT sweets and multitudlnous useful things.
TOILERs IN THE DUST AND MIRE
in the gloom and shadow, they bear the stains OF
their occupation upon their garments, and the
ev are M es on m ana se
have come from the Loire and the Rhine; they
have wandered here from the Danube and the Po
There are those who have drank beer in Augs-
burg and wine from the vaults Of the Rhine
pialtz: Natives Of Antwerp and Leyden, Of
and Hamburg. There are Jews from Poland,
closely cropped Gets from Dublin and Uonnemara,
who, IL length Of locks and od s Of short black
pipes, would rival the clan at Piafs. Little bare
Legged spr5es come and &C. tugging at the resht
heavy bags. cnatte-ing and jibng In the Ian
guage Of slang tnat is the ltgsi0 Franco of children
tened about their heads and necks, ana with
heavy hObnatled shoes that clatter up and down
Young s Saddns no
manhood, with dark, Qlitterlng eyes and brown,
bare necks glance boldly up at you from the
shadow Of their coarse sacks. Young men, lying
at full length upon the pavement Whisper to one
another their comments upon your personal ap-
pearance and probable object in visiting their
abode. and few Of them come to any conclusion
that would be deemed natterng by the visitor.
NINETY FAMILIES
live in this one building. Each family possesses a
single room. Crowded into this narrow space few
or them could retain an appearance OF health.
N ia mt lnua hnn
Of each day are spent in the open air. Ventilation
Il almost unknown in any OF the houses OF this
by Invalid, aged persons and the puniest Of little
ones, they become hotbeds in which pestilence
rooms are, indeed marves Of cleanliness; and
such are, In most cases. but scantily furnished.
Others are as full OF odds and ends as pawn
brokers' salesrOom or curiosity shop in st. Giles.
In one rear room on the second moor OF NO. 3, in
the alley, there lives a poor woman whose lace
shows many traces of recent sickness and a few OF
old-tlme beauty. The door OF her apartment was
wide open the writer passed along the hallway.
SELECTION that Uttered the walls, tables door and
4 awak .nea Ola memories, and, most s., o.
Of the aichemist, described m .'Hudibras," and
melancholy vision OF Albrecht Durers. The woman
wore, in the haggard expression OF her face, look
in keeping with her peculiar surroundings ana on
that the destroyer in the summer passover win
not forget her, when others are falling about her
door. she seemed conscious OF this iorerunner
and devouty thankful or 1t, and perhaps Knowl.
edge obtained through some unKnown means OF
what Will appear III connection with the sanitary
aspect OF tins place by and by led to her oeing
there. There are those who, growing weary OF
lie, seek out dangerous places and OFFER up
tightly prayers that they may become victims to
the wrath OF the pestlence Certain conditions of
diet and cleanliness being dispensed with their
prayers are answ cred.
the rent OF the rooms in the alley varies accord.
ing TO location the same as IL does in favored
localities. Rooms on the ground moor aud in 'front.'
are charged tor at the rate OF SO rs month. Rear
rooms on the same floor are let for So go. There
Is o gradual diminutfon IN the rental charged as
you approach tue fourth floor, where the lowest
priced rooms are let AZ So so per month.
THE DAYS WORK BEGINS
at two O'Clock In the morning, wnen from all
these rooms there suddenly streams out through
the windows the light OF lamps anu candles There
L. o hasty, stunning NOISE throughout the building;
sashes are hastily raised and lowered, and throuah
the dark halls heavily shod feet are heard picklng
their wav. In the shadow OF the alley hundreds or
dusky figures glide forth from the DOORWAY aud