The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-31
BUCKET SHOPS"
Scenes During q Tour Of Elk
else Inspection.
" ELV EFT ROOM s.
How and Where the MultitudeS
Are DenoOralized.
UNLICENSED LIQUORS

At the distance OF about a block from the Cen.
tral once Of Police, and almost immed iateiy oppo-
site the Cathedral, in Mott street. Is 'buckst
shop,n ''dstnlery" or drinking saloon, known IN
the neighDorho0d as the '.Morgue." Although it
Is place where people drlnk-and drink great
DEALT does not come within the rank Of what Is
known as 'salOons;" and although the proprietor,
like many other owners OF similar places. ostenta
ttously calls 1t "dstery in large black letters
on Q white board running from the front wall
some distance into the street, it Is not ''dstl-
lery;' but, though few persons use the title In
speaking OF the den, 1t Is . '.bucket shop"
"bucket shopr Is large or small open store,
piled up with barrels, where poor people 60 TO
drink alcohol There Is no bar or fixture OF any
kind within the place-at least there used not to
be- Lately, under q pressure from the Board OF
Excise, some are being put up, with .
view to giving an improving character to the APP
pearance OF the place, plain piece OF board laid
across the main row OF barrels In the centre or
side OF the store with several large, thick glasses
resting waiting on 1t for use, serving the purpose
OF the ordinary counter. The size OF the glass
prompted the name given to the shop, the idea In
connection with 1t being that the customer gets
"bucket" OF stimulating liquor at low figure.
There are nearly thousand OF these 'shops" in the
city, and they are spread all over 1t. Attached to
each ''bucket shop" at the rear, Is place par
titloned or which Is called the ''vevet ROOM" The
name Is q satire OF the most refined acidity, Tor
nothing like velvet ever approaches the Groom"
unless 1t may be some very threadbare relic OF a
grand ladys nnery or the WORKOUT skeleton OF
theatrical skirt. Sleeping drunkenness and
WILD BLAsPHEMoUs NOTING
and quarrelling are frequent enough In the 'vel-
vet ROOM" and they are accompanied with ver-
min, rags. Nth and sodden sawdust. The '.velvet
oovsrS3r mot o dAor thaO- hot 10
can 1t be imagined by a decent person; 1t must be
seen to be understood. NO difference or distnc-
ton Is made there between age, size, sex or
color. The '.bucRet shop" Is leveller OF every
degree, and the "velvet room" Is the even plane
into which IL rushes them. most absolute and
perfect freedom reigns there, the Inhabitants
being the judges Of what is offensive and what is
not. Habit brings Indifference, and the result Is
that everything Is permitted and nothing is looked
upon as out OF the way. The sexes are on most
equal footing there, woman being as good as
man as long as she has money to treat.
Many OF the frequenters OF the "bucket shop" live
in the "velvet ROOM" The only time they spend
out OF 1t is while they about the streets grub
bling" the money to buy drinks" On entering
the ''shop" they never say whiskey or alcohol or
gin; only, .Gr me drink.n II they were to
any OF these names 1t would be merely as pleas
ant little joke or matter OF felton, for there ia
but one material in the place, although that Is
variously colored to give some foundation Tor the
change OF name, according to the mood or temper
OF the drinker. The .'velvet room" is used
sleeping apartment, dressing room, bathroom.
laundry, kitchen and relectory. Undergarments
removed and washed there are dried upon the
stove and again resumed. Breeding OF most
equitable poise mas attained there, for
no one notices the movements or presence
OF any one else, and each acts entirely
independent Of the other. II two or three
are quarreing in q corner no one else inter-
feres. A sleeping drunkard never objects to he
sworn at or walked over. When the '.velvet
room is filled TO It's greatest extent the drinkers
lie down upon the ''shop'' door, on the barrels or
anywhere they can find space. With generosity
not to be found among the upper classes OF
LIQUOR SELLERS.
the 'bucket shop" man rarely turns his customers
into the street when they are drunk. A soon as
they enter his place is at their disposal, and they
make the most OF it, That in some measure ac-
counts for the abundance OF nJh In all OF them
and the affection they seem to feel for II, as they
rarely attempt to remove It, The "bucket
shops" are supposed to be under the
authority OF several departments, but they
are in reality under none sort OF
general government OF their own has grown up
among them and that Is the single voice the own
ers listen to. It usually urges them to continue
and sell all they can, and they obey implicitly.
None OF them are licensed and the Board OF Excise
is endeavoring to crush them out, but the police
are inactive. The Commissioners or Excise keep
up general supervision over them. In this work
they employ seven inspectors, eacn OF whom Is al
loted portion OF the CITY, Inspector Wendoner
has charge OF the Fourteenth, Sixth, Tenth and
Fourth wards He began one Of his regular
visits, accompanied BY a representative OF the
HERALD The "Morgue" WAS the first place
that came In the line OF inspection. It
mad been In full blast for couple
OF hours when the inspector went in. and
the result was all over the noor. The difference
between 1t and the other Morgue was that IL was
much more crowded: the recumbent figures gave
out strong evidence OF life, and were passing
through sort OF preparatory school, rapidly get
ting themselves into condition TOR exposition up
town. The inspector stood moment In the mid
die OF the "shop" contemplating the scene and
marking its most prominent features for hts com.
panion. There were some very prominent and
characteristic features observable at the time.
Presently tall, stout woman marched boldly in,
and stopping In front OF the counter, said, .'Gr
me drinkl'' then, turning to hall sleeping man
sitting on box beside the counter and with his
| head leaning against 1t, she added
| "Get up, Bill. and take drink"
"Blll" did not get mp for he WAS not able but ne
held on TO the counter and lifted himself into
| invitation. While he was doing this-lt took some
time, although he was young and
| VIGOROUS LOOKING MAN,
and the barkeeper was filing the glasses-the
woman walked over TO another, sleeping on pile
! OF barrels against the wall opposite the counter,
ioud Soarse Voice again, friss That's
the third time to-day Well, Pm sorry for IT. 20
IKE 70 have treated ys, I'VE got a quarter" she she
time the barkeeper had deposited the two "drInks,'