National Republican., 1876-02-04
HEADQUARTERS. I:
A elapss ~ the Central Station.

a uihp.eo ~ tne Csutrb sI1t3Vn'
But few Of tAs readers Of snewspapsr, as they
glance over tae we'll filled columns In the morn
ing, sppf ee,ate or understand the varied agencies
and labsr required in its preparation, and fewer
stin even give thought to the reporter, who, In
an almcet ceaseless tramp from midday to early
ncrn makes his rounds gathering In the items
of news for their Information, amusement or graf
ihcation- This does not wsrry the repsrter at all.
He has his fun, and in his rounds sights they
never will witness, and participate 10 adventures
never made public, and though, with ths great
mlss his Identity is never establ .hed, his circle
of aequaintances is large, embracing all classes of
tie community. Among his best friends, how
ever, are the policemen, and with them, espe-
cislly the station-keepsr, he spends many pleas
ant hours, and learns and imparts far more facts
in regard to the habits Of many people than they
imagine are known to outsiders.
HEADQUARTERS.
The central Office for news is the last place
visited, and there any morning from to O'Clock,
If strsggler happens TO drop in, can be found q
representative of each Of the morning dailies.
Headquarters is worth visit at that hour of the
morEsng. The room occupied by the officer on
duty Is the basement, back, and the presiding ge-
MUS is Offcer August Voss, one Of the Oldest,
room is brilliantly lighted, and in addition to the
desks and chairs, the reporters table, an out-ol-
order clock and cracked hre.aiarm gong, g,saG are
quarters with the precinct station-bouses. " B
not intended as rule to hold prisoners there put
was Constructed in the rear Of the back building
and such lookup! 1t is q disgrace not only to
6he us5ice Smce Oq Is p room about i4Sil with one
window, protected by iron bars. From this Is
partitCned on cell ABOUT I9qr iees aeep, guarded
the heavily-locked door is the sign, "Prison
Heath" The main portion Of the room contains
a fixed, narrow bench and an old steve, and into
this place many persons are held for two or three
days at time: Verify; the way OF the trans
gressor is hare especially If he is incarcerased in
the foul den at headquarters
One night during the last week there was
locked mp in the inner cell criminal arrested
bench of the room laid man suffering from the
terrible effects Of 11GHfd-1 Pofu whose fcg htful
yells and screams ALMOST converted the entire
party to temperance. There was another pris-
oner in the building-a young girl, Occupying the
front room, the Office OF Inspector Brock. She
in q distant city, and held until they arrived
TO take her back. bright, wayward girl, with
to sOOe S sns se onss life
at home and with eager haste sought the excite
ment of the city, in the vain hope that in It's wide
field she could fnd the means OF procuring nom
estly the dress and excitement which she had
SIGHED FOR AT HOME.
Luckily for her she was met on the threshold or
the city and of her illadvised career, and after
solemn warning from the officials held until she
was given safely into the hands Of her natural
protectors. Now enters two young men, with
anxiety depicted upon their faces. They see the
few reporters and look with awe upon the officers
as they request that a message bc sent TO all the
stations, inquiring whether person named had
been arrested. He had not been home since
morning, and his people were alarmed. In
moment the Instruments were speeding the mes
sage to ali parts of the city, and the negative re-
spOnse rather darkenod than lightened their
faces. They knew not where to search, and de-
parted. In the room above, used as a ed.room.
Detective McElfresh was safely ensconced, for
under a rule Of the board detective is always
on duty at headquarters, ready to respond to any
summons. About o'clock the vigilant night in
spector, Lieutenant Vernon, enters, and informs
the party that he has made the rounds OF Kelly's,
Noonan's and Ecklof's precincts, and that each
otficer was on his beat thus showing the efficiency
Of the night patrol.
The telegraph signals the fact that two men
have been arrested for robbery, bu; the hour is
too late to use such an important item; and as
the party is about to separete a wel-dressed
young man enters and asks to be accommodated
with lodgings. He has walked the streets until
that time, and is too weary to go further. There
is place in which to put him, and he is directed
to the nearest station, and starts Oft. He is the
sixth applicant that have had tonight, said
August" and nearly all were nice-lookfng men.
Good night! and, leaving the station, the boys
started for their respective homes.