, 1876-07-16
HOT NEW YORK.

Baxtor Street in Swe1terins Night.
Hep Fork Sua- Julv13
Before O'Clock last night Thousands OF per
sons in this squalid quarter had gone out into
the open streets to remain until morning. ALL
along Baxter and the adjacent streets the inner
edges OF the sidewalks were lined with blankets
and bed-ticks, upon which half-nudc children
were sleeping so close together that it
was impossible to step between them. They
almost lay over one another, entirely without
cover, and in many cases with u cellar-Loor, or
even the stone Tagging alone for bed In one
place eight children were asleep ON patch OF
babes scarcely months Ole, with naked limbs.
lay exposed to the sky on pieces Of blanket
thrown over cellar-doors.
The men and women and older children had
not yet thought OF retiring. i large, empty
cart served as roosting place for dozen noisy
boys, who, perched upon the drivers seat, or
lying in the bottom of the box, shouted, sang,
aud told stories, some Of which were about the
gallant Custer, who, one Of the youngsters main
taincd, was ia bul!!er lndian tighter than Texas
jacks
An hour later It was curious to see the women
and girls OF Is, sitting on the curbstone, and
making their toilet for the night by twisting up
their hair and throwing shawl around thon.
air, beside the children, and regardless Of the
| noisy throng that. almost josslcd tilen.
| in passing, to all appearance dropped
comfortably asleep. Gradually the 1oisc
in the streets died out A hevy OF
young girls who had been singing 'sThu
Star Spanslcd Banner and other patriotic airs
| fell alcep one after another on cellar door,
| and the sounds OF shorting>and laughter ceased
| The young story y-tellers curled up In the cart
where they lay, and were soon ~ ireamland.
| Then tue men pulled oil their boots, and
while some placed beds on the sidewalk to sleep
on others lay down on the stones or boards, and
| few braced themselves up in the corners of
the doors to act as sentinels over the sleepers.
| $50 they sleep every night" said police. oil
couldn't stand the heat fndoors-it would kill
| them. A funny thing happens once III $ while.
There Is an old fellow down tue street here who
sleeps on his cellar door every night. Hc is
very emaciated, and looks az light as a feather
up to his neck, and then throws 4 pie:c of net
ting over his face to keep away the belbugs.
One night an officer saw him sleeping SO, 2nl q
bed-bug trying to bite him. But the old fellow
sert Ills bill through the netting into his nose No
| several times before he could dfAw blood This
| walked the old fellow up, and he saw the officer
| standing over him in the moonlight, H.
asNow go away said he denrecatlnss1y;3 you
| know you oughtn't to be tickling my nose with
your club.' And he wouldn't believe that It was
4 bedbug that lad disturbed him. :,
The scene along Baxter street when nearly all
| its denizens were asleep on tic sidewalks and
| in the doorways was strange enough 4 person
/ cQUiU4 Ill 6OuIE pAN[<ot AAAAAf os<P "t"1@NS
stumbling against sleeping form. In every d.
rection they lay, sleeping as soundly, apparently,
as they would have done III the downiest beds
When nearly all were asleep, and only the noise
OF subdued conversation was heard here auo
there, somebody got up fight. Two basiy ne
groes c1inched, and fell struggling upon the
Sidewalk. In the fraction ct 4 minute the
sleeping street seemed to have been changed
into bedlam, and crowd OF ha1t=naked, Yell
ing, and gesticuiat1ng men, wonen, and chn-
dren surrounded the Contestants. Ten minutes
later all was as quiet as before.
At midnight several partially dressed mea
stole, like shadows, around the corner OF Baxter
street, and lay down, muttering curses On the
heat, upon the patent pavement surrounding
the fountain In the little square, which, to the
touch, seemed not yet to have parted With the
heat Of the blazing sun that had shone upon u
all day.
; The city swelters under hest The sudden
Showers OF Tuesday hare steamed up from the
parched surfaces and LETT no coolness anywhere.
The long succession Of burning days Is telling
on the strength Of the strongest and not nlgnts
drive away Fest. In the poorer quarters at
night the people live out doors Little children @
line the streets, taking their troubled Sleep
on o. boards and straw. The baths, crowded to
replction, overflow at the various piers, where
us9 9s sna 9,ts2 s9ys xhe apffh s patfoaa; bas
turned. The parks and open places are filled
with lang11id crowd hem1ned In between paved
walks. and grass plots burned Is brown
as tanbark., The braclng oreezss shlsh .s sprung
term began, and cooled the city all night long,
are becoming weaker and warmer. The heat Of
the dayeAcroaches on the night, and there Ia
less difference between noon and midnight. The
mercury at its highest yesterday and the day
July 9, when it rose to 1o1 degrees,
vet at midnight on Wednesday It waa