Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-16
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
From our regular correspondent.
A REIGN OF TERROR.

| A REIGN OF TEhhOhs
Once a year New York forgets the glo-
ries of free democratic government and
meekly submits her neck to the yoke of q
relentless despotism. Her new Dictator is
not the Man on horseback'-this monarch
drives dray!
Whoever owns a quadruped which can
stand between two shafts is Autoerat of all
the household treasures he can pile up be-
hind the poor beast, and every mortal ow-
ing any allegiance TO the little Empire on
Wheels waits Oh his royal pleasure and
humbly opening wallet, begs his Majesty
to help himself to the tribute money. Talk
about 'CasarismI' Why, the HerGld's
sounding periods on this fruitful theme,
leach exactly column and third long)
are, like its jokes, or a Messina orange
stale and far-fetched-in the presence of
the real thing, the genuine article, the
imperious tribute-gorged Cesar of Nov
ing Day.
Paris has had two Reigns of Terror, but
New York has one every May Day. Any
man who can smash sofa, scratch piano
or gouge a wall can find free vent for all
his diabolism and swear at everybody until
the air is blue-and all on rising mar
ket. The work must be done. Ten thous-
and ether people are in the same fix.
Houses and stores that no man can num-
Der are emptyIng themselves upon the
sidewalks. Every mans back aches; so
does his head; his fingers are bruised, his
children impatient, and it rains about
three times day. To add that everybody
is also irritable is drawing it mildly. Every
body also wants truck, and it would be
pleasing to add, if it were true, that every
body observed the injunctions against evil
thinking and coveting his neighbor's truck.
Smith takes Robinson's house and the
latter must be moved; Robinson hurries
Jones ont upon the sidewalk; Jones dis
places Brown; Brown displaces Fitznoodle
and so one large part of New York dis
places another till you feel like describing
the operation about as the old deacon
read the eleventh chapter Of Genesis, when
after stumbling over lot of unpronOunce-
able Hebrew names, he ran his eye quick
ly to the bottom. and gravely added: And
so, brethren, they went on begetting one
another to the end of the chapter
THE NEwsBoYs' LODGING HOUSE.
In that once famous and still unsavory
section of the city known as the give
Points" stands tall brick structure, 'front.'
ing on three streets, and bearing on its
facade a monstrous sign, HNeWsboys'
Lodging House." Still haunted by the
spectre Of our street arabs of last week,
your correspondent bent his steps thither
one night about nine o'clock, and climbed
the broad, fire proof staircase, to find the
bows assembled in the school room, at
their evening school. 1t was high, airy
room, plainly furnished, the walls adorned
with an assortment of texts, maxims and
regulations. Prominent among the lat
ter was this, "BOys who swear or chew
tobacco cannot stay here. At the seats
was indeed a motley array OF lads from
six to eighteen years old, barefooted, gen
orally ragged and coatless, some boasting
one suspender, more with none, but every
face old oryoung, polished clean and bright,
and every pair Of stub-toed feet absolute |
" clean. This was the one pslpable fact
that struck the behOlder, and commanded |
at once admiration and wonder.
The school presently closed by the boys |
rising and repeating in unison the Lords |
PRAYER, after which they filed past the |
desk, and, receiving their bed checks pro-
eeeded to the dormitories. Before follow |
ing them hunted for the explanation of |
those singularly clean faces and feet, and |
found it IN huge wash-room with bath |
rooms across one side, long row of hand |
basins across another, while along a third |
stood formidable line of deep foot baths |
where the boys washed their grimy feet |
after coming from their days work, and |
again Just before introducing them to the |
sDotless linen up staire. The larger dor |
mitories contain about $50 beds each. ar
ranged in two tiers on neat iron bedSteads, |
with ample space between and were as |
tidy and comfortable as any tired man |
need ask. The large rooms front on three |
streets, are high ceiled, and far more airy |
than many a pretentious city mansion. |
These beds cost their occupants six cents |
a night. A smaller room fitted with |
seventeen beds, broader and a little high
er toned can be enjoyed for ten cents by |
the urchin who has done an unusually big |
days work and wants to
ROLL AROUND LIKE LORD
and hug for one night at least the notion
that he is rising in the world. This room
is known as the Fifth Avenue, while the
six center goes by the plebian title Of
The Bowery' On an upper floor Is the
gymnasium, fitted with the usual appllan-
ces, where the youngsters now challenge
each other to the mortal chances OF
walking match, two nights in the week.
Breakfast and supper are furnished in the
house to those who wish, at six cents
meal for all boy can eat. Lads who are
unable TO pay are temporarily lodged and
fed free of charge. On Sunday evening
the boys assemble in the school room and
hold raIiOinus serViops Olerpymen and |
business men always being at hand to ad
dress them. A savings bank is in this
room, consisting of u broad table with
numbered slits opening into boxes beneath
from which the money is gathered every