The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-16
The wiekednc.s of pittsburgh.


Gazette Of yesterday.
In every great city there exist slun
whose depths of degradation and wicked
ness are never fathomed, or ~perchanct
even known TO existby the public. Place
where the scum,-the flotsam ofhumanit
-drifts together and stagnates, and breed
the foulest essences Of vice aud depravity
The Smoky City is not an exceptiont . thi
rule. Occasionally when some bloody al
fray, in which bad liquor, knives an'
pistols are used with serious effect occurs
the public gets . side glance at thes'
places, but o forgets them in the bus!
cares Of the day.
"Were you ever in the sweat box2'
This query was thrown carelessly at
Commercial Gdsate reporter, by a knowing
one, a few evenings since. negative an
swer was given.
"Well, then, there is much for you tc
see and learn Of the darker side OF life In
this CITY" said the qperist. "lfyon viii
go with me l will show you the box
The reporter consented, and was about
to accompany the knowing one instanter,
but he demurred.
"Iou cannot go in that costume, you
want shabby toys"
Divining that apparel was referred to by
the term "togs," the reporter secured an
SLOUGH hat. Placing an artistic smooch Of
ancient rough and ready suitand a battered
CRIME here and there on his face and
hands, his resemblance to a r%onstabout
became striking. He was then pro.
nounced ready for the mysterious quest.
He was conducted by the guide to Water
street. It was a windy night, dark and
gloomy. Going down the levee, to the
n%eighborhood Of Wood street, the reporter
encountered at intervals gangs Of men at
tired mainly in rags. It'll these men who
have a habit Of accosting pedestrians at
the lower ends OF Wood and Market streets
with ''say, stranger, l am desperate and
want your money or I'll give you this"
exhibiting q plethoric handy-bllly. The
reporter was not interrupted on this trip,
however, aud in q few moments his guide
dived down a rickety stairway and led the
way into what was called o "room,"-in
reality a foul and noisome cellar. On one
side was the bar, decorated with divers
black bottles, pictures OF notorious prize
fighters, and other similar ornaments. In
front OF the dingy counter were a number
OF roustabouts, who, now and anon, gulped
down q decoction poured from a
black bottle. The brawny bar ten
der with a green patch over n
eye, called it whisky, but as its fumes
were waited to the olfactories OF the re-
porter, It reminded him OF charnel house
odors. Some OF the inmates OF the room
were women, both white and colored,
bIear.eyed and bloated-feariul examples
OF the iairer sex, who seemed to vie with
the males in the amount OF the black
bottle decoction they could absorb.
Whites and negroes were familiarly min
gled together. On a settee was a burly ne
r roustabout with his arm around the
waist OF a. white woman. Oaths and
irightful expressions filed the air. The
reporter and guide were approaching by
one OF these women, who leered at them
with, "Say, laddies, amt yer goin' to buy
me a drink" Leaving this place a sue
cession OF similar dens were visited, both
in cellars and above, in that oderiferous
neighhorhood, and the same scenes wit
messed. In some OF them were found lit
tie girls ten or twelve years OF age chat
ting with roughs and drunken negroes,
and occasionally utteringt the foulest oaths.
At last In one OF these places, the guide
announced that the Sweat box" wa at
hand.
In tho rear OF a %tumble-down saloon
Astounding in the same characteristics as
others visited, adjoining the bar-room was
found q small apartment, unlighted, and
cavernous looking. Through the hall
opened doorway there steamed out odors
most foul and horrible. The reporter
shrank back. "Go in" said the guide,
"and mind where you step, and what you
touch" Lighting q match a miserable
sight was presented. On the floor, hud.
died together in chumps, were men and
women, whites and negroes-many OF
them drunk, and all sleeping. Vermin
abounded, in fact swarmed, and the sight
and smell were sufficient to turn the
stoutest stomach. Into this and other
similar places, in the early part OF morn
ing, crawl the major portion Of the wretch
ed denizens OF the wharf. With such a
mass OF w~retchedness and depravity gath
cred in one section OF the city, 1t Is not to
be wondered that cutting ARRAYS and DIES.
perate fights, and robberies are reported In
that vicinity with such frequency. II
would be we'll for the Mayor to have this
locality examined, andto those who would
see greater depths of misery and wicked
ness than here recorded, q visit to the
wharf, after nightfall, will reveal them.