The news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1882-1891, 1882-08-03
GAY GOTHAn,s DARK SIDE

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GAY GOTHANI's DARK SIDE.
Vice has its centres in the metropo-
lis as well as trade. These are, with
vice, wherever the greatest number
of hotels is, for it is the idle stranger
with well-flled purse and an incli-
nation to see the sights who fall q
natural, easy and not altogether un-
willing prey to the city's sharpers.
Harry Hills grows bigger as its no.
toriety extends with years, but it
never changes. 1t is not bar-room,
not a concert saloon, and not q free
and-easy. None Of these terms de-
scribes it, for its all things in one and
at once-big second-story room, con-
tanning bar, theatrical stage, which
can quickly be made into prize
ring, bare space for dancing, tables,
a balcony and q few SO called wine
rooms. There are always as many
women as men in the place. Bleeck-
or street, from the BOwery to Broad
way, is given over to the habitations
OF unfortunate women, and decent
people avoid the neighborhood after
night fall. "The Burnt Rag" is
there-a bar room kept by Matt
Grace, and favored by an Unlocking
lot of men not wholly unknown to
the police, whose headquarterr are in
the same square. The "Black and
Tan," where white men and women
and negroes 90 to dance together, ID
on Blocker street, west of Broadway,
and the "Flat Iron," the same kind of
place, is in Greene street, below
Blocker. Matt Grace's old place, in
Crosby street, near the stage entrance
to Niblo's garden, has just been re-
fitted and opened as gorgeous opium
point. The New York daily papers
are just at present strongly rejecting
popular anxiety about the increase of
opium smoking. A few years ago
the only points where filthy dives of
this kind existed was in the Chinese
quarter, and but few white people
ever saw or heard Of them. Now
there are dozen in the Chinese quar-
ter, twenty-five or thirty run in con-
nection with laundries by Cinnamon
and others that are the outcome of
white enterprise. One of these is
Fred Hughes in Thirteenth street
Hughes has opened it as an adjunct
OF his Cremorne garden. It is lux
uriously furnished parlor, with red
satin sofas, heavy carpet, gilt mir
rors, broadcloth- clad walters and q
high-priced schedule. There is a
more cosy, though less costly house
in Twenty-third street, which is said
to be maintained by actors and actres-
ses Of certain old and famous play
house on one Of the city's squares.
1t is kept for them by a widow and
her daughter, and is open to those
who share its cost. The new joint in
Crosby street is said to be quite as
attractive as Hughes's 1t is in con-
sequence Of this sudden growth in the
number of dens that the good folks
worry lest the vice invade the gen
sral household and devastate the
moral welfare of the town. My oh.
servation has been, however, that the
only wholly reputable folks who are
ever seen in these places are sight
seers in the care of the police. The
habitues are gamblers, thieves, bunko
men, variety performers, and those
roues who are ever seeking the exrtav-
agances and novelties Of sin.
I spoke of the Cremerne garden.
1t is in the heart of crimes new Gen.
tire. 1t is the vestibule and waiting
room of the place of despair. 1t is ad-
vertised as palace, and it comes as
near to splendor as any establishment
that defes the law and society can do.
The barroom is on the street, and
swinging doors open into big ball
room, bright with electric lamps, sur
rounded at the sides by tables, and
above them by balcony whose front
is Of iron fantastically patterned and
! glded. Men and women come and