The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-09-22
HOMES OF THE POOR.
New York Evening Posi-.

New York Evening Post.
In company with DR.. Richard L. Hoel-
.e.. one Of the assistant inspectors OF the
board of health, a reporter of the E7'ra-
ns Posi- visited yesterday number OF
he cheap lodging-houses along the east
SIDE of the Bowery, from Grand to Divi-
son street. Many of these lodging
houses are the homes of the degraded
creatures, male and female, who frequent
me concert saloons which line the Bowesy
n this neighborhood. The basement or
ground floor is the saloon, while the pro-
prie,or and the girls who wait in the place
i've above. Such houses are without ex-
cepfion used for vile purposes, but the
overcrowding is not such as to warrant
interference on the part Of the board of
health. The inspector goes through them
every year, chiefly to see that they are
not full OF sewer gas from broken drains
and that the rooms are not too small.
me house may be taken as sample Of
Ill there being but little difference in
them.
One of the houses visited was an old
fashioned building, twenty-five feet wide
BY abou, fifty deep, and four stories high.
The ground floor was given up 10 bar
room in front. and back of tina; TO sort
Of ,heatcr. with stage at the further end
outside the sidewalk was obstrueted by
placards representing seantily dressed
women. A swinging screen door hides
what goes on inside from the passeIs. In
the daytime the place is very quiet. A
TYPICAL barkeeper, big and bloated, eyed
the doctor and reposter with some suspi-
zion, but, upon discovering the object Of
TIE visit, made no objection to an inspec-
tor Of his premises. The theatre" is
ne whole width Of the house, and is fitted
gp with rows OF chairs, with a board be-
.ween every roe to serve as table upon
which to place glasses. Gaudy pictures
are on the walls, together with price-hs,s
of drinks" and the information upon
many cards that Ladies' drinks are
twenty cents II is customary for visi-
:or 10 invite the "lady" who waits upon
him TO drink. and this is an invitation
never refused. The ladies were not
present yesterday. with the exception Of
one respectable looking girl. who was
practicing dance music upon tuneless
piano which served as orchestra, and
was placed IN from, of the stage. The
ladies' of the-Divan are all night
birds, but, judging by the pictures before
me doors and the announcements azoned
forth in many eolors to the effect tina,
= fifty beautiful Circassian ladies dressed
in native costumes" help TO make the
evening pleasant one, there Is no lack
Of female society in the place after dark.
Cpon each side of the miserable little
stage is a box communicating with the
stage, the custom of the patrons who in
dulge in the luxury Of a private box being
70 invite such of the performers as please
them to refresh themselves in the box.
At each side of the stage are little holes
ealled dressing rooms-for women on
one side and for men on the other. The
properties, in the way Of wigs, burnt
oorks and odds and ends Of clothing, are
s,rewn on the door. Back Of the stage
are three little rooms, without light or
ventilation Of any kind. A boy lights a
gas jet in these ill-smelling holes, which
be calls "private parlorsS and shows
that they contain nothing but the inevita-
bic table for glasses and some chairs
Upstairs is the home of the City Circas-
sian ladies, who have a bad habit, the
boy says, Of sleeping late. BY cropping
along dark passage leading from the
saloon, narrow staircase is found, at the
Top of which kerosene lamp is still
smoking, although il is high noon out
side and bright day. A door, with
little window in it, bans the way. but is
opened at the request Of the boy. Al
though the building is not a large one,
the upper floor is divided of into so
many small rooms that there are dark,
narrow and winding passages without
end. Each room is big enough TO con-
tain bed and chair, and mos, Of them
have no air or light except kom the pas
sages- The boy has no conjunction
about disturbing the Circassian ladies'
slumbers. and, Kicking open = few doors,
lights matches to show the doctor the
size Of the rooms There are sixteen
Doms on the second door. On the third
aoor it is possible 10 GET along the pas
ages without the lamp, bot the rooms
Are about as dark ~ below. The women
whose sleep is interrupted start up, open
their bleared eyes fog . second, and fall
back With laugh or a curse. Most Of
them take the visitors fDr detectives ia
search Of some criminal Who IS wanted
At police headquarters In one low
eeIled, dark, narrow room on the third
story are the women who would pay for
separate rooms If they could They are
regular patrons Of the house when fortune
smiles On them, ex-Crcassian ladies' per-
haps but fortune has not smiled lately,
and hey are glad to pay Eve cents for the
privilege Of sleeping on heap Of filthy
rags IN company with a dozen other