Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-12-31
x ffnST OF CTI1 LITE.
How Many Germans in New
York Pass Evenings.
A Reporters Trip Through the Crowded
East Side of the Metropolis.

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How does the immense population
on the east side Of town south of Four.
teenth street amuse itselfr A small
proportion Of it is distributed among
the different theatres on Broadway,
Fourteenth street. Third and Eighth
avenues. The Bowery with its cheap
regular and variety playhouses, also
attracts large number, These, with
the concert saloons, museums, beer
halls and other places of better or worse
repute, draw their full share.
What, however, becomes of the great
majority of the German speaking men,
women and children who dwell in the
overcrowded tenements and houses all
the way from the Bowery to the East
River? A Herald reporter last night
made tour of the district to get an
answer to this question. lie wandered
in part of the city little known after
nightfall to any save those who live
within it.
Off the Bowery, on one Of the crowd
ed side streets just above Grand, an
Illuminated sign outside of a saloon
announced that concert was going
on within. AS the reporter entered
the place the last notes of a song died
away and great clapping of hands
and stamping Of feet followed. The
room was about fifteen feet wide and
about sixty in length. At the exit to
the street were two counters, one for
lunch and the other for liquor. Both
were doing rushing business. Three
bartenders were dancing around as
many beer kegs with half dozen
glasses in each hand. Beer seemed to
be about the only beverage drunk. The
American brewing had the greater
sale, but the imported Article was in
fair demand At the lunch counter
large German woman was hard at
work cutting sandwiches of cheese,
ham, beef and tongue.
The atmosphere of the room was
dense with tobacco smoke, through
which could be dimly seen in the upper
end a number Of square as well as
round tables. Seated at or around
these were boys and young men with
foaming beer in front of them, and in
many cases young girl dressed in
fancy costume, with her streaming
hair tied with bright ribbon. She
drank as freely as her male companion,
and joined with him in applause of
what was going on on the stage.
The stage was common wooden
platform, roughly put together, with
footlights in front and sliding cotton
curtain. On either side were closets
or boxes with little doors in them.
Below the footlights was dreamy
young man seated at piano. On one
side he had a glass Of beer and on the
other a small bell. When he would
drain the one he would ring the other.
The curtain would then be pulled
back, the pianist would strike up an
air and one of the fancily costumed
young women who had been seated at
the table would dive through one door
of the closet and the next instant APP
pear on the stage.
AS the reporter took his seat at one
of the tables good looking, dark eyed
girl in answer to the bell signal, came
upon the stage and warbled in German.
1t was melody that touched the heart
of her hearers. or else she was a great
favorite, for when her song was fin
ished she was uproariously called back.
The next performer was a mimic who
sang a comic song that created great
laughter. He also had to favor the
audience again.
In another street the reporter walked
into a saloon of similar character.
This was crowded with old German
couples and their children, young
German husbands and wives and Ger
man youths and their sweethearts.
The same kind of entertainment was
given songs sketches and mimicry
by men and girls, who between the
performances mixed with the audience
and drank their beer like the rest.
In neither place was any admission
fee charged. The performance lasted
from eight o'clock to midnight. A
person could sit it all out by buying a
few cigars or a couple of glasses OF
beer. In further perambulations on
other side streets and along First ave,
nue. and avenues A and B the reporter
entered saloons where the performances
were on par with those in the places
above mentioned. 1t was an easy
matter then to see how the great mass
of these people passed their evenings
They could enjoy a theatrical perform
ance without paying for it, and at the
same time have their little Chat, their
glass of beer and their smohe.-Neu
York Hopaid.
POmpclian Houses.
You would be astonished at the size