New-York tribune., 1884-11-30
THE CRADLE OF CHOLERA
ITALIAN DIVES AND DBNS.
low LyrE IN wRETCHED QUARTERS IN
MULBERRY-sT.

IA ~as amusing last Spring when made visit
to the dives in Mulberry street. In company win
an officer, to notice the startling onoc'
produccd by our entrance into one Of these places
A tho burly officer led the way somo ono would
catch glimpse of his uniform and shield and beat
= hasty retreat up creaking stairways through
sloppy yards. or into narrow alloys Doors wouia
be slammed to and bolts slipped but not quick
enough to prevent the vigilant policeman from
recognizing tho rctreating figure or peremptoriiy
demanding an entrance into their places of refuge
The groups within stared abashcd at the dreaa
aupsriton OF a munni" or "cop." as he 10 called
in THAR lingo and seemed too dazed to ask our
errand as IL each ono expected to bo hailed to the
nearest station house. In nearly every case some
ono of tho company had Mt ono time or another
fslt tho clutches Of the law and therefore wou'o
gladly have hidden his or her face or SUNK away
70 avoid recognition To these the officers tono was
brisk aud curt. Here. you turn your face TO the
light 30 / can you," he said to ono cut throat
looking fellow who. rs hc told me aitcrward'
had been arrested only week before. When
did YOU get oil the island Tim r he asked OF another.
whc OF a third lo demanded. "Say young felIer.
why didn't you show up before ths Grand Jury
whom YOU were subpWnaed in that stabbng case y
: To one of the soddcn. blear-cyod women he re-
marked: SAINT you sober yet. Mary. fter your
ten daysf
Conversation ceased at sight of us. and an uneasy
sence prov vailed while took rapid census OF tho
inmates The Ital an proprictors aud their friends
showed less embarrassment and soon resumed their
yoluble conversation. Tho Irish inmates were
stol,d and sullen, as If just recovering from
debauch. Many were too stupehed 10 open their
eyes Tho air within tho was lot and sitting.
vet no one seemed to mind it. A steaning cook
stove was the centre of attraction in every case as
IL was raw and bleak outside. and men and women
huddled around it lko Persian fire. worshippers
Even the vile tobacco fumes from dozen cav
pipes werc hardly noticeable amid the FOUL 1etid
emanatons from many lungs and bodies which
poured through the open door On the visitors en-
trance like poisonous sirocco. There was no
odor of food sign of cooking utensils, though IL
was lust midday. Drink seemed to be substitute
for food with the majority. and many appeared III
nourished and cnfecbled. Several groups were
playing with greasy cards. and invariably kog or
tin can of stale beor was visible shelf or i'll
corner In one house several children wore seen.
many of them mere infants whose mothers held
them up with pride for inspection The question
GAre there any sick heref" was emphatically
answered with no malade" but the wan cheeks.
emaciated forms and hacking coughs of many OF
tho little ones belied tho statement Some OF the
Italian women were bright-faced and hale. few
bad the appearance OF neatneSs. but one shrunk
mon with white heads and scrubby boards who
seemed never to have known the touch of comb or
water.
THEIR HORRIBLE CONDITION At NIGHT.
n such was the appearance If these dives by
daylight, when occupied only by ldlers and boozy
drunkards, its condition at night may be better
imagined than described. Smoky kerosene lamps
added mOTe impurities to the air and tho not
vapor filed the rooms like fog and obsc 1red the
window panes with steam. herd of men, women
and children occupied every inch OF space
packed, to use CarlyieIs smile. like Egyptian
yipers IN jar each struggling TO secure tho best
position and to crowd down his fellows The officer,
who was not fastidOus. said 1t is awful to have
10 60 into these places make arrest when there
is a fight. which usually happens about o'clock
In the morning. You have to walk all over the
people, who sleep right on the floor or on these
benches; have bocn so sick at my stomach after
coming on, Of No 80 ulberry-st: wth prisoner
that could hardly walk; you could have knocked
me dow n with q feather 49,,
Even the halls and sarways are often thick
with sleepers On intensely cold January
nisht fifteen drunken FOUNDERS were found in a
hallway open at both ends TO the bitter air. ana
were arrested by the Elzabeth-st police TO- prevent
their freezing 10 death. In two rooms that OK
anned at No. 80 Mubcrry-st. thero were windows
wide open. but even with this surprising attempt
to secure ventilation neither myself nor my guide
pestilent atmosphere ly actual count from nine
10 twenty persons were ionni during tne @ aay.,ns
IN each oi these rooms. which averaged not over
ten feet square. threc-stOry building WIN SIX
feoins contained sixty persons. Even on the ii3p
H0Ot wbsro the slnntng roof cut of n third OF tho
spsc nine sturdy Italians stood in group eagerly
resticulating over their favofite game oi inDra.
VI c has been p"Ysd py ,nG ,adG tsa shcs esos 'o
requested aud II amusing ~ notice tboir caEor.
excited plaBces and rapid speech. -. ...
Later on wc entered basement divS, whcfc tWo
bvfjy Young mon, whose speech s0we1 them " te
native born. we're lazlly stretched ob o bench az
soon ~ my eonpanien osp'cd tbe par 80 donanuou
made sfly reply. but be bad hardly spoksb. half
under bis breath. when The o1leef ~ . rage eii%,
. @Uet out VI tbis you lazy bhWibots ana w,ih
blows Of his locust drove tiem into ths street lls
explained IN ioply ~ my look OF surprise mat the
feiows were the lowest grade OF sneak thieves
tthey don't work asd aro always on tho lookout
for q chance 10 steal. Ihey hang around these
places ali the time and impose on lhs peopo a VINO
keep them by threats and blows Inc othef oc.
Cupants of the did not seem at all Disturbed at
this sudden outburst of official wrath but took II as
askol several men who were sitting about and
whose faces shovel intelligence. despite Their
ragged clothes and dssipaled expression. why they
re ,Drted to these dives. The uniform answer was
that when ont of work and money they could mol
fnd any other place to keep warm One poor devli
on crutches said that lie usually slept III the cheap
lodgng houses on a canvas cot. as IL was better
than the station house iOor. He did not complain
nor ask for aims but seemed to take lfo phio-
Sunhcally. An Engllshman showed hs nationality
when questioned by demanding the price of a quart
OF stale beer in payment for his informatlon
1ne-lOOklng feueral SOlulcr WIFI Il WooOch ice Sdu
he had a regular pension which lie pretended to
have lost but it had evIlontly been spent III drink
asked him how many persons had occupied the
room on the previous night. lie answered thirty
1--we, and about tue number the night before.
In another place questioned those OF the women
Inmates who were awake. Ono of them n frowsy.
ragged revolver" when asked where she slept tho
previous night. coolly replied did not sleep any
where's | was drunk i'll the streets" They took
me for reporter and all eager TO be mentioned
In the newspapers. excepting one woman, who
seemed to retain some sef-rcspcct and became very
Indignant at the idea Of such publicity, refusing to
answer any questions, and finally hounced out OF
the room. -
"Who are these women 7" l asked the officer,