Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-07-30
RUSSIANS IN NEW YORK
THE WITCHES AND WITCHES
OF THE METROPOLIS.
The Element OF Canton Strong Among
Them-Russian women-How the
Slavic Poor Iiye-Their
Occupations.
Special Cnrresnnndencel

Special Correspondence.l
NEW YORK June 1s-Of all the foreign
elemc ats 10 be found in New York city. none
are SO obscure in private life as the Russian.
At the Office of the Russian Consul there is
very little information 10 be given or OBJ
tanned of the class Of immigrant population
from the land Of the Cars that live and
thrive in overcrowded Gotham. The present
incumbent in the Consulate has only been
In the office one year, but the Secretary, Mr.
Petersen, has lived in New York for years,
and is very ready To furnish such statistics
as will Ieai TO better acquaintance with
The Russian American citizens
Very few wealthy natives Of Russia live in
New York. The greater portion of hat
class OF foreigners are the Hebrew Russians,
who do not form distinctive class from the
so-called Jews. The locality where this
element mostly congregates is within cir
cult Of ''mile round, !" from Chatham square
north to Canal, and taking in an equivalent
section east aud west, all eentering ON the
Bowery.
walk through this locality is productive
Of sights and experiences so much
squalor as on some East side streets, not an
overflow of starving and ragged" not
much 10 shock the morals or the moral sen
ses - but repulsive herding together,
conmoness OF all things human, low order
/ Of intelligence, with quick cunning and
secrecy. These are the noticeable features
/ of the Russian poor found in this not
/ wholesome section of cholera-uring
neighborhood. The occupations Of these
! people are "a hidden in mystery as their
ideas. The men go and come at regular bus
4 iness hours - the novels. rooms, attics,
lofts, etc. they live in. always have some
sort of a welcome for them. There is no
\ drunkenness, no gambling, no dance-dens
\ or holes Of vice that imperil the lives of the
/ police; but knots and gangs of men, women
and children, sitting in unkempt condition.
smoking, talking loudly AMI earnestly, with
restless eyes and sallow faces. Alone, in
/ crowded city, these few hundred are as
much apart a. if they lived in exile, save for
the vsiious occupations the men seem 70
follow. these occupations are all of the com
mon-commonest; rag yathering, fruit sell
ing cigar making, junk dealing old clothes
selling, peddling Of all sorts and similar
! dealings, with "A sprinkling of the crime-
that appear ON the court calendar
Upon inquiry it was found that very few Of
the children go 10 school. but a fair proper
tion of them are taught by their parents the
rudiments Of the Russian or Hebrew language
and a little Englsa. They roll about in the
CUTTERS and lane, like rats. but are not vicious
or particularly evil-mindel. Approaching
a middle-aged man sitting on the one stepof
a half-tumbledovn rear building off Mott
street I asked if he spoke English, 70 which
he replied with great courtesy Of manner
tt he did
Perhaps You can tell something of the
people who live in this locality | said,
something Of their habits, hopes and daily
life
Their habits are bad enough he said,
IN excellent English; their hopes are all 10
one end-that is, home in the dear land
their daily life is what you see here"
he spoke bitterly.
What do you mean by home in the dear
landr"
That, as you Americans mean, when you
say. there is no place like home Every
Russian expects and prays the good God TO
see his native land again"
''Why do they come here with that prin-
ciple so fixed, and their love Of home 50
strongf'
Come to not starve-come 10 not suffer
so much as the poor must suffer in that
countryf'
And you do not adopt the United States
as a home. thenf'
mo, not for ali time
"How long have YOU lived heref'
Thirteen years
"Do you vote at our elections or seek any
political rights a. citizens:n
mo. Not one in a hundred ever vote. i
plyer v6ted and never want to-
The intelligence Of the man was a surprise
considering the meager surroundings. In
this locality. near the Bowery, is a small day
school where children are taught the Russian
laaguage-it is irregular and unsystematic
in attendance as well "a discipline.
On the BoweTy, near the National theatre,
is n Russian theatre Very few outside of
the element that patronize it know of its ex-
istence. Ii is more Of a variety theatre than
the legitimate, and the performances sIe
given irreguiarly. Still IL Is distirctive
national place of amusement, and wholly
natronized by the Russians and Hebrews. OF
the Russian population proper-those who
belong 10 the Greek church-there Is but a
limited number. For long time church
was supported by the government on Second
avenue. near Fifty-second street, but 1t has
been closed for nearly year. The member
shin was small, indifferent and Irregular II
was the only place in the United States
where the service OF the Greek form was 10
seen in its completeness.
OF the wealthy and influential Russians
resident in New York, there are so few thai
but little can be said. There Is popular
physician on Forty-ninth street, DR. seftei,
a Russian born. as well as his wife, and edu-
Gated for the medical profession IN his native
country. His practice here is not at all de-
PENDENT upon his countrymen, nor does Il
include them 20 even the Dainority.
Seeking out the native born found a
bookworm individual, who has long lived IN
New York city. lie has no apparent means
of livelihood His little second story hocr
of three very small rooms little more than
closets, is on Avenue A. in the viclnlty OF
Eighty-ninth street He Is nteihgenb