West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-04-30
RARE PEARL ALLEY"
How It's Children Enjoyed Them
selves Playing wake"


1t is called Pearl alley, though no
sign-board spells the name to question
sng strangers, and the residents of the
fhoroughfare are not of a sort to NOR
alize upon the origin of name or the
inappropriateness of its character.
Pearl alley it is to them as a means of
designation, and when YOU see it YOU
will say as well Pearl alley as any
thing else, for no name. however de-
scriptive of all that is filthy, miserable
and poor, can adequately express it's
dirt, squalor and poverty
1t runs out of Washington street
when Washington street gets down be-
low Rector, and utterly loses its re-
spectability in its efforts to stand up
against the stencil of the soap facto-
rles. AT the point where the last YES
tge of responsibility disappears and
the strength of the stencil has reached
Its climax there Pearl alley begins, and.
10 preserve alike the ebb of decencv
and the flood of smell, it runs verti-
calIy through one short block and ends
abruptly against neighboring street
that might offer slight gain of the one
and loss Of the other
The alley has at least one thing i'm
common with the precious Jewels whose
name it wears. Like them. it is rare
Even among the slums of a great city
like New York there are not many feS-
ter spots so rank and poisonous as its
short length affords. The few wretched
tenements that outline its narrow wav
are Tor the most part deserted sheds.
with three or four tall, crazy build
lngs, whose dark halls and rickety
stairs resound with the sluggish steps
and british noise OF the tenants of It's
foul and crowded rooms. The SIM
never shines in Pearl alley The houses
iean over so close that the little stretch
of street between them becomes a black
thread TO old Sol i'm the heavens and
quite out of reach of his superb focus in
the momentary pause he makes direct
~ overhead
"A good many things never happen i'm
bearl alley. There is never anv benin
ming or end to the day there. No
thrifty mechanic or honest artisan ever
leaves in the early morning with his
dinner pail on his arm, and his cheer
tul content at the prospect OF winning
bread tor the children clustering in the
doorway behind him, nor comes trido-
ing home at night hungry and ready
Tor the rest which follows faithful toll
And through the daylight hours there
Is no sound of woman's tidy care Of
nome, no washing and scrubbino. no
brewing and baking, no cheerful neigh
nor gO>sip-no token that i'm many
other poor and crowded quarter, of tho
city bctrays that social life albeit of
the lowest stratum, j. still extanf
J. - ia ma 10 e I....,-
organ grinders pass il scornfuIlv by
even a starved dog skulls swiftly. a. if
ne knew there was no stray bone there
for him
But Pearl alley has its citizens and
ITS happenings. a race Of beings ,iffed
through the various stages of mi,er,
and degradation which make up the
hle- OF the city outcast fall at last be-
Nond further sorting into Pearl aIIcv
hleve>, rogue- and di,-oIutc women
whose orgies and debauchc. have fnaIIy
united them for even their miserable
'dIIing-. come at last TO Pearl alley TO-
SWINE together in british. bc-otted
misery They live ON crust. and bones
from the garbage pail; they are clothed
lH rag from the ash heaps. and their
sole aim and object OF existence b. n.
steal or beg the few pennies uccc -art
Tor Tho pot Of beer or dram of whsle
from tho shabby saloon ON the corner
And Pearl alley has another elias. of
rItz.n-. smaller thank God Dgt iu-
huItIv more unfortunate than even
the wrecks Just described ~ ha.
alas t- children, These are creature.
small n -'afurc and few in wears. who
cray" about over fhe Shiny stones and
.hf"nEh iha damp cellar, of PEER az