Omaha daily bee., 1888-05-27
PEN PICTURES OF DACO ALLEY.
Inhabited by Beings in all Conditions
of Squalid Distress.
A FIELD FOR THE SUMMERS
A Stroll Through it's Unsayory Pre-
cincts by Daylight-Its Sights,
Sounds and Scents-Some
Of its Legends.
DaHO AlIey.


A spot as such not laid down in the city's
plan, neither are its people mentioned in the
city's directory. Yet for all that, the alley
has long been a fostering sore right in the
heart of the city, and its arid wastes are
within rifle shot Of the Paxton. Geograph-
ically defined by metes and bounds, its terri
tory is belted by Thirteenth and Fourteenth
and Jones and Leavenworth streets. 1t is a
guilty stream of vice and wickedness, and
the wrecks along its shores are the hulks of
fallen humanity. 1t is q bad place after
nightfall for the stranger, for the universal
command, "Let there be light" was never
intended broad enough to illumine the alley
after dark, and the stranger must trust to
the bulls eye of the saloons, opening on
either end of it, for guiding stars, The sun
glares fercely on the alley by day, as though
it would like to strike all men and women
in it at once, and then as
if in revenge for the existence of
the place, contents itself with exhaliug
deadly miasma from the vegetable refuse
strewn about IN dumps and scattering it in
disease throughout the air. Little stagnant
pools lie in sliTY stiffness on every side, and
the only time their turgid rest is broken is
WHOM fresh refuse is added, or a rain shower
gives them life and motion. Under one di-
lapidated shanty there is u cess pool OF filth
enough TO breed Asiatic cholera, and the
policeman who acted as my guide, said, il is
tradition that the pool is bottomless, which
accounts for its continuance battling the eff
forts of the health authorities to abate the
nuisance.
And the mansions of Dago alleyl Well,
there is a painful architectural symmetry and
likeness in them all. They have an uncer-
tain way of standing, like II man recovering
from a protracted spree, and glass for tho
most part is wanting in the windows, the
gaps being filled with cast-off clothing. Not
that the people need the filling in summer for
the space left in the shattered window frames
affords ventilation, but in winter the cold
must be kept out some way that the people
may live.
-.
And the people who live in Dago Alley,
what Of themi They are u vicious set and
claim the place as their own by right OF pre-
emptiOn and graduation iii crime and mis-
fortune, A residence in the alley is the last
jumping off place in the wretched run of a
miserable existence. Negroes with razors
and Italians as dark, with stilettoes, lie
about the open doorways and amuse them
selves IN sleep, or the harmless diversion of
beating the miserable women who cling to
them and seem 10 thrive on their blows; or.
If perchance the claims OF hunger demand
food, with nothing in sight TO steal, the
negro sallies forth In search of chores and
the Italian roams about with plaster images.
One Of the Italians was arrested on my visit
10 tho alley-a swarthy, muscular man, with
a red handkerchief about his forehead and
brass pendants in his ears, and while the
fellow protested his innocence with much
gesticulation at the station, a dirk n foot long
was taken from him.
"Me good ceeteeaen; me no anything bad;
sell de nice poppy corn and do big banan,i lac
said in response TO the usual inquiry regard,
ing his occupation.
'sThen what yer dom with the great big
cheese carverln asked the iailer.
WHY use him TO cut de big banan, see!h
the fellow answered.
Wicked men of every nationality are