Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-08-22
NEW YORK LETTER.
NEW YORK,
August 18th, 1890

DhaR llC boihCu
of Grant Monument Fund has been
brought before the public again by
the proposed removing of the great
Generals remains from this city to
Washington. So far, New Yorh has
made no objections to the change, nor
will any be made unless mere formal
protests from its Congressman. The
press Of the country generally are
censuring this city for not doing what
it never promised to do-that of rails
ing the entire sum wanted for this
purpose. II. as the Northerners claim
to think, Grant did more than other
one man for the preservation Of the
Union, why should New York city
alone be expected to raise the ridicu-
lousy high amount wanted, 81 900, 900?
Would this look like the much-aired
patriotism that the papers of the
North are continually spouting, if q
few millionaires paid the money :?
New York has already done its share
in this matter; and if Grant is ma
tional hero, his monument should be
built by the people he fought with
and not a few money-kings Of one
city. In reality New York is heartily
sick of the whole matter, as judging
from the lack of interest manifested,
the whole North is. The fund drags
terribly, and even that devout Pagan,
Elliot Shepard, with his Anarchistic
and 'bloody-shirt" sheet, cannot stir
up an interest in it. The editorials
that have appeared recently in the
Mail and Express have been of the most
revolutionary character. He thinks
it high time that the oppressed negro
of the South asserted the rights he is
entitled to by his majority, and has
selected South Carolina as the place
to commence his operations, and guar
antees the negroes all the protection
by Northern bayonets that the infa
nous Force Bill will allow. The 9th
er evening the leading editorial was
headed "A Noble Opportunity"
There are in this city many able
and popular colored men who are ad-
mirably equipped to lead campaign
for the loyal majority in South Caro-
lima, the long-patient and sorely tyr
annized and wickedly disfranchised
negroes of that old breeding place of
treason and traitors. If such men as
Fortune, Anderson, Derrick, Walters
and others that we could name would
go to South Carolina and advocate
straight-out negro tickets, their elo
quence and their leadership would
stir up and encourage their colored
brethren, and peaceful but mighty
uprising of the down-trodden and OPP
pressed would come speedily, and the
majority would get their rights.
There would be no lack Of means for
so righteous a campaign"
The terribly hot weather here dur
ing the summer months has greatly
increased mortality among the poor
babies Cooped up, as most of them
are, i'm sitting hot tenement houses
and miserable rookeries in some of
the downtown streets, 1t is not to be
wondered at. but after seeing such
sights himself one wonders how any
of them manage to live. A walk
through Hester, Mulberry, Houston
and dozens of other streets near the
Bowery, on the east side, will disclose
scenes of such poorness and wretched
misery as one only reads Of The
streets swarm with dirty children,
playing and fighting among the most
filthy surroundings. These streets
Commissioner Beattie seems to think
need no cleaning, and refuse and
garbage of every description fill the
cutters and strews the sidewalk
Nearly all the streets of this charac-
ter are narrow and built with tall,
dangerously constructed flats and
tenements, and each room contains a
family, or nearly so, of human beings.
In addition to the dirt and children,
on the streets are vendors of every de-
scription, selling the meanest and
worst the market affords. Is it any
wonder that these poor children
whose lungs are always filled with
this impure air and filthy odors, who
are fed on food that is nearly refuse,
who drink milk that is nearly half
water, and is sour at that, is it any
wonder that they sicken and die
The "Ereaing Worlds Sick Baby
Fund.-" conducted, it is said, by Mrs.
Pulitzer, every year raises subscrip-
ton fund and sends large corps of
free doctors among these children
and do a world of good. The fund
for this year has reached over $4,000,
and many a poor little life has been
saved by this. The charities OF New
are many and varied, but the press of
New York is always to the front in
every good cause. r. b. j.