Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-15
A WALK OVER THE COMMONS"

A WALK OVER THE COMMONS"
4 Section of the City Very Dimcult for Pc
tcemen to Gu ard.
East Of Lincoln Park and west Of the Eastern
branch is large territory of improved and I'M
improved pieces Of property and two police
men have to patrol almost this entire section.
In the day time it is not SO bad, but at night
there 10 entirely too much territory for the
number OF men who are supposed to be ro-
sponsible for the good order there part of
tins area is improved with elegant residences,
while the other parts are so thinly populated
that they are called commons and for numbe-
OF Years the section as whole has been termed
1.-THE commons"
A few evenings ago o STAR reporter accepted
the invitation of two blue-coated guardians to
take stroll through that section to get an idea
OF 1t by moonlight. The night was cloudy
one and in the absence Of the lighted gas lamps
there was nothing to guide a stranger over the
narrow paths or from one place to another
where there arc no designated walks.
sQUArTERs IN THE PUBLIC STREETS.
Beyond 18th street several of the streets are
not improved there not even being q wagon
road cut out nor a lamp post to designate the
streets from private property, aud the police
men stated that any number Of houses were
built right in the streets, where the squatters
have lived TOR years. Some few of them own
their own houses, while the majority pay q
monthly rental TO landlords who have not the
slightest claim to anything but the material III
the houses. These people and many of them
have been collecting rents for years and some
OF them have accumulated considera-
PIE money, bat il will probably not
be long before the District surveyor
will be upon the grounds and plat out the
streets for Improvement. Then there will be
trouble and legal contests will no doubt result.
In many of the little huts men, women and
children sat about, while one or more of the
family played on musical instrument such
mouth organ or some other instrument that
had been purchased from a secondhand store.
RIVAL AAUsEMENTs.
The merry-go-round attracted the largest
crowd. although there was q church festival in
progress at the time and special Inducements
were offered 20 the sellers of admission tickets,
which were sold at the rate of cents each or
Is cent? for scasor. ticket
'Al persons wishing an evening Of enjoy
ment can lind 1t at the festival read tine notice
OF the church fair committee. The ladies
and gentlemen of the church and the friends of
the same have signified thei: purpose TO have
il the srandest ever held in Northeast WASH
inSton. IL is our purpose TO have every
attraction possible to make it pleasant FOR all,
and one of the grand features OF the occasion
will be the flying horses"
The committee had failed to secure the Az
ing horses, and that accounted for the slim at
tendance that night
There was, however, number of lads and
lasses in and about the church Some had
tickets to sell and others sat ahou. the tables
and ate cream and cake. while the younger
members OF East End society contented them
selves with q cents worth OF peanuts. u stick of
Candy Or u horse cake.
BUSY TICKET SELLER.
The ticket sellers We're the busiest people on
the commons tina: night. They we're trying
Tor the prizes. and when they are awarded
some Of the natives will be dressed SO well that
they won know themselves. Members OF the
fair committee advertised prizes. for selling
tickets as follows:
ANY gentleman selling twenty-five tickets
will receive a tine black derby hat, his own
choice.
ANY person selling twenty-five tickets will
receive handsome parlOr lamp.
Amy person selling twenty-five tickets will
receive three REINFORCED four-piy linen bosom
white shirts.
ANY person selling fifteen tickets will re-
celve q handsome reference Bible.
Any lady selling twenty five tickets will re-
ceive pair Of low quarter shoes, her own
selection.
ANY person selling ten tickets will receive
suitable prize and any person selling six tickets
will also receive prize"
spacious lawn in the rear Of the church. Come,
the least OF lat things on the leas!'
MANY 'NooNsHINEs.'
Place after place the officers pointed out
what they called ''moonshines.'' They meant
by that that liquor or an imitation Of the fluid
was being sold and that without license. In
many Of these places the best recommendation
Ia whisky made fresh every day." and the
brick yard men pay their money for il. Others
who reside on the commons also drink what
they can get money to pay for, and that's the
mud that is responsible tor most of the fights
and other disorders in that locality.
While the officers know that the illicit grog-
geries are being conducted it is dificut for
them to make a case, as the persons who drink
In them viii not 'squeGl," nor will many of
them stick to the truth even after being caught
in them.
The only way they are caught is when there
is falling out or fight in place between
those who do the drinking. and then the side that
feels offended at the proprietor will sometimes
give the officers Information ON which they
manage to make q case.
THE sporrER."
Notwithstanding these difficulties an occa-
sional case is made, and white woman who
occupies one Of the shanties is known to all her
neighbors as the spotter." They are right.
for the woman has given the police information
the part OF a detective on the commons
Then there is colored woman who has but
few friends, except the police, and tina, is be-
cause she is favorable TO the law and order ele-
ment, as she gives information as to almost
every difficulty on the commons.
HRTTY GREENS PLACE.
Hetty Green's place was visited. tbs a small
shanty and the half-blind woman was found
seated in room with number of grand
children upon the floor at her feet, while others
were playing about the room a. happy as
children could be.
In joking way one OF the officers told her
that she was wanted at the station but she said
she was not afraid because she was doing only
what was right
Ii was ut this house that murder was COM
mirted not many months ago. and Hetty has
SINCE been in court for selling whisky but now
she claims she is doing what Is right and has no
fears of the police.
Not far from there is o place called Lovers
Lane, where the colored boys and girls go out
for stro0 after shutdown and pass an evening
when there Is no ''Parlor social or "I0-cent
hop" ~ they are called to attend.
CRAP SHOOTING AT JAMESTOWN.
just over the hill is another distinct settle
ment Of colored people, the place being called
jamestown" Between ''The Commons" and
this town there is wide open space. aud there on
the grass away from the houses the ''crap shoot
ers selected ~ their meeting place, but the po-
lice made it so warm for them that nov they
have to get in the housos out of sight or in the