The morning call., 1891-07-05
A GREAT BACK STREET,"
Some Of The PeculiariieS Of Seventh AVcRuG,
New York.

imagine that if small man from small
town were to move with bis family into
New York, he would grayitate to Seventh
avenue and start grocery. Indeed, it must
be that such persons, of moderate prosper
ty and OF much canton, coming in the past
rom other countries and from other parts
OF this country, have segregated in Seventh
avenue as small grocers or petty dealers OF
one kind or another; for Seventh avenue.
crowded with little shops from its begin
ming in the slums almost to Fifty-ninth
street, is series of neighborhoods, each
pregnant with gossip and tittle-tattle, each
dotted with doorway hobnobbings.
L went into dozen or more shops there
the other day. As | opened each door
bell rang in the back OF the house. This
sometimes brought the proprietor 10 view,
but more often caused child to dart from
somewhere back to the sidewalk, and call
IN grown person from chattering and
argumentative group. Once | could rouse
nobody at all, and after had raped loudly
upon showcase several times the man who
kept the shop next door came in. He said
the proprietor had gone TO get drink, and
had asked him to watch the store. " don't
know the price of anything" he added.
" but if you do l might sell it to you.
guess it would be all right" If l had not
heard the reminding rumble OF an elevated
train l should have forgotten that it was
New York.
The shop-keepers all have their families
at hand, and generally several other families
also, for Seventh avenue is almost tene-
ment-hOuse street. 1t is probable that it
does most of the cobblipg for the west side.
Inc c0bblers and their families live in the
Easements, and you descend to them. guided
by signs at the head of the basement stairs.
Business is so leisurely that you will find
the cobbler asleep, and the baby whiting
his bench with shoe knife.
The dealers in secondhand clothing are
as numerous as the grocers. They are hid
den In behind curtain OF pants" hung
across the door, They are sharp at a bar
gain, but seem TO expect less prices than
such dealers in other parts of the city. Sec
ond-hand clothing shops everywhere have a
deserted air; here they seem thoroughly at
home.
You can got good groceries cheap in Sew
enth avenue. cheaper than anywhere else in
the city. So you are not surprised to find
in the side streets just off the avenue many
clearinghouse where lodging and meals
OF respectable but far from luxurious kind
are to be had at very low rates. And in
Of people to whom Seventh avenue is the
outlet. Here are clerks and shop-girls who
are honest, and set great store by the re-
spectability. They have little money to
spend; they are not ambitious; they wear
" Sunday Clothes" and looked dressed up.
Those who feel called upon to be tough find
1t possible to do 1t cheaply and noisily in the
Seyenth-aVenue saloons There are back
rooms for women, where gents" are not
allowed unaccompanied by ladies. and where
they may not smoke.
But the chief life of Seventh avenues
peclally in warm weather-cOmes from the
colored people. They used to promenade in
Sixth avenue, which still bear name rem
iniscent of that time, but now they have de-
serted Sixth avenue, and make Seventh ave-
nj n xa,ifh hair In, n
laughter and good-natured remarks. They
ale the chief patrons OF the secondhand
shops, as the loud patterns of the curtains Of
"pauts" plainly show. You may see some
curious costumes on the streets as the re-
suit OF this patronage and of the exuberant
tastes Of the negroes.
Seventh avenue goes to bed early-earlier
than any other part of the city. After 1C
o'clock the policeman has rather solitary
time OF 1t, except when the tough clerks are
| out harmlessly proclalming their deviliSh-
| ness And yet Seventh avenue has been the
scene of many murders. This is due to the
early quiet of it, making it good place fol-
robbery Sith the aid of the knife and The
sand bag.
There were once many dangerous saloons
| here, and also some notorious concert halls,
| but only few of them remain, and the
| police do not allow them to disturb the
| early slumbering inhabitants Even the
Tub OF Blood has become fairly decent.
| There are halfway outbreaks at the fire..
| quent balls given by suudry associations -
| of not oyer-sayory characters. But neither
| the associations nor the guests at the ball:
belong to Seventh avenue.
As the years pass Seventh avenue be-
| comes duller and duiler. II seems to be
| drifting altogether out of touch with New
| York life This is necessary. result, for
| Seventh avenue is the only lul in the storm
the solitary great back street. "-Har
| per's Weekly.