The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-28

IL IS q connecting INK between Cne city 8
past and present During the last fifty
years it has wholly changed its character.
In 1910 it was a fashionable residence
street In 1892 it is a conglomerate of
small trades, queer pursuits, diversified
nationalities. From exclusively American
it has become essentially un-AmericSn.
The fashion and elegance, the wealth and
culture have long been eradicated; the sole
vestige of their occupation is the spacious,
once pleasant, comfortable dwellings, now
dingy, dismantled, converted to ignoble
uses.
When Blocker street was in its bloom
the city contained little more than 800, 600
people and gave small promise of the
modern Babylon it has grown to be. To
walk through it is to turn the leaves of our
municipal history backward; to take an
object lesson in contemporaneous geogra-
ply. While its vision is necessarily sad, as
is the vision always of change and decay, it
is curious, interesting and instructive.
Blocker street shows itself to be bit of
the old town by its deviations, the quality
of its buildings, its general and unmistaka-
bic physiognomy. 1t begins at the Bowery,
runs west for short distance, then, veer-
ing more and more toward the north, ends
at Abingdon square, at the foot of Eighth
avenue. About mile and half long, it
leads old citizens to make the acquaintance
of ancient though unfamiliar streets, such
as Minetta, Downing, Leroy, Cornelia, Nor
ton, Jones, Commerce, Barrow, Groye-not
uninviting, nor always savory. Every citi-
zen knows of the existence of Blocker, for
he passes it going up or down Broadway;
but one in a thousand ever threads its
windings, or has any thought or care where
it terminates.
/ like it for its quaintness and contrasts,
its suggestiveness, its stimulating power
to the Imagination. l often stroll through
it, and conjure up the spirit of its departed
residents, whom, as l never could have
seen them, l may picture as please 1t is
easy to imagine while in certain blocks
that am in the Latin Quarter-the French
signs, the French speech, the stale air, un-
dertOned with garlic and tobacco, aiding
the illusion. The next block may give you
a glimpse of Genoa or Ancona, with its Ital-
ian wine shop or restaurant; the next a
fragment of Leipsic or Lubbock, as you hear
only the cultural German, and inhale the
penetrating odor of Emburger cheese.
The general effect of the street is that of
Continental Europe. 1t seems to have d
special allurement for the natives of the
Mediterranean region, who on arrival find
there their compatriotS and friends, with
the customs Of the country they have
quilted. AS many as ten languages
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Ger
man, Polish, Bohemian, Hungarian, Rus
sian and Romaic-are habitually spoken
there, French, Italian and German natu-
rally predominating. The better class of
immigrants, those of education and some
means, are apt to go there, while the infe-
rior classes seek the distinctly foreign quar-
tiers on the east side. Among the new
corners are many extreme radicals, who
have found it necessary or convenient to
expatriate themselves.
Some of the communists who fought
desperately against the Versailles troops in
1870, and who fled from Paris when their
cause was ruined, live in Blocker street.
They are in correspondence with their no
itical allies, and bide the time when they
may strike another blow for their cherished
ideas. They are confident that it will come,
and come when least expected. Not few
of Garibaldi's followers are said to be
housed in those venerable buildings They
are reputed to be content with the con
dition of home affairs since the pope has
lost his temporal power, and to think Italy
as free, in essential respects, as America
itself. Men of their convictions are fercely
opposed to Roman Catholicism, believing
that Catholicism is leagued with oppres-
sion and hostility to human rights.
y small colony of German anarchists
not of the demonstrative, demagogic order
is reported to be settled there, and to be
nv ba Of
number of nihilists who have been closely
connected with plots against the present
car are to be seen and heard in the wine
shops, proclaiming the speedy downfall of
autocracy in Russia and the establishment
of freedom throughout civilization. There
appears to be something in the atmosphere
of the street that generates liberalism in
politics, ethics and theology. Authority
and conventionalism are not esteemed at
all. Bohemianism holds sway unchecked !
1t IS rare to see genuine American name
on any of the signs. But there are few
such names-those of persons engaged in
some small kind of business, like haber-
dashery, tobacco vending or restaurant
keeping. Nearly every trade is of the petty
sort, with a wholesale firm, usually Ger |
man Hebrews, at long intervals. While |
the street is not the abode of conspicuous
poverty, like many of the east side streets, |
it bears no tokens of prosperity. Its occu- !
pants present the appearance of having |
slender purses, careless habits and con- |
fused ideas of economy.
They evidently live from hand to mouth, |
providing for today as if there were no to- !
The baleful presence of pawn |
shops denotes this. These are not many, |
and the fact is indicative that thrift is not |
wholly unknown. They have a good share |
of patronage, Judging from the number Of |
men and women who go III and out during /
the day. Persons never visit such shops 1
for pleasure or politeness or by accident. /
They must have business, and serious bust |
ness, on hand; for what is more serious /
than the need of money when one is with |
out it, and knows not where it may be had? 1
The pawnshop is the resort of the friend |
less, the halting place on the way to the 4
morgue. the refuge of despair.
A new structure OF any kind looks out of /
place in the street, as if it had got there by /
mistake. Nearly every building is seventy |
OF eighty years old or more and WAS orisI- I
nally a home This is obvious from its /
form and arrangement II was obviously /
erected. too. when land was not so valuable, /
when the CITY was not so crowded. when
comfort was more considered and appear
ance less Each building represents al !,
rrevocatle condition of the past. How 1
now OF any idea OF home. /
1t is turned into a kind of cheap bazaar On 1
the first floor may be a French restaurant |
and in the basement an intelligence Office; !
On the second floor may be 4 manufacturer /
Of artificial flowers; on the third, maker |
Of pinchbeck iewelrv. on the fourth a I