New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
BROOhLYN'S C1JE-DW ELLERS
HIDDEN AWAY UNDER THE HANGING
GARDENS ARE LIFE AND ACTIVITY.

ONE or THE SHARP CONTRASTS or CITY LIFE
-rrRMAN.sT. UNIQUE OLD LANDMARKS
DISPLACED HY FACTORIES.
That the hanging gardens OF Babylon and the
cave-,lwcllers Of the FAR Southwest both long sine"
matters cf history. should be combined In TINS
nineteenth century. and combined within N"
limits Of the Greater N~w-York. VIII perhaps h"
matter Of surprise to many people. bat mat th"y
are combined and that night here In l'rooKNh' -
a fact. To a person sailing up the East River.
there * no more beautiful spectacle on either ~
It's shores than that given 10y the sloping walls az
green which begin at the rear % houses on III"
westerly side OF Columbia Heights. Picrr"poni
Place and Montague Terrace and apparently cnd
on the tops of the solid. substantial looking I'VE
story iron-shutiercd warehouses. which stand
with their feet in the waters Of the river These
gardens form the bright spot In an oih"rwis"
prosulc water FROM. there a. no other seaport in
the United States which can show anything -
correspond with them. and there u no other cts
in the United states which can present such a
sharp contrast between fhe social conditions ~
men as that Of which they are part. The gar
dcns 10 not as one NIGH, think 'ic"lns them
from the river run Into The tops -
the storehouses. their lower cle~s for short ais
tance rcs' strongly built w.,l-buiii"~-'!
walls OF granite The remainder % their suppor,
IS the roofs Of houses. and In these houses F"opl"
live Right there Is where the hanging gardens
and the cavc-dw"llcrs como together.
Eceinnlng a short distance south OF Fulton
Ferry on the eastcrly slle OF Turman-st. is row
Of buildings DEVOTED principally 10 manufacturing
PURPOSES chief OF which Is the polishing ana re-
backing Of coffee. These "stahli hm"nts have dis
placed the former ,welicrs In the occupied
10y them. and the old landmarks. Ike the Calcutta
House. the Long shorcmcn's Retreat ana the sail
ors Rest have given place 20 grind Of Industry
during tine day and quiet -, ing place for
weary way farers b. night IT the end Of This
block however. SYMPTOMS OF lie ar" seen. The
usual ratio OF Einmill 20 every three houses IS
carried out. excepting where the HON" OF on" ~
the companies VI the Brooklyn Fire department
breaks the regular prJc-ssiou Perjury ana ~lualor,
If not actual want. are stamped on III" houses.
and are plainly be seen even through the mere
triciOus glitter Of the barrOous. ana H." fact that
these houses are the dwelling places Of human
beings IL painfully apparent though how human
beings can live in them is puzzl".
The social r.lorner on search for "frlgh,fui
example" Of the utter wrong and general inequality
OF our present system would b. amply rewarded 10y
going I, tho middle % Furman So. between Fulton
and Montague SIS. brRh.. sunny after
noon ami with his ia k agans, tn s,orchouscs
his aye from the t. the skyline OF the other
siIc Of the way He VIII facing him houses four
or five stories 10 helgh Of which possibly The mp.
which the rear j. solid wall u rock and carth.
ami the only Light or ventilation to be obtained IS
that which De derived from the front windows.
over the edges Of these buildings. with many
graceful loop and lwist sometimes falling in mnia-
turc cascades ~ foliage. hang masses ~ IVY and
other trailing vines As II n loving attempt to
hide under the glOrlcS Of the Ight and ana
sweet vegetation above the painfully apparent
misery OF the lfc underneath. Soaring away W In
the air above the tops Of these "oping gardens are
the stately homes Of some Of Brooklyns best known.
wcalthicst and most pubic spirited men. Below
| these sDping gardens herd together some OF IN"
poorest. most miserable and hardest working m'n
| OF al those who 90 to make up the ncrss1nt lie
and busting activity of HroOklyns water front.
| These latter are the caNc-dWcl.rrs.
Just why they I've they do Is a conunlrum.
| That the average wage OF worker the waters
c1g. is sufficient - enable him 10 live IN
fort, II not much better style. Is amply evidenced
10y the OF little houses we'll the
great pile OF towering tenement hds farther down
! toward the southern end Of the street The money
which supports the barrOOms in hat one short block
would, If properly Invested. Yield large dividends In
comfort and better surroundings, and probably In
! better health
| II may b. that there a desire be- as near the
| scene Of operations possible II may DE that old
| associations form a powerful attraction and keep
| those there now from moving away. or IL may be-
the grcgariOusness which chnracierlzes the poor In
! all citi~s which prevents their making effort
| for better mode Of living. Whatever IL may be-.
the fact remains that In these holes dug out from
the slOpin2 wall ~ the Heights and either brickcd
or boarded up. people viii pcrsis; IN living. and
1t cannot be expected that the hanging gardens viii
| be abolished because people choose to live beneath
| them. Brooklyn VIII probably for long time
| tain the unique distinction Of being the city
In the United States. II not In the world. whore
OF the ancient seven wonders Of the world and the
remnants OF an extinct race. which are sill 10 be-
| found on American soil. are brought together in