The Washington times., 1895-06-03
hot LIFE IN THE COURTS
Occupants of Tenements Who
Sleep on the Sidewalks.
THE EFFORTS TO KEEP COOL
Houses Crowded to suffocation in
the Midst of the Sizzling Heat-Ice
Water an Unknown Quantity and
Country Air Forbidden Luxury.
Scenes in Bloodfielc

The heat that burus and sizzles into the
brain which has settled down upon Wash
ington, affects air denizens with the same
degree of Intensity, but there are ways
and means by which The distress il causes
may be in some degree alleviated for
large proportion of the people. Ice water
is purchasahle, jaunts to the country and
to Marshall Hall for temporary relief is
within easy reach OF men of means, but
there is a considerable element of the popu-
lation to which these luXuries are known
only by name. These reside in the courts
and alleys and know no change but the
occasional presence or absence of breeze,
from day to day.
A kaleidoscope of this phase OF humanity
can be obtained as successfully, perhaps,
in the Fourth precinct as in any other
quarter of the District.
That precinct embraces large territory,
and includes the famous "Bloodfields,
where CRIME ran rampant for several
years, and where more than one murder
has been committed in the dark aud devious
by ways
There is a large section of il inhabited
almost exclusively by colored people, many
OF whom live. nobody knows how, in
small tenements that are crowded almost
| to suffocation in the best of weather, but
when excessive heat prevails as at present,
| the habitations become uncomfortable
SLEEP IN THE OPEN COURT.
The occupants camp out Where there
is any shade from tie afternoon sun, their
scanty fare is eaten from rude tables,
,,nts.,
the outside of the dwellings, and when the
| sleeping time comes the tbrong swarms
| to the sidewalks. A piece of carpet, often
the green sward, constitutes the couch
| upon which men, women and children dis
perse themselves from midnight until
morning.
A trip was made by q reporter last
| night through the various avenues of the
precinct where the proportion of colored
| TO white population is probably in the
| ratio of five 10 one. Accompanied by Off
| GERS Yermiliion and Roberts, for a por-
| ton of the time, the tramp embraced
| Nolan's court, Van street and its several
ramifications. PIerce's court, and other
equally noted localities.
Here and there we're groups of both
sexes and all ages, all engaged in the effort
| to keep cool. They were in the main in a
| happy mood, and the merry Jests went
| round, while from various quarters and
| quartets the camp-meeting melodies were
| being sung and chanted with much fervoT.
| CHURCHES ARE ESTABLISHED.
The "bloody ground" has the civiliz-
| ing influence OF several churches, lately
| established, and divine service was in
4! progress in each, lasting until a late
| hour. In one the parson was grooming a
| prayer, to which vigorous responses were
| given from the worshippers, who kept
him company; in two others the gospel was
| being expounded with much fervor and
lung power, but in neither were there
many of the flocks collected. The crowds
were out of doors.
At one babitation of foriorn aspect a
pickauinny was singing Rock of Ages - as
| goodbye salute to the waning night.
She was getting ready to occupy her strip
of carpet IN the ash heap fronting the
door. At another equally dismal door
way another child was reciting the familiar
lines that begin with "Twinkle, twinkle,
little star" He was about to retire
upon the doorstep.
The reporter took peep into a number
of the frail teuements. II was found
that there is family to every room, and
sometimes two families dispute for pos
session of the four walls, many of the
sbaeks having no flooring, and being en-
tirely without furniture.
In one place a boy, yclept Shorty,
resides with his mother in a sirgle rcom
Asked who occupied the upper "story,
access to which was obtained by means OF
crazy stairway, Shorty" said two
ladies" lived there. The odor of that
habitation was simply indescribable.
HOUSE WITHOUT FURNITURE.
There was another scene of misery or
Delaware avenue, between NJ and N streets
The officers conducted the reporter through
a narrow side way to the rear, and found
the door standing open. The building
was void of furniture. A small stove was
in the upper room, which was reached by q
sort of ladderway, and on the floor was
bundle resembling a led. A bench was
near the window, and that was all Or
the ground floor W as a similar bundle, but
not even a steve in addition. Five people
occupy this place, two men, two women
and a babe. They were all out in the opeT
cooling off.
There is long row of frame shanties il
Van street, the roofing OF which is no
more than eight feet above the ground
Here there is family to call each room
home. The occupants, like their neigh
bors of the otherceurts, sleep in the open air
Many of them had sought Morpheus already
and the scene presented was as picturesqu
as it was distressing
Pierce's court has a record. 1t is salt
that more men once residents there ar
now serving terms in the penitentiary
than have been committed from any othe
equal space in the District They writ
home once month and Uncle Sans agents
have a busy day when the missiveS reacl
them for distribution.
The people Seem to be as good-tempere
and happy as the average of mankind, bu
the heat in which they sweltered wa
frightful.