Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-03-11
A CITY IN A BLOCK.
GLIMPSE AT HOW THE OTHER
HALF LIVES.
A Typical New York East Side Block
Containing Every Necessary
to Support Large
Population.
X TYPICAL New York east side

n TYPICAL New York east side
N block, which has within itself
NJ all of the necessaries for the
support of large popula-
tion, the members of which may,
within its bounds, without the neces-
sity of crossing street, be born, pass
lay life and begin their journey to
the grave, is the one that lies between
Norfolk, Essex, Grand and Hester
streets. On this little patch of ground,
containing some five thousand square
yards of land, there dwells O popula.
tion of twenty-five hundred persons
quite little town. They are in five
hundred homes, with an average of
five persons to home.
The block is an interesting study,
which must be made from the inside
as we'll as from the outside, for within
the outer walls, to be reached by mar
row, dirty and dark alleyways, are
piles of buildings that cover SO much
of the ground that hardly enough
opening is left for breathing space.
These inner buildings and the upper
stories of the outer ones are the dwell
ing places of the large population,
while the outer lower stories and base
ments, with the sidewalks and curbs,
are devoted to traffic that covers the
necessities, comforts and many luxu-
ries demanded by the population. A
walk about that block on Friday, the
Hebrew market day, will be reyela-
ton to New Yorker who is unac-
quainted with the3crowded east side.
If you take that walk, observe
closely, read the thousands of signs
if you can, for they are mostly in
Hebrew-enter the one hundred and
eleven stores and places of business,
moro than many large villages can
boast of, and notice the varieties of
occupations. Then ascend the dark
stalrways and wander through the
labyrinths within, observing the old,
those in middle life, and the almost
innumerable throng of children, and
you will at least have had a glimpse
at how the other half lives.
In your journey through this dense.
ly built and crowded little city, in the
midst of the metropolis, you will find
provision for its population, from the
cradle to the grave. No need of its
people to ever cross O street to get
what may be needed, if the money is
in hand. There is the sign OF the doc
tor on tie Essex street side, to pro-
vide for the entrance, while on tho
Norfolk street side is the undertaken
and the stable where nm oft-used
hearse is kept, to provide for The exit.
Between the two are all the properties
used on the stage of life.
There is tho rabbi to give earthly
counsel and heavenly comfort, on the
Norfolk gtreet side Grammar School
No. rs for education, and scattered
around the block provision for every
bodily want. Candy and sweetments,
with the physician and druggist next
door; furniture, carpets and house
hold goods of oil descriptions, with On
Insurance company for their protec-
tion, and mechanics to repair them;
fish, flesh and fowl and groceries OF
every description, with stoves, uten-
sils and fuel for their preparation.
The dentist, the barber, the pho.
tographar, the plumber, the stationer,
tie bookseller, the china merchant,
the lawyer, the notary, the restaur.
ant, the bootblack and the venders of
liquors are,sH there. Dress suits and
wedding garments are for hire, and
even umbrellas are rented to those
who have made no provision for q
rainy day. Shoes are mended "while
you wait, for many in the block con-
slider themselves fortunate if they have
one pair. Then there are cooked
meats and bakers supplies, with but
ter, eggs and MI fruits in season.
Clothing of all sorts, new and Sec
ond hand, is displayed on the four
sides of the block, and on Essex street
is John Chinaman with his laundry.
One laundry appears to be enough for
the block, and John does not look
prosperous. His lot is apparently not
happy one, Judging from the 81 ign in
his window, which Is likely an index
to the character of the people about
him. 1t reads: "S15 reward for the
arrest and conviction of anyone who
breaks these windows and annoys the
Chinese of this place. New York
Herald.