New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-17
HIGH LIFE IN THE CIRCLE.
A PARTISAN TENDERLoIN SPRINGS UP
ABOUT THE COLUMBUS STATUE.
SIDEWALK CAFES. HOTCORN VENDORS AND
NIGHT RESORTS WHERE "o"H"
DRINK WITH MEN.

DRINK WITH MEN
r-n IN Firtv-ninth-st where the Circle cir
oumscrlbes the statue OF Columbus. a curious
phase Of the citys development Is noticehN'e
indeed. new city within the old seems 10 nave
oroor and that too within comparatively
short space Of time. 1t is a city OF light ana
co,or which come, into being under the shadows
and gloom Of night It's garish tones are EN-
nhaszed against the sombre background OF
darkness. and IT provides both in its superficial
and intrinsic aspects an almost perlec' cN"'''P
Of the chiaroscuro OF city life.
The Circle has not yet reached a point "he'e
IT'S character is fixed. and its color suggests the
strokes OF an artists 'permental ou'''"0
rather than the tints Of 80" master painter VINO
means each mark to stay; for the iu'u'e Va
the section is still uncertain and no one can
say whether the present phase Is Only p'o0'''
q, develonrnent or marks the ultimate character
Of the place. Those who are Interested III 'e"l's
tbero are hoping for the best. When william NJ
Tweed and his associates reared inc" j 's''0
bouso Of cards # was part Of their plan to make
the Circle the future site Of luxurious ana i"S"-
,o,oh,o homes To-day 1t forms the meeting
point Of the upper and lower halves OF the "e"
rorderlo,n The buildings which front upon IT
are for the most part two-story taxpayers
Anart from the bicycle shops and the riding
academy the establishments are the poorest
sort. and the only business which seems TO
thrive Is that OF saloons. These places ana inc
so-called Ranes law hotels make the best show
ing-the choice corner spots are theirs, ana
when the lights are out elsewhere they send
forth a brilliant glow.
one or two fruit sellers display their wares
oil.
new feature to their business. They have learned
that the wayfarers and bicycers on the Circle de-
mand something more substantial than grapes
oranges and bananas, and so 1t has come 'na'
alongside Of each Of the fruit stands there may
now be seen a capacious tin cauldron placed
over live Goals In the cauldron great ears Of
green corn simmer in boiling water and send
forth their fragrance to assa the nostrils OF
the passersby The fruit yender transformed
into the "hotcorn man" does not. however, do
the principal share OF the business for he Is
looked upon as a rank lmitator by the people
of the neighborhood They pass on, unheedfu
Of his cries. and buy the hot from
mulatto woman. who first introduced the dainty
To the Circle and whose only other side line Is
softshell crabs, which she displays on the table
behind which she sits. The woman is rather
good looking, suggesting the type that Mark
Twain may have had in mind when he wrote Of
Roxy" in "Puddnhead Wilson" She is loqua-
clous too at times. and Will tell how the rich
man UP the street, who is worth million, comes
each night 10 buy her corn.
Eyes. sub He suttenly do dat He say dey
doan gr him no sech cohn dis at home. He
tell me dey doan know how to cook it dis a way
He come heah evan night and allus has nice
hot yeah ready fob him. Folks say dis shoah