The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-02-01
THE SLUMS OF
new YORK.
BUSINESS AND CONVERSATION
The People And The LIVES They
Live.

Live.
Written for The Commonwealth
The "Slums" are known by many
different names, among which are the
"Ghetto," the east Side" and the
Tenement District" They are tn
habited mainly by Polish and Russian
Jews and Italians.
To the stranger this section of the
city seems more like the old world thar
of the foremost city of America. The
business signs are I'm mostly in He
brew conversation is carried on In the
Yiddish jargon, a mixture of Hebrew
German and English the men all wear
long boards the whole aspect of tie
place bring to ones mind some city Of
the holy land.
Everywhere filth reigns supreme.
Though the streets have been as
phalted, as sanitary measure, they
continually reek with filth. Recepta-
cles tor all kinds of garbage, fruit skins
and refuse, they give rise to an eyer
present odor, nauseating i'll the extreme.
1t Is common occurrence for the ped
estrlan to hear a window raised above
his head, and, looking up, to receive
the contents of dish pan in his face,
If he is not nlmble on his feet.
It ls in the Ghetto that the "push-
cart" man holds high sway. He is an
important factor in East Side life. On
Fridays, the Hebrew market day, may
be seen q continuous succession of
"push-carts," extending the whole
length of many of the thoroughfares,
filled with every conceivable commod-
ity. Here long bearded, solemn man
stands guard over load of dried fish !;
his neighbor jealousy watches his pile
of half-decayed fruit diminish while
tho next man proudly displays his
gaudy assortment OF hosiery and under
wear. To attempt to name the differ
ont articles in the long line would be
folly. Fruits of all kinds, cheap
dry goods, old clothes, hardware, poultry
and "hokey-pokey," kind OF ice
cream, are but few o; the varied as
sOrtment.
The "pretzel" man, another feature
of tenement life, is rather amusing
spectacle. With rod about five feet
long filled with the crisp, ring-like
delicacies (O he solemnly walks the
streets, making an occasional sale.
How he manages to make a Lying by
this means is mystery.
The stores are mostly very small.
The more humble grocer and butcher
shops are In the basement. Their dark
windows are decorated with such dell
cacles as chickens, neatly carved into
slices, partly picked ducks, black bread
and little pear-shaped cheeses, mysteri-
Gus looking affairs. The more pre-
tentious stores are on Grand street,
the main thoroughfare of the district.
In summer the streets are filled wit til
crowds of half-naked, dirty children,
'guttersnipes, who spend most of their
time out of doors trying to escape from
the terrible heat of the tenements.
Little they know Of the joys of child
hood. Born and brought up in the
with but glimpse of the
blue sky between the high walls and
with but an occasional breath of pure
air, they drag out a miserable existence.
many OF them spending the greater
part OF their lives in the squalld sur
of the slums, with little
knowledge of the outside world. Their
are few and simple. The
happiest days of their lives are when
they are compelled to-attend the public
schools which are scattered throughout
.he district.
During the hot weather the exterior
of tho tenements looks ss if the whole
population had suddenly become poss-
,ssed of violent notion to clean
SALT RHEUN