The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-16
THE OLD FIVE I N
How the Worst Stun In the World
Was Obliterated From the Map.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: In
an interesting article on "reminiscences.
published recently. the writer said
THE Five Points. where Worth. Bax-
ter aud Park streets intersect. still re-
main, for time and progress ant very
well efYace street crossings" This IL
unquestionably true. but II leaves out
Of consideration the interesting fact
that the infamous notoriety OF the
old Five Points was practically termi-
mated by the opening Of Worth street.
Prior TO the establishment Of that
t~hcroughfarc, in 1867 or about that
year, directly through the centre Of
tho district then known as the Five
Points. the locality was one OF the
plague spots of the earth. The worst
stories ever told OF Whitechapel In Lon
don, the Barbary Coast In San Fran
cisco or any other Of the slums that
have disgraced civilization were easily
paralleled there, and II was often held
up by writer's and speakers a. the
shame OF New York city that within a
quarter OF "A mile OF the City Hall
there was a ncighborhood In which no
uniformed policeman dared go alone
after nlghtfali.
This condition obtained throughout
and for Il little time after the civil war.
Even In broad daylight II was iinpossi-
bic for "A reputable citizen to pass
through the neighborhood safely with
out police escort. II was a vcritable
"city OF refuge for criminals of every
kind. being honeycomhed with subter-
ranean passages from house to house.
through which escape was easy for
fusiti,es from Justice. Astounding In
hiding places INC peopled with un-
counted hordes OF the most abandoned
wretches OF both \ that we're to be
found In the world.
The first efforts In ameliorate these
conditions we're made by home mis-
sionary workers. the police being cor
fcssedly unable at that time to clean
up the district. In 1865 I accompanied
"a party Of these workers one bright
sunday afternoon when they went to
hold "A religious service In a squalid
room which they had somehow secured
for tho purpose. back of u saloon In
the very heart OF the purlleu. Two po-
licemen went along. Without them the
wofne Of the party would never have
returned. Even accompanied a. they
we're by the hiuecoats. curses. ribald
insults and rotten vegetables were
hurled ~ them from several open vim
dows. but the officers made no attempt
to apprehend the offenders. They knew
Il would be useless,
IH' iftutI pl ne party was tuc HeN.
". 4. Van Meter. one Of the pioneer
workers In the field. who established
the Howard Mission at 40 New
I;owcry and who accomplished much
before he died. Another was A.. c.
Arnold. afterw,rd "a Baptist clergyman
in G~reenpoint. while "A third was Oliver
Dyer. a brilliant man. Sw~edenborgian
preacher and SrS writer who once
made "a great hit IN Journalism by
writing M John Allen. the proprietor
Of a Water street dance house. az 1.-THE
Wickedest Man in New York" Dyer
said he was the wickedest because he
followed his evil course despite his
great Intelligence and much good that
was in his nature.
Three ladies went along to sing
hymns. They were Lottie Wallace and
Katie Stark. two famous concert sing
ers at that time, and n third. afterward
ma'ron Of the Five Point House of
Industry, who's name Is forgotten for
the moment.
II was an exciting trip. because Of the
unuuestionable danger ~ mob violence,
such as was not infrequent at the time
and place. but the meeting was one
that helped along in the work Of purifi-
cation. begun In that fashion and car
ried on solely by similar efforts until
finally Worth street was laid out so as
to destroy a great number ~ the most
Objectionable buildings In the locality
and let daylight in on many Others.
NEW YORK, February Is. II. \. G.