The Washington herald., 1920-10-10
PICTURES RIDE
ON ELEVATED
Mcintyre Gives Glimpse
Into Windows Of Poverty
Flats" from Trains.
by O. o. MTNT1RE- :
Especial Cerrespo.sent Of The
Wasbineton HernIl-l

New York. Oct 9. A Sunday
morning ride on the SIKH avenue
elevated from Forty-second street
TO the Battery takes the traveller
through some strange phases OF
metropolitan life. The trains weave
in and out sections Of the city that
are depressing in their squslor and
from the elevated window one can
mot help but see.
/ No. effort is made TO hide the
poverty-vindows are uncurtsined
and modesty is an almost unknown
virtue. Through the opaque win
dows there is a BLUR OF sprsvling
! figures on beds. children in cribs.
toothless old women hanging out
7 OF windows and men in undershirts
/ tpufiing at pipes.
/ One section is Known think
I o. Henry gave IL the sobrfquet-ss
Poverty Flats. II Is a row Of musty
red brick buildings with a network
of fire escapes which are used ss
front porches. Washing hsnEs
I from every window and creeping
babies prowl perilously about on
] the lattice work of iron. All the
faces seem heavy and Of slate gray.
There are scowlinE faces that
seem TO resent the roar OF the Gle
understanding the Sunday morn
/ ing sleep. italian men in velvet
jackets, men who have had a hard
Saturday night men with furtiVe
chances and men stamped with drug
addiction fill the blurred ksleidos-
cope OF shifting forms
Now and then there is a tavdry
effort at refinement. In one Of the
meanest looking cubbyholes that
contained only a table, bed and q
chair. a pinch-faced little woman
/ in her nightdress was pouring
water over a gersnium.
Below the tehements are Nfndows
filled with globe valves and brass
and rubber. Most OF these places
arc known as fences" place
where. the spotls OF robbery arc
bought and no questions asked.
Now and then arc the depressing
cards displayed at the entrance
ways announcing a contagious dis
case. A strange quiet hangs over
4the tenements on Sunday. II - I.
remarkable change from the week
day when the carly RnOrninE hpd-
the districts in the grip and surge
Of life-for life indeed is very real
/ in the slums.
trucks, the clang OF the trolleys
the hoarse cry OF the peddlers and
the rush Of a thousand feet 10 the
factory lofts. But on Sunday the
B tide Of life reaches its lowest ebb
Not until around O'Clock iS there
a stir. Then a few come out. wet
ting their lips and their eyes show
II ing debauchery. They stink away
to the Illicit place where drinks are
sold.
Later on others go 20 tho movies.
/ The children go out TO their street
games and by nightfsll the street
is alive with the hum. of a thous-
and noises. Hurdy-Eurdies hn the
air with vagrsnt tunes and every
body seems to bf having their final
/ fing before Monday morning ar
rives.
There is something delightfully."-
Z refreshing about the private gar
Gens maintained by Albert Keller.
the guiding genius Of the Ritz-Csrl-
Fton. atop his hotel. II Is a spot to
! which Keller may steal away when
material hUmdrum details pail.
There arc little hot houses wherr
orchids and other flowers are mad"
to bloom. There is an svisry with
birds of ali description and then
after passing through secret por-
tai. one is suddenly transported To
a miniature fsirylsnd.
There are sections OF Italian gar
Cens. French gardens English
hedge and a pOtpourri Of all ma
tiOns done with artistic merit A
fountain triCkles laziIy al one sid"
and upon the waters are thrown q
rainbow Of color from a concealed
spotlight; and then overlooking
Park and Madison avenues Is O.
pergoIs with comfortable setteos
and lounGing chairs.
Greenwich Village. IL is said. VII
have mere residents this year than
al any time in its history. PsoPls
are giving up large apartments fqG
a studio in this section where they
viii rough IL" until rents com,
down.
The village. alas, they will fnd J.
not all il is cracked Un to be in ID,
magazine stories. There is not q
much vers libre or love libre in tbs
: village as one might expect.
There are plenty Of prsCticil
hard working people there. On
! may spend an evening at the Chsi
Rouge and see nothing more inter
esting tina nthe candle cuttings 81
three years that have collected "
stalasmite formation within tn
saucer OF & c4ndlestiCk. One rarely
/ gets acquainted in the village with
out introduction and rarely does :
lonE-haired Bolshevik or bath
shocked sister ask for the expires
sion of an opinion on the inward
meaning OF things.
In fact. there are just enough
nuts in the Village to make Il In