Part 1

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LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF NEW YORK LIFE; OR, THE SIGHTS AND SENSATIONS OF A GREAT CITY.

BY JAMES D. MCCABE, JR.

[Picture: GENERAL VIEW OF NEW YORK CITY.]

[Picture: GRAND CENTRAL RAILWAY DEPOT.]

[Picture: TITLE PAGE.]

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF NEW YORK LIFE; OR, THE SIGHTS AND SENSATIONS OF THE GREAT CITY.

A WORK DESCRIPTIVE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN ALL ITS VARIOUS PHASES;

WITH FULL AND GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF

ITS SPLENDORS AND WRETCHEDNESS; ITS HIGH AND LOW LIFE; ITS MARBLE PALACES AND DARK DENS; ITS ATTRACTIONS AND DANGERS; ITS RINGS AND FRAUDS; ITS LEADING MEN AND POLITICIANS; ITS ADVENTURERS; ITS CHARITIES; ITS MYSTERIES, AND ITS CRIMES.

BY JAMES D. MCCABE, JR.,

AUTHOR OF "PARIS BY SUNLIGHT AND GASLIGHT," "HISTORY OF THE WAR BETWEEN GERMANY AND FRANCE," "GREAT FORTUNES," "THE GREAT REPUBLIC," ETC., ETC.

ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS FINE ENGRAVINGS OF NOTED PLACES, LIFE AND SCENES IN NEW YORK.

Issued by subscription only, and not for sale in the book stores. Residents of any State desiring a copy should address the Publishers, and an Agent will call upon them. See page 851.

NATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY,

PHILADELPHIA, PA.; CINCINNATI, OHIO; CHICAGO, ILL.;

ST. LOUIS, MO.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by J. R. JONES, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C.

PREFACE.

It is the desire of every American to see New York, the largest and most wonderful city in the Union. To very many the city and its attractions are familiar, and the number of these persons is increased by thousands of new comers every year. A still greater number, however, will know the Great City only by the stories that reach them through their friends and the newspapers. They may never gaze upon its beauties, never enjoy its attractions in person. For their benefit I have written these pages, and I have endeavored to present to them a faithful picture of the "Lights and Shadows" of the life of this City, and to describe its "Sights and Sensations" as they really exist.

This Great City, so wonderful in its beauty, so strange to eyes accustomed only to the smaller towns of the land, is in all respects the most attractive sight in America, and one of the most remarkable places in the world, ranking next to London and Paris in the extent and variety of its attractions. Its magnificence is remarkable, its squalor appalling. Nowhere else in the New World are seen such lavish displays of wealth, and such hideous depths of poverty. It is rich in historical associations and in treasures of art. It presents a wonderful series of combinations as well as contrasts of individual and national characteristics. It is richly worth studying by all classes, for it is totally different from any other city in the world. It is always fresh, always new. It is constantly changing, growing greater and more wonderful in its power and splendors, more worthy of admiration in its higher and nobler life, more generous in its charities, and more mysterious and appalling in its romance and its crimes. It is indeed a wonderful city. Coming fresh from plainer and more practical parts of the land, the visitor is plunged into the midst of so much beauty, magnificence, gayety, mystery, and a thousand other wonders, that he is fairly bewildered. It is hoped that the reader of these pages will be by their perusal better prepared to enjoy the attractions, and to shun the dangers of New York. It has been my effort to bring home to those who cannot see the city for themselves, its pleasures and its dangers, and to enable them to enjoy the former without either the fatigue or expense demanded of an active participant in them, and to appreciate the latter, without incurring the risks attending an exploration of the shadowy side of the Great City.

To those who intend visiting New York, whether they come as strangers, or as persons familiar with it, the writer has a word to say, which he trusts may be heeded. An honest effort has been made in this work to present the reader with a fair description of the dangers to which visitors and citizens are alike exposed. For the purpose of performing this task, the writer made visits, in company with the police officials of the city, to a number of the places described in this work, and he is satisfied that no respectable person can with safety visit them, unless provided with a similar protection. The curiosity of all persons concerning the darker side of city life can be fully satisfied by a perusal of the sketches presented in this volume. It is not safe for a stranger to undertake to explore these places for himself. No matter how clever he may consider himself, no respectable man is a match for the villains and sharpers of New York, and he voluntarily brings upon himself all the consequences that will follow his entrance into the haunts of the criminal and disreputable classes. The city is full of danger. The path of safety which is pointed out in these pages is the only one for either citizen or stranger--an absolute avoidance of the vicinity of sin.

Those who have seen the city will, I am sure, confirm the statements contained herein, and will acknowledge the truthfulness of the picture I have drawn, whatever they may think of the manner in which the work is executed.

J. D. MCC., JR.

NEW YORK,

_March_ 21_st_, 1872

CONTENTS.

I. THE CITY OF NEW YORK, 33 I. HISTORICAL, 33 II. DESCRIPTIVE AND STATISTICAL, 49

II. THE HARBOR OF NEW YORK, 59

III. THE CITY GOVERNMENT, 64

IV. THE RING, 75 I. THE HISTORY OF THE RING, 75 II. PERSONNEL OF THE RING, 100

V. BROADWAY, 118 I. HISTORICAL, 118 II. DESCRIPTIVE, 123

VI. SOCIETY, 135 I. ANALYTICAL, 135 II. FASHIONABLE EXTRAVAGANCE, 141 III. FASHIONABLE FOLLIES, 153 IV. FASHIONABLE CHILDREN, 155 V. A FASHIONABLE BELLE, 157 VI. FASHIONABLE ENTERTAINMENTS, 162 VII. MARRIAGE AND DEATH, 166

VII. THE MUNICIPAL POLICE, 171

VIII. THE BOWERY, 186

IX. PUBLIC SQUARES, 194 I. THE BATTERY, 194 II. THE BOWLING GREEN, 196 III. THE PARK, 197 IV. OTHER PARKS, 200

X. THE FIFTH AVENUE, 204

XI. STREET TRAVEL, 211 I. THE STREET CARS, 211 II. THE STAGES, 216 III. STEAM RAILWAYS, 221

XII. HORACE GREELEY, 225

XIII. THE TOMBS, 232

XIV. THE PRESS, 244 I. THE DAILY JOURNALS, 244 II. THE WEEKLY PRESS, 255

XV. WALL STREET, 258 I. THE STREET, 258 II. THE STOCK EXCHANGE, 264 III. THE GOVERNMENT BOARD, 269 IV. THE GOLD EXCHANGE, 272 V. CURBSTONE BROKERS, 275 VI. THE BUSINESS OF THE STREET, 276 VII. STOCK GAMBLING, 279 VIII. THE WAYS OF THE STREET, 284 IX. BLACK FRIDAY, 290

XVI. THE FERRIES, 299

XVII. THE HOTELS, 304

XVIII. IMPOSTORS, 316

XIX. STREET MUSICIANS, 324

XX. THE CENTRAL PARK, 332

XXI. THE DETECTIVES, 351 I. THE REGULAR FORCE, 351 II. PRIVATE DETECTIVES, 364

XXII. WILLIAM B. ASTOR, 372

XXIII. FASHIONABLE SHOPPING, 375

XXIV. BLEECKER STREET, 386

XXV. CEMETERIES, 390 I. GREENWOOD, 390 II. CYPRUS HILLS, 391 III. WOODLAWN, 392 IV. CALVARY, AND THE EVERGREENS, 393

XXVI. THE CLUBS, 394

XXVII. THE FIVE POINTS, 398 I. LIFE IN THE SHADOW, 398 II. THE CELLARS, 405 III. THE MISSIONS, 412

XXVIII. THE MILITARY, 422

XXIX. NASSAU STREET, 426

XXX. THE METROPOLITAN FIRE DEPARTMENT, 430

XXXI. THE BUSINESS OF NEW YORK, 441

XXXII. THE SABBATH IN NEW YORK, 445

XXXIII. THE POST OFFICE, 448 I. INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS, 448 II. THE NEW POST OFFICE, 456 III. THE LETTER CARRIERS, 460

XXXIV. A. T. STEWART, 464

XXXV. PLACES OF AMUSEMENT, 470 I. THE THEATRES, 470 II. MINOR AMUSEMENTS, 485

XXXVI. THE MARKETS, 487

XXXVII. THE CHURCHES, 491 I. THE SACRED EDIFICES, 491 II. THE CLERGY, 498

XXXVIII. BOARDING-HOUSE LIFE, 502

XXXIX. THE RESTAURANTS, 508

XL. THE CHEAP LODGING HOUSES, 511

XLI. THE LIBRARIES, 513

XLII. PROFESSIONAL MEN, 519

XLIII. PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS, 522 I. THE THIEVES, 522 II. THE PICKPOCKETS, 531 III. THE FEMALE THIEVES, 533 IV. THE RIVER THIEVES, 534 V. THE FENCES, 539 VI. THE ROUGHS, 542

XLIV. THE PAWNBROKERS, 546

XLV. THE BEER GARDENS, 550

XLVI. JAMES FISK, JR., 555

XLVII. TRINITY CHURCH, 565

XLVIII. THE HOLIDAYS, 572 I. NEW YEAR'S DAY, 572 II. CHRISTMAS, 577

XLIX. THE SOCIAL EVIL, 579 I. THE LOST SISTERHOOD, 579 II. HOUSES OF ASSIGNATION, 587 III. THE STREET WALKERS, 589 IV. THE CONCERT SALOONS, 594 V. THE DANCE HOUSES, 597 VI. HARRY HILL'S, 600 VII. MASKED BALLS, 604 VIII. PERSONALS, 611 IX. THE MIDNIGHT MISSION, 614

L. CHILD MURDER, 618

LI. THE EAST RIVER ISLANDS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS, 631 I. BLACKWELL'S ISLAND, 631 II. WARD'S ISLAND, 640 III. RANDALL'S ISLAND, 641

LII. BENEVOLENT AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS, 648

LIII. HENRY WARD BEECHER, 655

LIV. BLACK-MAILING, 658

LV. FEMALE SHARPERS, 662 I. FORTUNE TELLERS AND CLAIRVOYANTS, 662 II. MATRIMONIAL BROKERS, 664

LVI. EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS, 666 I. THE FREE SCHOOLS, 666 II. THE COLLEGES, 671

LVII. JEROME PARK, 675

LVIII. COMMODORE VANDERBILT, 677

LIX. THE BUMMERS, 680

LX. TENEMENT HOUSE LIFE, 683

LXI. CHATHAM STREET, 699

LXII. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, 703

LXIII. DRUNKENNESS, 706

LXIV. WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE IN NEW YORK, 710

LXV. GAMBLING, 715 I. FARO BANKS, 715 II. LOTTERIES, 726 III. POLICY DEALING, 728

LXVI. PETER COOPER, 731

LXVII. THE "HEATHEN CHINEE," 734

LXVIII. STREET CHILDREN, 738

LXIX. SWINDLERS, 745

LXX. ROBERT BONNER, 756

LXXI. PUBLIC BUILDINGS, 759

LXXII. PATENT DIVORCES, 768

LXXIII. CROTON WATER WORKS, 774

LXXIV. EXCURSIONS, 778

LXXV. SAILORS IN NEW YORK, 782

LXXVI. THE BALLET, 789

LXXVII. THE POOR OF NEW YORK, 796 I. THE DESERVING POOR, 796 II. THE BEGGARS, 802

LXXVIII. QUACK DOCTORS, 805

LXXIX. YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, 811

LXXX. CASTLE GARDEN, 816

LXXXI. WORKING WOMEN, 822

LXXXII. STREET VENDERS, 831

LXXXIII. THE WHARVES, 835

LXXXIV. THE MORGUE, 839

LXXXV. THE CUSTOM HOUSE, 843

LXXXVI. MISSING, 848

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.