Lights and Shadows of New York Life

J >> James D. McCabe >> Lights and Shadows of New York Life

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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.

General View of New York City, showing the Bridge connecting
it with Brooklyn....................................
Frontispiece.
Offices of the _Tribune_, _Times_, and
_World_............................ 8
Grand Central Railway Depot......................................... 9
First Settlement of New York........................................ 37
New York in 1664.................................................... 45
Broadway, looking up from Exchange Place............................ 53
The City Hall Park in 1869.......................................... 56
The Harbor of New York, as seen from the Narrows.................... 60
A. Oakey Hall, Mayor of New York.................................... 81
William M. Tweed.................................................... 82
The New County Court House.......................................... 83
The Robbery of the Vouchers from the Comptroller's Office........... 94
Richard B. Connolly................................................ 104
Peter B. Sweeny.................................................... 105
Broadway, at the corner of Ann street.............................. 124
A. T. Stewart's Wholesale Store.................................... 125
New York Life Insurance Company's building, corner of
Broadway and Leonard street.............................. 127
Broadway, as seen from the St. Nicholas Hotel...................... 129
Saturday Afternoon Concert at Central Park......................... 132
A Fashionable Promenade on Fifth avenue............................ 137
The German......................................................... 165
Female Prisoners in the Fourth Police Station...................... 176
A Winter Night Scene in a Police Station........................... 181
The Bowery......................................................... 189
The City Hall Park................................................. 198
The Washington Statue in Union Square.............................. 201
Fifth avenue, near Twenty-first street............................. 205
Junction of the Fifth avenue and Thirty-fourth street,
showing the new residence of A. T. Stewart, Esq.......... 209
New Palace-car for City travel, in use on the Third avenue line.... 213
Tunnel under Broadway.............................................. 223
Horace Greeley......................................................231
The Tombs.......................................................... 233
The Bridge of Sighs................................................ 234
Interior of Male Prison............................................ 235
The Prison Chapel.................................................. 237
Court of Special Sessions.......................................... 240
"Black Maria"...................................................... 243
Printing House Square.............................................. 246
The Herald Office.................................................. 249
Wall street........................................................ 259
United States Sub-treasury......................................... 261
The Stock Exchange................................................. 265
The New York Stock Exchange Board in Session....................... 267
The Park Bank, Broadway............................................ 278
Scene in the Gold Room--Black Friday............................... 291
Broad street on Black Friday....................................... 296
The Astor House.................................................... 305
St. Nicholas Hotel................................................. 307
Fifth avenue Hotel................................................. 310
The Soldier Minstrel............................................... 323
View from the Upper Terrace........................................ 333
Foot-bridge in Central Park........................................ 335
The Marble Arch.................................................... 338
Vine-covered Walk, overlooking the Mall............................ 341
The Terrace, as seen from the Lake................................. 344
View on the Central Lake........................................... 346
A Female Shoplifter................................................ 376
A. T. Stewart's Retail Store....................................... 382
Lord and Taylor's Dry Goods Store.................................. 384
A Five Points Rum Shop............................................. 399
A Five Points Lodging Cellar....................................... 407
The Ladies' Five Points Mission.................................... 413
The Howard Mission (as it will appear when completed).............. 419
Nassau street...................................................... 427
Fire Alarm Signal-box.............................................. 435
A Fire in New York................................................. 438
The Old Post-office................................................ 449
The New Post-office................................................ 457
Booth's Theatre.................................................... 471
Grand Opera House.................................................. 474
Academy of Music................................................... 477
The Old Bowery Theatre............................................. 478
Washington Market.................................................. 488
The New St. Patrick's Cathedral.................................... 496
Union Square....................................................... 505
Lafayette Place.................................................... 514
Clinton Hall....................................................... 517
The occasional fate of New York Thieves............................ 525
The River Thieves.................................................. 537
A Fence Store in Chatham street.................................... 541
The Rough's Paradise............................................... 543
The Atlantic Garden................................................ 552
James Fisk, Jr..................................................... 557
Jay Gould.......................................................... 560
Trinity Church..................................................... 569
New Year's Calls................................................... 575
The result of following a Street Walker............................ 592
Noonday Prayer Meeting at Water street Home........................ 599
Harry Hill's Dance House........................................... 602
Scene in the Magdalen Asylum....................................... 616
Residence of the Keeper of the Almshouse........................... 632
Small-pox Hospital................................................. 633
Charity Hospital................................................... 634
New York Penitentiary.............................................. 635
Guard-boats........................................................ 636
Almshouse.......................................................... 637
The Workhouse...................................................... 639
House of Refuge: Randall's Island.................................. 642
Bloomingdale Asylum for the Insane................................. 649
St. Luke's Hospital................................................ 650
Institution for the Blind.......................................... 652
Henry Ward Beecher................................................. 657
A New York Free School............................................. 667
The Free College of New York....................................... 669
University of New York............................................. 672
Columbia College................................................... 673
The Cooper Institute............................................... 674
Cornelius Vanderbilt............................................... 679
A New York Tenement House.......................................... 684
An inside View of a Tenement House................................. 688
Chatham Square..................................................... 700
James Gordon Bennett............................................... 705
A Female Drinker................................................... 708
A First-class Gambling House....................................... 717
The Skin Game...................................................... 723
Peter Cooper....................................................... 733
Chinese Candy Dealer............................................... 736
The Newsboys....................................................... 739
Attack on a Swindler............................................... 746
A Stranger's Exit from a "Cheap John Shop"......................... 752
The Pocket-book Game............................................... 754
Robert Bonner...................................................... 758
The City Hall...................................................... 760
Tammany Hall....................................................... 763
National Academy of Design......................................... 764
Steinway & Son's Piano Factory..................................... 765
The High Bridge.................................................... 775
The Fifth avenue Reservoir......................................... 776
U. S. Navy Yard, Brooklyn.......................................... 779
West Point......................................................... 780
New York Seamen's Exchange Building................................ 786
The Ballet......................................................... 790
The Poor in Winter................................................. 797
The City Missionary................................................ 800
Young Men's Christian Association Hall............................. 812
The Library........................................................ 814
The Battery and Castle Garden...................................... 817
Emigrant Hospital.................................................. 819
The Sewing-girl's Home............................................. 823
Stewart's Home for Working Women................................... 829
Street Venders..................................................... 832
Shoe Latchets...................................................... 832
"Glass put in!".................................................... 832
Balloon Man........................................................ 832
Boat Stores........................................................ 836
The Morgue......................................................... 840
The Custom House................................................... 844
The Fate of Hundreds of Young Men.................................. 849