Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . nd most depravedwomen lodged or wandered in filthand drunkenness through the pre-cinct. Juveniles were made drunkat the groggeries to make sportfor older topers. In fact, no decentperson walked through it; all shunned the locality : all walkedblocks out of their way rather than pass through it. On the Collect (now Centre Street), from Pearl to Anthony(now Worth Street), on both sides of Anthony until it joined Crossat Orange (now Baxter Street), were located those exchanges wherecyprians sold their
Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments of New York and Brooklyn. . nd most depravedwomen lodged or wandered in filthand drunkenness through the pre-cinct. Juveniles were made drunkat the groggeries to make sportfor older topers. In fact, no decentperson walked through it; all shunned the locality : all walkedblocks out of their way rather than pass through it. On the Collect (now Centre Street), from Pearl to Anthony(now Worth Street), on both sides of Anthony until it joined Crossat Orange (now Baxter Street), were located those exchanges wherecyprians sold their shame. In the days I speak of, one watchman, with his leather cap andlocust club, kept the Five Points in good order; and yet he had hisprice, and took bribes as well. A quarter from this one for supper,or that one for a drink, was the height of his ambition ; but a thiefhe would scorn, and not divide with, as tis fashionable to do nowa-days with some I know. The line of dance-houses ran from the Collect to Orange Street,and nearly all were fitted up in the same way ; that is, there was the. 42 Reminiscences of the Old Fire Laddies. clean sanded floor, its red bombazine curtains at the shop-windowsand doors, its whitewashed walls and ceiling, from which hung ahoop chandelier, which daily was replenished with new candles ; for Washington Hotel, Bowling Green. visitant. The patrons of the Points in the olden times were boatmen whosailed the sea on board fishing-smacks; who made voyages inschooners, for pine-wood, tar and turpentine, to the then rich andhappy South; oystermen who roved in boats, and steered periaugersup and down the bay for Forsyths saddle-rocks, and clams fromRockaway ; deck-hands of the Albany, Troy, and Providence steam-boats ; sailors from whaling voyages, and Jack Tars after a threeyears cruise in a man-of-war. It was a jubilee, indeed, to the land-lords of the Points when the crew of a United States ship-of-war gotpaid off. Butchers from Fulton Market, butc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidldpd63166850, bookyear1885
