The secrets of the great city

Front matter

THE FATE OF HUNDEEDS OF YOUNG MEN.

L LEAVING HOME FOR NEW YORK. 2. IN A FASHIONABLE SALOON AMONGST THE WAITER GIRLS-THE ROAD TO RUIN. 3. DRINKING WITH "THE FANCY"- TN THE HANDS OF GAMBLERS. 4. MURDERED AND ROBBED BY HIS "FANCY" COM- PANIONS. 5. HIS BODY FOUND BY THE HARBOR POLICE.

THE

Preface

New York is a great secret, not only to those who have never seen it, but to the majority of its own citizens. Few living in the great city have any idea of the terrible romance and the hard reality of the lives of two thirds of the inhabitants. The writer has seen more of this, perhaps, than falls to the lot of persons whose duty or curiosity does not lead them under the shadow of the darker sides of city life ; and he has thought it well to embody in book form the results of his own observation. At the same time, he has drawn freely upon the experience of those who have seen more than himself.

This volume does not pretend to be a work of fiction. It is a simple narration of actual facts. Itis designed to warn the thousands who visit the city

against the dangers and pitfalls into which their

16 PREFACE.

curiosity or vice may lead them, and it is hoped that

those who read the book will heed its warnings. The

city is full of danger. The path of safety which is

pointed out in these pages is the only one — a total

avoidance of the vicinity of sin. No matter how

clever a man may be in his own town or city, he is a

child in the hands of the sharpers and villains of this

community, and his only safety lies in avoiding them.

His curiosity can be satisfied in these pages, and he can

know the Great City from them, without incurring

the danger attending an effort to see it.

E. W. M.

New York, Uth December, 1868.

Chapter XI Wall Street

ITS HISTORY

. „. . .141

THE SUB-TREASURY

THE CUSTOM HOUSE

. 144

BANKING HOUSES.

{ ... 144

THE STOCK EXCHANGE

.' 145

THE OPEN BOARD.

THE GOLD ROOM

CURBSTONE BROKERS

STOCK GAMBLING

A KEEN GAME

14'.)

A "DEAR" SALE

Inil

HOW FORTUNES ARE MADE AND LOST. .

1JS1

BOGUS STOCK COMPANIES. ....

w

A PETROLEUM PRINCE

w

THE DETECTIVES.

BUSINESS OF (THE FORCE. ; . . . -SO

A COSTLY CASE. . . J 1(J2

TRACKING A MURDERER 183

Chapter XVII. Five Points

PAGE

THE POPULATION 100

THE LITTLE THIEF 192

THE HOME MISSION. 196

OTHER MISSIONS 198

THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS 199

C HAPTER XVIII.

HOTEL LIFE.

THE GUESTS 201

HOTEL SWINDLERS .202

HOTEL THIEVES . .205

AN AGILE THIEF. 203

C HAPTER XIX.

RESTAURANTS.

■ .209

CHAPTER XX.

BOARDING HOUSES.

FINDING A BOARDING HOUSE. 211

EXPERIENCE 214

BOARDING. HOUSE CHARACTERS. 215

A FASHIONABLE SWINDLER 21S

A SHARP GAME 215

A TRIO OF FEMALE SWINDLERS 217

CHAPTER XXI.

TRINITY PARISH.

TRINITY CHURCH ggg

THE CHURCHYARD .223

THE BITER BITTEN.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE HOLIDAYS IN THE CITY.

PAOB

NEW YEAR'S DAY 225

GETTING READY 226

NEW YEAR'S CALLS. 227

THE NEXT DAY 229

INDEPENDENCE DAY. 229

EVACUATION DAY. 229

THANKSGIVING DAY. 230

CHRISTMAS DAY 280

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CENTRAL PARK.

A WONDERFUL WORK 233

THE LAKE 234

PLEASURE SEEKERS. 235

THE ARSENAL 236

THE CROTON RESERVOIRS. 237

TRANSVERSE ROADS. ." 237

THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN. 238

INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION 238

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 241

CHAPTER XXV.

THE POOR OF NEW YORK.

THE LOWEST DEPTHS. 245

TENEMENT HOUSES. .... 246

FALLEN FORTUNES 248

THE ROMANCE OF A CHIGNON. . .... 248

CHAPTER XXVI.

POOR GIRLS.

PAQS

THE SEWING GIRLS. 252

A LIFE STRUGGLE. 254

TTIE WORKSHOPS OF THE POOR GIRLS . 258

TEMPTATIONS .259

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE STREET BOYS.

THE NEWSBOYS 261

NEWSBOYS' LODGING HOUSE. 263

THE BOOTBLACKS 264

CHAPTER XXVIII BEGGARS.

BEGGARS.

CHAPTER XXIX.

EMIGRANTS.

THE BATTERY -.270

CASTLE GARDEN. 271

EMIGRANTS' REFUGE AND HOSPITAL. ...... 273

PERILS OF EMIGRANTS. ....:•; 274

CHAPTER XXX.

THE BUMMERS.

THE BUMMEi'.S ■ .276

24 CONSENTS.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE SOCIAL EVIL.

PACKS

FIRST-CLASS HOUSES 285

SECOND-CLASS HOUSES 2S9

WHERE THE UNFORTUNATES COME FROM 2S9

A CASE IN POINT 290

RECRUITS FROM NEW ENGLAND 291

SAVED IN TIME 292

THE SISTERS' ROW. 293

THE ALBUM BUSINESS .294

EFFORTS TO BREAK UP THESE HOUSES 295

A NEW RUSE ADOPTED 295

A SOILED DOTE. ... 296

THE MIDNIGHT MISSION ' . . . . 299

CHAPTER XXXII.

ASSIGNATION HOUSES.

ASSIGNATION HOUSES 300

CHAPTER XXXIII.

STREET WALKERS.

BED HOUSES . .... 304

TRAVELLING STREET WALKERS 305

PANEL THIEVING. . . 300

THE "HUSBAND GAME." .... ... 307

CHAPTER XXXIV.

CONCERT SALOONS.

CHAPTER XXXV.

DANCE HOUSES.

THE WAITER GIRLS.

HOW THE LAW AIDS VICE.

WHERE THE WOMEN COME FROM.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE WICKEDEST MAN IN NEW YORK.

PAGE

THE WATER STREET REVIVAL. 333

THE OTHER SIDE. . 3G5

THE LAST OF THE WICKEBEST MAN .341

THE RESULT 344

CHAPTER XXXVII.

CHEAP LODGING HOUSES.

CHEAP LODGING HOUSES. .345

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

BLACK-MAILING.

A MINISTER BLACK-MAILED 348

A BRIDE IN THE TGSGSS, 353

DESPERATE CHARACTERS. . ....... 354

CHAPTER XXXIX.

CHATHAM STREET.

FORCED SALES. . , 357

CHAPTER XL.

THIEVES. f

THE THIEF LANGUAGE 353

PROFESSIONAL THIEVES. fc 359

HOW FINE HOUSES ARE ROBBED 361

A HAIR THIEF 302

THE THIEVES' EXCHANGE • . . . , 3G3

CHAPTER XLI.

PICKPOCKETS.

PASB

PICKPOCKETS. .366

CHAPTER XLII.

DRUNKENNESS.

BUCKET HOUSES. . . .

CHAPTER XLIII.

GAMBLING HOUSES.

FIRST-CLASS HOUSES .373

JOHN MORRISSEVS HOUSE 374

HOW THE VICTIMS ARE PROCURED. .... .377

GAMING A NATIONAL PASSION 373

THE GUESTS. 379

A CARD TABLE ROMANCE. 382

SECOND-CLASS HOUSES. ,385

DAY GAMBLING HOUSES. . . 386

CHAPTER X L I V .

KIT BUPvNS'S.

THE RAT PIT. . . 888

THE DOG FIGHTS. .... .389

THE REVIVALS AT KIT BURNS'S. . . 390

CHAPTER X LV

SAILORS' BOARDING HOUSES ABDINC UOUSES.

CONTEXTS. 27

CHAPTER XLVI.

THE CHURCHES AND THE CLERGY.

PAC.2

SAINT ALBAX'S. . .399

THE CLERGY 404

CHAPTER XL VII.

CEMETERIES.

GREENWOOD 407

THE EVERGREENS. 403

CVPRESS HILLS 408

WOODLAWX 40$

CHAPTER XLVI I I.

THE BAR.

THE BAR. 409

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE METROPOLITAN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

HIE NEW SYSTEM 411

TH3 FORCE. 412

CH A PTER L.

HARRY HILL'S.

THE PROPRIETOR 416

THE DANCE HALL .417

THE DANCERS. 415

CHAPTER LI.

THE WICKEDEST WOMAN IN NEW YORK.

PAGE

A BALL AT THE WICKEDEST WOMAN'S 420

HOW SHE CONDUCTS HER BUSINESS 429

CHAPTER Lll.

BABY FARMING.

FEMALE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS. ...... 431

A JUVENILE ESTABLISHMENT 434

AN INCIDENT. 436

A FASHIONABLE INNOCENT 437

FACTS 437

CHAPTER LIN.

THE FIRST DIVISION, N. Y. NATIONAL GUARD.

THE FIRST DIVISION, N. Y. NATIONAL GUARD. . . .439

CHAPTER LIV.

PLACES OF AMUSEMENT.

PLACES OF AMUSEMENT. 441

CHAPTER LV.

FORTUNE TELLERS AND CLAIRVOYANTS.

LOVE CHARMS. 446

CHAPTER LVI, THE HARBOR.

THE nARBOR POLICE. ... . 447

THE RESCUE STATIONS. ..... 448

CHAPTER LVII.

QUACK DOCTORS.

PAGE

PATENT MEDICINES. .453

RETIRED PHYSICIANS. .454

CHAPTER LVIM.

THE EACES.

THE RACES. ' T. .457

CHAPTER LIX.

MATRIMONIAL ADVERTISEMENTS.

A DANGEROUS PLEASURE. 459

MATRIMONIAL BROKERS .462

CHAPTER LX.

PERSONALS.

SERVED HIM RIGnT. : * . 464

CHAPTER L X I .

SOLDIER MINSTRELS.

THE STORY OP A PATRIOT 470

CHAPTER LXII.

THE ABATTOIRS.

THE ABATTOIRS » . 475

CHAPTER LXIII.

THE MORGUE.

THE MORGUE 479

CHAPTER LXIV.

THE OLDEST MAN IN NEW YORK.

PAGE

THE OLDEST MAN IN NEW YORK 4S4

CHAPTER LX V.

DIVOECE LAWYERS.

DIYORCE LAWYERS . 487

CHAPTER LXVI.

PAWNBROKERS.

DIAMOND BROKERS. . 491

CHAPTER LX VII.

THE MARKETS.

THE MARKETS. .494

CHAPTER LXVIII.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

THE CITY HALL 496

THE PARK BANK. 497

THE ASTOR LIBRARY. . 497

THE COOPER INSTITUTE 498

THE BIBLE HOUSE. . 498

THE ACADEMY OF DESIGN. . 499

CHAPTER LXIX.

THE POST OFFICE.

THE POST OFFICE.

CHAPTER LXX.

THE PATTERERS.

PAGE

THE PATTERERS 503

CHAPTER LXXI.

LOTTERIES.

LOTTERIES M2

CHAPTER LXXII.

GIFT ENTERPRISES.

THE SYSTEM 520

THE BANKERS' AND BROKERS' GIFT ENTERPRISE 521

A CLEVER SWINDLE. ....... . 525

JEWELRY ASSOCIATIONS OR UNIONS 527

DOLLAR STORES .530

CHAPTER L X X I I I .

SITUATION AGENCIES.

SITUATION AGENCIES 531

CHAPTER LXXIV.

SWINDLERS IN GENERAL.

THE PATENT SAFE GAME. 535

POCKET-BOOK DROPPERS _. . . . . 536

THIMBLE RIGGING 538

SEWING MACHINE SWINDLES. 530

THE POCKET TIME-KEEPER 540

MOCK AUCTIONS _.. . 610

CHAPTER LXXV.

LOST IN THE GREAT CITY.

PAGE

MISSING MEN AND WOMEN -544

THEORIES ABOUT LOST PEOPLE 545

WHERE AND HOW PEOPLE ARE LOST 545

LOST CHILDREN 548

THE DENS OF MIDNIGHT. 548

THE HORROR OF A BREAKING DAWN 549

MISERY, SHAME, AND DEATH 550

CHAPTER LXXVI.

CONCLUSION. .

CONCLUSION 552

THE

SECRETS OF THE GREAT CITY.

Chapter I. The City Of New York

The City of New York is the largest and most important, in America. Its corporate limits embrace the whole of Manhattan Island, on which it is situated, and which is bounded by the Hudson, the East and Harlem rivers, and by Spuyten Duyvil creek, which last connects the Harlem with the Hudson. Being almost entirely surrounded by deep water, and lying within sight of the ocean, and only sixteen miles from it, the city is naturally the greatest commercial centre of the country. The extreme length of the island is fifteen miles, and its average breadth a mile and a half. The city lies at the head of New York Bay, which stretches away for miles until the Narrows, the main entrance to the harbor, are reached, presenting a panorama unsurpassed for natural and artificial beauty. The people of New York are very proud of their bay, and justly regard it as one of the most magnificent in the world.

The city was originally settled by the Dutch, toward the elose of the year 1614, and called by them New Amsterdam. 2 33

In 1664, it passed into the hands of the English, and was named New York, which name was also given to the whole province. The first settlement was made at the extreme lower part of the island, on the spot now known as the Battery. A fort was erected, and the little hamlet surrounded by a strong stockade as a protection against the savages. The first settlers were eminently just in their dealings with the red men, and purchased the island from them, giving them what was considered by all parties a fair price for it. They felt sure that their new home was destined to become a place of importance in the course of time. Its commercial advantages were evident at a glance ; the climate was delightful, being neither so rigorous as that of the Eastern colonies, nor so enervating as that of the Southern. The hopes of the founders of New York are more than realized in the metropolis of to-day.

The city grew very slowly at the beginning. In 1686, it was regularly incorporated by a charter. In 1693, the first printing press was set up in the city by William Bradford. In 1090, New York contained five hundred and ninety-four houses and six thousand inhabitants. In 1790, one hundred years later, the city had a population of thirty-three thousand. It was not until the beginning of the present century that it commenced that wonderful growth which has given it its present importance. At first it spread more rapidly on the east side than on the west. As late as the close of the Revolution, what is now Chambers street was the extreme upper limit, and its line was marked by a strong stockade, built across from river to river, with gates leading to the various country roads which traversed the upper part of the island.

The City of New York now extends from the Battery to the Harlem river and Spujten Duyvil creek, and is built up with

THE SECRETS OF THE GREAT CTTY. 35

great regularity as far as One-hundred and Thirtieth street. Harlem, Yorkville, Manhattanville, Bloomingdale, Carmansville, and Washington Heights or Fort Washington, were all originally separate villages, but are now parts of the great city. The island comes to a point at the Battery, and from this extremity stretches away northward like a fan. It attains its greatest width at Fourteenth and Eighty-seventh streets. Broadway is the longest street, running from the Battery to Spuyten Duyvil creek, a distance of fifteen miles. It is lighted with gas along the entire line. - Street railways and omnibus lines connect the various parts of the city, affording cheap and rapid transportation within its limits. Ferry boats ply constantly between the island and the neighboring shores, and railroads and steamboats connect it with all parts of the world.

THE POPULATION.

The population of New York is over one million of inhabitants._ This does not include the immense throng of visitors for business and pleasure. It is estimated that forty thousand of these arrive and depart daily. During times of more than ordinary interest — such as a national convention of some political party, the meeting of some great religious body, the world's fair, or some such special attraction — these arrivals are greatly increased. During the recent session of the Democratic National Convention, in July, 1868, the number of strangers present in the city was estimated at two hundred thousand. The amount of money brought into the city by these strangers is astonishing. Millions are spent by them annually during their visits to the metropolis.

The population is made up from every nation under Heaven. The natives are in the minority. The foreign element

36 THE SECRETS OF TEE GREAT CITY.

predominates. Irishmen, Germans, Jews, Turks, Greeks, Russians, Italians, Spaniards, Mexicans, Portuguese, Scotch, French, Chinese — in short, representatives of every nationality— abound. These frequently herd together, each class by itself, in distinct parts of the city, which they seem to regard as their own.

Land is very scarce and valuable in New York, and thi-s fact compels the poorer classes to live in greater distress than in most cities of the world. The whole number of buildings in the city in 1860 was fifty-five thousand, which includes churches, stores, etc. In the same year the population was eight hundred and five thousand, or one hundred and sixtyone thousand families. Of these fifteen thousand only occupied entire houses ; nine thousand one hundred and twenty dwellings contained two families, and six thousand one hundred contained three families. As we shall have to recur to this subject again, we pass on now, merely remarking that' these " tenement sections" of the city, as they are called, are more crowded now than ever, the increase in buildings having fallen far behind the increase of the population in the last eight years.

This mixed population makes New York a thorough cosmopolitan city; yet at the same time it is eminently American. Although the native New York element is small in numbers, its influence is very great. Besides this, numbers flock to the city from all parts of the Union, and this constant influx of fresh American vitality does much to keep the city true to the general character of the country.

It has been well said, that "New York is the best place in the world to take the conceit out of a man." This is true. No matter how great or flattering is the local reputation of an individual, he finds upon reaching New York that he is entirely unknown. He must at once set to work to build up a reputation here, where he will be taken for just what he is worth, and no more. The city is a great school for studying human nature, and its people are proficients in the art of discerning character.

In point of morality, the people of New York, in spite of all that has been said of them, compare favorably with those of any other city. If the darkest side of life is to be seen here, one may also witness the best. The greatest scoundrels and the purest Christians are to be found here. It is but natural that this, being the great centre of wealth, should also be the great centre of all that is good and beautiful in life. It is true that the Devil's work is done here on a gigantic scale, but the will of the Lord is done on an equally great, if not a greater, scale. In its charities New York stands at the head of American communities — the great heart of the city throbs warmly for suffering humanity. The municipal authorities expend annually seven hundred thousand dollars in public charities. The various religious denominations spend annually three millions more, and besides this the city is constantly sending out princely sums to relieve want and suffering in all parts of our broad land.

The people of New York are the most liberal of any in America in matters of opinion. Here, as a general rule, no man seeks to influence the belief of another, except so far as all men are privileged to do so. Every religious faith, every shade of political opinion, is tolerated and protected. Men concern themselves with their own affairs only. Indeed, this feeling is carried to such an extreme that it has engendered a decided indifference between man and man. People live for years as next door neighbors, without ever knowing each other by sight. A gentleman once happened to notice tly name of his next door neighbor on the door-plate. To his surprise he found it the same as his own. Accosting the owner of the door-plate one day, for the first time, he remarked that it was singular that two people bearing the same name should live side by side for years without knowing each other. This remark led to mutual inquiries and statements, and to their surprise the two men found they were brothers — sons of the same parents. They had not met for many years, and for fully twelve years had lived side by side as neighbors, without knowing each other. This incident may be overdrawn, but it will illustrate a peculiar feature of New York life.

Strangers coming to New York are struck with the fact that there are but two classes in the city — the poor and the rich. The middle class, which is so numerous in other cities, hardly exists at all here. The reason of this is plain to the initiated. Living in New York is so expensive that persons of moderate means reside in the suburbs, some of them as far as forty miles in the country. They come into the city, to their business, in crowds, between the hours of seven and niue in the morning, and literally pour out of it between four and seven in the evening. In fair weather the inconvenience of such a life is trifling, but in the winter it is absolutely fearful. A deep snow will sometimes obstruct the railroad tracks, and persons living outside of the city are either unable to leave New York, or are forced to spend the night on the cars. Again, the rivers will be so full of floating ice as to render it very dangerous, if not impossible, for the ferry boats to cross. At such times the railroad depots and ferry houses are crowded with persons anxiously awaiting transportation to their homes. The detention in New York, however, is not the greatest inconvenince caused by such mishaps.

Many persons are frequently unable to reach the city, and thus lose several days from their business, at times when they can ill afford it.

We have already referred to the scarcity of houses. The population of the city increases so rapidly that house-room cannot be provided for all. House rent is very high in New- York. A house for a family of six persons, in a moderately respectable neighborhood, will rent for from sixteen hundred to twenty-five hundred dollars, the rate increasing as the neighborhood improves. On the fashionable streets, houses rent for from six thousand to fifteen thousand dollars per annum. These, it must be remembered, are palatial. Many persons owning these houses, live in Europe, or in other parts of the country, and pay all their expenses with the rent thus secured.

In consequence of this scarcity of dwellings, and the enormous rents asked for them, few families have residences of their own. People of moderate means generally rent a house, and sub-let a part of it to another family, take boarders, or rent furnished or unfurnished rooms to lodgers.

Furniture is expensive, and many persons prefer to rent furnished houses. These are always in demand, and in good localities command enormous prices. Heavy security has to be given by the lessee in such cases, as, without this, the tenant might make away with the furniture. Many persons owning houses for rent, furnish them at their own expense, and let them, the heavy rent soon paying a handsome profit on the furniture.

Persons living in a rented house are constantly apprehen sive. Except in cases of long leases, no one knows how much his rent may be increased the next year. This causes a constant shifting of quarters, and is expensive and vexatious in the highest degree. It is partly due to the unsettled condition of the currency, but mainly to the scarcity of houses.

Many — indeed, the majority of the better class of inhabitants— prefer to board. Hotels and boarding houses pay well in New York. They are always full, and their prosperity has given rise to the remark that, "New York is a vast boarding house." We shall discuss this portion of our subject more fully in another chapter.

To persons of means, New York offers more advantages as a place of residence than any city in the land. Its delightful climate, its cosmopolitan and metropolitan character, and the endless variety of its attractions, render it the most delightful home in America. That this is true is shown by the fact that few persons who have lived in New York for twelve months ever care to leave it. Even those who could do better elsewhere are powerless to resist its fascinations.

BROADWAY, AS SEEV FHON, THE ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL.

Chapter II. The Streets Of New York

The City of New York has been regularly laid out and surveyed for a distance of twelve miles from the Battery. It has over two hundred miles of paved streets. Most of the streets in the old Dutch city are crooked and narrow, but above that they are broader, and better laid off) ,and after passing Fulton street, they become quite regular. Above Fourteenth street, the city is laid off in regular squares. First street is located about a mile and four fifths above the Battery. From this the cross streets extend to Two hundred and twenty-eighth street.

" The lengths of the blocks, between First and One-hundred and twenty-first streets, vary from one hundred and eighty-one to two hundred and eleven feet eleven inches.

" Those between the avenues (which run at right angles to the streets), vary from four hundred and five to nine hundred and twenty feet.

"The avenues are all one hundred feet wide, excepting Lexington and Madison, which are seventy-five, and Fourth Avenue, above Thirty-fourth street, which is one hundred and forty feet wide.

" The numerical streets are all sixty feet wide, excepting Fourteenth, Twenty-third, Thirty-fourth, Forty-second, and eleven others, north of these, which are one hundred feet wide."

There are twelve fine avenues at parallel distances apart of about eight hundred feet. They begin about First or Fourth street, and run to the end of the island. Second and Eighth are the longest, and Fifth and Madison the moat fashionable.

BROADWAY.

The most wonderful street in the world is Broadway. It extends, as we have said, the whole length of the island. But its most attractive features are between the Bowling Green and Thirty -fourth street — the chief part of these being below Fourteenth street. The street is about sixty feet wide, and is thronged with vehicles of every description. Often times these vehicles crowd the streets to such an extent that they become "jammed," and the police are forced to interfere and compel the drivers to take the routes assigned them. The scene at such a time is thrilling. A stranger feels sure that the vehicles cannot be extricated without loss of life or limb to man or beast, and the shouts and oaths of the drivers fairly bewilder him. In a few moments, however, he sees a squad of policemen approach, and plunge boldly into the throng of vehicles. The shouts and oaths of the drivers cease, the vehicles move on, one at a time, according to the orders of the police, and soon the street is clear again, to be blocked, perhaps, in a similar manner, in less than an hour. Twenty thousand vehicles daily traverse this great thorough fare.

It is always a difficult matter to cross Broadway in the busy season. Ladies, old persons, and children, find it impossible to do so without the aid of the police, whose duty it is tomake a way for them through the crowds of vehicles. A bridge was erected at the corner of Broadway and Fultor street, which is the most crowded part of the city, for the purpose of allowing pedestrians to cross over the heads of the throng in the street. It proved a failure, however. Few persons used it, except to see from it the magnificent panorama of Broadway, and the city authorities have ordered it to be taken down. It disfigures the street very much, and its removal will be hailed with delight by the native population.

Broadway properly begins at the Bowling Green. From this point it extends in a straight line to Fourteenth street and Union Square. Below Wall street, it is mainly devoted to the "Express" business, the headquarters and branch offices of nearly all the lines in the country centring here. Opposite Wall street, on the west side of Broadway, is Trinity Church and its grave-yard. From Wall street to Ann street, Insurance Companies, Eeal Estate Agents, Bankers and Brokers predominate. At the corner of Ann street, is the magnificent " Herald Office," adjoining which is the Park Bank," one of the grandest structures in the country. Opposite these are the Astor House and St. Paul's Church. Passing the Astor House, the visitor finds the Park, containing the City Hall, on his right. Across the Park are Park Kow and Printing House Square, containing all the principal newspaper offices of the city. Old Tammany Hall once stood od this Square, but the site is now occupied by the " The Sun,'' and " Brick Pomeroy's Democrat " — Arcades Ambo.

Beyond the City Hall, at the north-east corner of Chambers street and Broadway, is " Stewart's marble dry gooda palace," as it is called. This is the wholesale warehouse of A. T. Stewart & Co., and occupies the entire block. The retail department of this great firm, is higher up town. Passing along, one sees, in glancing up and down the cross streets, long rows of marble and brown stone warehouses, stretching away for many blocks on either hand, and affording proof positive of the immensity and success of the business transacted in this locality.

Opposite Pearl street is the New York Hospital, standing hack amidst its noble old trees; the yard is cut off from the street by an iron railing. Crossing Canal street, the widest and most conspicuous we have yet passed over, we see the handsome establishment of Lord & Taylor, rivals to Stewart, in the retail dry goods trade, on the corner of Grand street. The brown stone building opposite, is Brooks' clothing house, the largest and finest in the country. Between Broome and Spring streets, are the marble and brown stone buildings of the famous St. Nicholas Hotel. On the block above, and opposite, is Tiffany's, too well known to need a description. On the corner of Prince street, is Ball & Black's, a visit to which palace is worth a trip to the city. Diagonally opposite is the Metropolitan Hotel, in the rear of which is the theatre known as Niblo's Garden. Above this we pass the Olympic Theatre, the great Dollar store, the Southern Hotel, the New York Hotel, the New York Theatre, and Goupil's famous artjfc gallery. On the corner of Tenth street, is a magnificent iron building, painted white. This is Stewart's up town, or retail store. It is always filled with ladies "shopping," and the streets around it are blocked with carriages. Throngs of elegantly dressed ladies pass in and out, the whole scene being animated and interesting. Above this is Grace Church, one of the most beautiful religious structures in the city. On the corner of Thirteenth street, is Wallack's Theatre. At Fourteenth street, we find a handsome square, formerly a fashionable place of residence, but now giving way to business houses and • hotels. This is Union Square. Passing around it, Broadway runs in a north-westerly direction, and at the intersection of the great thoroughfare with Fifth Avenue, at Twenty-third street, we see the magnificent front of the Fifth Avenue Hotel. On the block beyond are the Albemarle and Hoffman Houses, with the St. James a little above. Opposite are the Worth Monument and Madison Square. Above this are several minor hotels, and Wood's Theatre. The street is but littlo improved above Thirty-fourth street.

Below Twenty-third street, and especially below Union Square, Broadway is built up magnificently. Marble, brown stone, and iron warehouses, extend in long rows on each side of the street. There are some old shanties still standing on the great thoroughfare, but they are rapidly disappearing, and in a few years will be entirely gone. The view from any point below Fourteenth street, ranges from Union Square to the Bowling Green, and is grand and exhilarating beyond description. The windows of the stores are filled with the gayest and most showy goods. Jewels, silks, satins, laces, ribbons, household goods, silver ware, toys, paintings; in short, rare, costly, and beautiful objects, greet the gazer on every hand.