Lights and Shadows of New York Life | Page 2

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 21st, 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