Ragged+Dick+-+Geography


 * CHAPTER I**

The porter works for "a firm doing business on Spruce Street."

Fifth Avenoo – Dick’s “manshun”

Mr. Greyson’s Office No. 125 Fulton Street.

A clergyman was in search of the Cooper Institute

Dick directed him to the Tombs Prison on Centre Street

He was fond of going to the Old Bowery Theatre, and to Tony Pastor's,

There was a noted gambling-house on Baxter Street, which in the evening was sometimes crowded with these juvenile gamesters.


 * CHAPTER II JOHNNY NOLAN**

The Tribune establishment, which occupies the corner of Spruce Street and Printing House Square.

He naturally began to think of breakfast and went up to the head of Spruce Street, and turned into Nassau. Two blocks further, and he reached Ann Street. On this street was a small, cheap restaurant where for five cents Dick could get a cup of coffee, and for ten cents more, a plate of beefsteak with a plate of bread thrown in.

Neither the coffee nor the steak were as good as can be bought at Delmonico's; but then it is very doubtful whether, in the present state of his wardrobe, Dick would have been received at that aristocratic restaurant, even if his means had admitted of paying the high prices there charged.

Johnny Nolan goes to Mr. Taylor's, on Spruce Street, to see if he don't want a shine."

Dick is going down front of the Astor House. “I guess I'll find some customers there."

Johnny walked back to Nassau Street, while Dick kept on his way to Broadway.


 * CHAPTER III -- DICK MAKES A PROPOSITION**

"I'm in luck," thought our hero complacently. "I guess I'll go to Barnum's to-night, and see the bearded lady, the eight-foot giant, the two-foot dwarf, and the other curiosities, too numerous to mention."

"And you know all about the public buildings, I suppose? And the Central Park?"


 * CHAPTER IV -- DICK'S NEW SUIT**

But I'll get a new cap now. I can buy one cheap on Chatham Street." "Is that near here?" "Only five minutes' walk."

They had now got out on Broadway, and were slowly walking along the west side by the Park.

In order to reach Chatham Street it was necessary to cross Broadway. This was easier proposed than done.

Chatham Street, where they wished to go, being on the East side, the two boys crossed the Park. This is an enclosure of about ten acres, which years ago was covered with a green sward, but is now a great thoroughfare for pedestrians and contains several important public buildings. Dick pointed out the City Hall, the Hall of Records, and the Rotunda. The former is a white building of large size, and surmounted by a cupola.


 * CHAPTER V -- CHATHAM STREET AND BROADWAY**

They were soon in Chatham Street, walking between rows of ready-made clothing shop. "Clothes seem to be pretty cheap here," said Frank. "Yes, but Baxter Street is the cheapest place."

They retraced their steps and went up Chambers Street to Broadway. At the corner of Broadway and Chambers Street is a large white marble warehouse, which attracted Frank's attention. "What building is that?" he asked, with interest. "That belongs to my friend A. T. Stewart," said Dick. "It's the biggest store on Broadway.

The boys crossed to the West side of Broadway, and walked slowly up the street.

"Yes," said Dick; "and its pretty much the same in the avenoos, 'specially the Third, Sixth, and Eighth avenoos. The Bowery, too, is a great place for shoppin'.

"Where's Barnum's Museum?" asked Frank. "Oh, that's down nearly opposite the Astor House," said Dick. "Didn't you see a great building with lots of flags? Well, that's Barnum's

"What building is that?" asked Frank, pointing to a structure several rods back from the street, with a large yard in front. It was an unusual sight for Broadway, all the other buildings in that neighborhood being even with the street. "That is the New York Hospital," said Dick. "They're a rich institution, and take care of sick people on very reasonable terms." "There was a friend of mine, Johnny Mullen, he was a newsboy, got run over by a omnibus as he was crossin' Broadway down near Park Place. He was carried to the Hospital, and me and some of his friends paid his board while he was there.

While this conversation was going on they reached No. 365, at the corner of Franklin Street.* "That's Taylor's Saloon," said Dick. "When I come into a fortun' I shall take my meals there reg'lar."


 * CHAPTER VI -- UP BROADWAY TO MADISON SQUARE**

As the boys pursued their way up Broadway, Dick pointed out the prominent hotels and places of amusement. Frank was particularly struck with the imposing fronts of the St. Nicholas and Metropolitan Hotels, the former of white marble, the latter of a subdued brown hue, but not less elegant in its internal appointments.

At Eighth Street Dick turned to the right, and pointed out the Clinton Hall Building now occupied by the Mercantile Library, comprising at that time over fifty thousand volumes.

A little farther on they came to a large building standing by itself just at the opening of Third and Fourth Avenues, and with one side on each. "What is that building?" asked Frank. "That's the Cooper Institute," said Dick; There's a hall for public meetin's and lectures in the basement, and a readin' room and a picture gallery up above," said Dick.

Directly opposite Cooper Institute, Frank saw a very large building of brick, covering about an acre of ground. "That's the Bible House. It's the place where they make Bibles. I was in there once,--saw a big pile of 'em."

"Whereabouts are we now?" asked Frank, as they emerged from Fourth Avenue into Union Square. "That is Union Park," said Dick, pointing to a beautiful enclosure, in the centre of which was a pond, with a fountain playing. "Is that the statue of General Washington?" asked Frank, pointing to a bronze equestrian statue, on a granite pedestal. "Yes," said Dick; "he's growed some since he was President.


 * CHAPTER VII -- THE POCKET-BOOK**

They had reached the junction of Broadway and of Fifth Avenue. Before them was a beautiful park of ten acres. On the left-hand side was a large marble building, presenting a fine appearance with its extensive white front. This was the building at which Dick pointed. "Is that the Fifth Avenue Hotel?" asked Frank. "I've heard of it often. My Uncle William always stops there when he comes to New York."

"I guess that'll be when Queen Victoria goes to the Five Points to live."

"It's the News-boys' Lodgin' House, on Fulton Street," said Dick," up over the 'Sun' office. It's a good place. I don't know what us boys would do without it. They give you supper for six cents, and a bed for five cents more."

While this conversation was going on, they had turned into Twenty-fifth Street, and had by this time reached Third Avenue.


 * CHAPTER VIII -- DICK'S EARLY HISTORY**

"No, I didn't and I was glad I didn’t steal, for when the man came in ag'in, he said he wanted some one to carry some cake to a lady in St. Mark's Place.


 * CHAPTER IX -- A SCENE IN A THIRD AVENUE CAR**

The boys had turned into Third Avenue, a long street, which, commencing just below the Cooper Institute, runs out to Harlem.

"I should like to see Central Park," said Frank. "Is it far off?"

"It is about a mile and a half from here," said Dick. "This is Twenty-ninth Street, and the Park begins at Fifty-ninth Street."

It may be explained, for the benefit of readers who have never visited New York, that about a mile from the City Hall the cross-streets begin to be numbered in regular order. There is a continuous line of houses as far as One Hundred and Thirtieth Street, where may be found the terminus of the Harlem line of horse-cars. When the entire island is laid out and settled, probably the numbers will reach two hundred or more. Central Park, which lies between Fifty-ninth Street on the south, and One Hundred and Tenth Street on the north, is true to its name, occupying about the centre of the island. The distance between two parallel streets is called a block, and twenty blocks make a mile. It will therefore be seen that Dick was exactly right, when he said they were a mile and a half from Central Park.

"That is too far to walk," said Frank. "'Twon't cost but six cents to ride," said Dick.

The Third Avenue and Harlem line of horse-cars is better patronized than any other in New York, though not much can be said for the cars, which are usually dirty and overcrowded. Still, when it is considered that only seven cents are charged for the entire distance to Harlem, about seven miles from the City Hall, the fare can hardly be complained of.

The boys accordingly signalled to the conductor to stop, and got on the front platform. They were obliged to stand up till the car reached Fortieth Street, when so many of the passengers had got off that they obtained seats.

Frank had never ridden up the city as far as this. Third Avenue is a broad street, but in the character of its houses and stores it is quite inferior to Broadway, though better than some of the avenues further east. Fifth Avenue, as most of my readers already know, is the finest street in the city, being lined with splendid private residences, occupied by the wealthier classes. Many of the cross streets also boast houses which may be considered palaces, so elegant are they externally and internally.

The cars had now reached Fifty-ninth Street, the southern boundary of the Park, and here our hero and his companion got off.

While Dick was speaking, the car rolled away, and the boys turned up Fifty-ninth Street, for two long blocks yet separated them from the Park.


 * CHAPTER X -- INTRODUCES A VICTIM OF MISPLACED CONFIDENCE**

Central Park was now before them, but it was far from presenting the appearance which it now exhibits. It had not been long since work had been commenced upon it, and it was still very rough and unfinished. A rough tract of land, two miles and a half from north to south, and a half a mile broad, very rocky in parts, was the material from which the Park Commissioners have made the present beautiful enclosure. There were no houses of good appearance near it, buildings being limited mainly to rude temporary huts used by the workmen who were employed in improving it. The time will undoubtedly come when the Park will be surrounded by elegant residences, and compare favorably in this respect with the most attractive parts of any city in the world. But at the time when Frank and Dick visited it, not much could be said in favor either of the Park or its neighborhood.

"Then we'll go back. We can take the Sixth Avenue cars. They will bring us out at Vesey Street just beside the Astor House."

The Sixth Avenue is lined with stores, many of them of very good appearance, and would make a very respectable principal street for a good-sized city. But it is only one of several long business streets which run up the island, and illustrate the extent and importance of the city to which they belong.

"Wouldn't you like to go to Wall Street?" "That's the street where there are so many bankers and brokers,--isn't it?" "Yes, I s'pose you aint afraid of bulls and bears,--are you? The bulls is what tries to make the stocks go up, and the bears is what try to growl 'em down."

Accordingly they walked down on the west side of Broadway as far as Trinity Church, and then, crossing, entered a street not very wide or very long, but of very great importance.

"What is that large marble building?" asked Frank, pointing to a massive structure on the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets. It was in the form of a parallelogram, two hundred feet long by ninety wide, and about eighty feet in height, the ascent to the entrance being by eighteen granite steps.

"That's the Custom House," said Dick.

"So do I, Dick. What's that building there at the end of the street?" "That's the Wall-Street Ferry to Brooklyn." They passed the gate, paying the fare to a man who stood at the entrance, and were soon on the ferry-boat, bound for Brooklyn.