File:New York by sunlight and gaslight - a work descriptive of the great American metropolis; its high and low life; its splendors and miseries; its virtu (1882) (14780084385).jpg

Identifier: newyorkbysunligh00mcca_1 (find matches)
Title: New York by sunlight and gaslight : a work descriptive of the great American metropolis ; its high and low life; its splendors and miseries; its virtu
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: McCabe, James D., 1842-1883.
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Union Publishing House
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: The Durst Organization

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d occupies the square bounded by Centre, Elm,Franklin and Leonard streets. It was erected be-tween 1835 3.nd 1838, and occupies the site of the oldCollect Pond, from which the city was once suppliedwith drinking water, and which was filled up in 1835-The building is one of the most imposing structuresof the Metropolis, but its wretched situation, which isin a deep hollow, sadly mars its appearance. It isconstructed of granite, in the shape of a parallelogram,253 feet long by 200 feet deep. From the street itappears but a single story in height, the lofty windowsbeing carried from a point a few feet above the ground,almost to the cornice. The principal entrance is in 410 NEW YORK, Centre street, and is reached by a broad flight of darkstone steps, which lead to a massive and gloomyportico, supported by four immense Egyptian columns.Projecting entrances and columns break the outerwalls on the other three sides, and give variety to theotherwise monotonous style. The site of the prison is
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THE TOMBS. low, damp and unhealthy, and successive Grand Jurieshave repeatedly condemned the building as unfit forits purposes. It was built to accommodate about twohundred prisoners, but of late years more than double #that number have been confined in it. The founda-tions have settled in some places to a considerable INTERIOR OF THE TOMBS. 411 extent, owing to the marshy character of the ground,and the building has been pronounced unsafe. Passing in through the gloomy entrance, the visitorfinds himself in a large courtyard, in the centre ofwhich stands a second prison, one hundred and forty-two feet long by forty-five feet deep, containing onehundred and fifty cells. This is the male prison, andis entirely separated from the prison for females. It isconnected with the outer building by a bridge, knownas the Bridge of Sighs, since all condemned prison-ers pass over it on the way to their death. Executionsare always conducted here in private, and are witnessedonly by the officers of t

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