A Raid on the Stale-Beer Dives

A Raid on the Stale-Beer Dives

New York Beer Dives

Jacob Riis reported on his experience of accompanying the police on a raid of a beer dive. He described the filthy dive of beer drinking men and women who scattered as the police entered, only to be captured and arrested. This beer is often unlicensed and drugs are added to produce froth on it. Many of the dives were known as two cent restaurants because they also served coffee and rolls for two cents. Often each round of beer entitled the customer to sit or sleep all night so tramps were a common phenomenon in the dive. This type of alcohol dominated atmosphere is what Maggie would have experienced which led to her desire to search for something more in life.

Jacob Riis

Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. 1890. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1971. 60-67. Print.

Dover Publications, Inc.

December 9, 2015

Gary Guy

1880s-1890