I’m very pleased that the film ‘Dark Days’ was mentioned in today’s Straight Dope, in reference to New York’s underground dwellers. Anyone with an iota of compassion would be well served to watch this film. It also features a captivating soundtrack courtesy DJ Spooky.
I’m a subwayaphile, so this is a topic near and dear, but I’ve read The Mole People myself and found plenty of errors. I’ve been to many of the abandoned stations which Jennifer Toth claims holds throngs of homeless. All I found - with my tour groups - were lots of graffiti and dust. Either Toth’s informants were pulling her leg, passing along stories, or just plain lying. While I have no doubt that the descriptions of many of the “Mole People” are true, the settings are way off. (Toth’s not the only one. Kurt Vonnegut speaks of thirteen levels below Grand Central Terminal in Jailbird, but at least that made no pretense of being non-fiction.)
The best critique on The Mole People I’ve found is written by Joseph Brennan and can be found here.
Incidentally, the rest of the site is great for pointing out other abandoned stations.
I think Cecil should be castigated for sidestepping the question. Straight Dope, indeed! I think it is obvious that what the OP is really getting at is questioning the reports of half-human/half-mole creatures that are reportedly inhabit the underground area of New York City, similar to those CHUD creatures that the Delta Forces cleared out about 10-15 years ago.
Myself, I don’t find it hard to believe that some of Monsanto’s experiments escaped and are hiding underground (It is well known that biotech companies are developing human-mole, human-shrew and human-gopher crosses to act at satellite controlled pest control for root crops). Myself, I feel kind of sorry for them, because New York is very likely to be destroyed by a nuclear blast in the coming UN attempted overthrow of the free people of the USA. Then again, they are deep underground.
So what is it Cecil? Are you willing to admit that the mole creatures exist (or at least investigate with an open mind), or are you going to stay part of the cover-up?
Didn’t **Under Dog ** fight mighty battles against the Mole People, over 30 years ago?
Seriously, though, given the battering the book has taken, I’m surprised Cecil didn’t have something a bit more solid than “Sure, it sounds like B.S., but I’ve talked to her and she seems sweet.” (Even allowing for his space limitations, which I’m aware of. Some of the stories from the book could have gone and been replaced by analysis).
Anyhoo, if there are disparities between Toth’s account and observation, it could easily be explained by crackdowns by police and/or railroad officials. By describing the pseudo-communites in detail, Toth may have inadvertantly encouraged their elimination.
In any case, Singer’s movie shows some pretty wild stuff. Though the numbers of “mole people” may have been reduced by police action (or possibly the use of better anti-psychotic drugs to treat the mentally and reintegrate them to society), it’s clear that some people are still clinging to tenuous survival among New York’s rusting infrastructure.
I dont like whiners–but, Cecil, I’m gonna let myself complain here. Like Rube E Teusday said above, it’s kinda lame just to say, " I talked with her and see seems honest". How ‘bout doin’ some real journalism, based on verifiable facts?
Surely the local mental health agencies who deal with the homeless would have some paperwork on the issue. or the police–if there were people down there,but they are now gone due to police crackdowns, etc–then there must be police records of the arrests and court cases. City engineering offices have to maintain the pipes and cables that the mole people supposedly tap into–have there been any engineering reports filed? Reports of vandalism ?etc, etc, etc.
Reliquary was great! In a ridiculously over the top way.
Another book with exotic undergound scenes is Faces in the Crowd by William Marshall. It’s a detective story set in the late 19th C and the police stumble on an ornate abandoned private underground station… The style of writing is at least as ornate as the features described.