Down in Water Street is an account of the experiences of Samuel Hopkins Hadley, the Superintendent of the Jerry McAuley Water Street Mission, during his sixteen years of service. The book shares stories of the people Hadley encountered during his work in the Mission, including those struggling with poverty, homelessness, addiction, and other challenges. Hadley's goal in writing the book was to show how the Mission had achieved success in helping people in need, but also to acknowledge the challenges and setbacks that were faced along the way.