The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-02

RAJ MOVING DAY.
To-day will be busy one in the metropolis. l. Is
the annual moving day. Houses are to be torned in
side out-furnture smashed-cartmen abused-and
landlords blessed. 1t is one Of those days yet to
be properly described in history.
Housekcepers have generally busy times'for two or
three weeks preceding the first Of May in expeditions
of discovery after new residences in preparations
to leave their old The population OF New York
is Of q more migratory and cratic character than
that Of any other city in the United States. AbJut
this time every year they are seized with TRANCE
and unaccountable desire for moving, which in some
cases becomes o perfect infatuation. There are,
we venture to say, hundreds Of families in the
city, who, no matter how irregular they may be
in all their other proceedings, have not allowed
single May day to pass by without chang
ing their place of residence. They look for
ward to the period when they can crafty this morbid
desire with no ordinary feelings Of delight and make
ready, at least, fortnight before the proper time
arrives. This class are the most interchangeable house
hunters, and will spend whole days in perambuat-
ing the city in search of dwelling to let. small
proportion Of these might appropriately be termed
ant-renters, fromthe nsuperabe objection they have
to paying their landlords. They generally manage
are unfortunate to live in the same house with
them, and manage to convert the most trAing diff
Guilty into cause of quarrel OF such people we
would advise landlords to beware; and if they do hap
pen to have them for tenants to get rid of them on
the easiest terms. The old saying, that an empty
house is better than q bad tenant" has become q
truism not only in New York, but in every city
throughout the world. When landlord undertakes
-
he generally finds, to use an expressive phrase TIT
ri costs more than it comes to-" The tenant, fife
has no property which can be attached, has it iuhi
power not only to annoy the landlord, by refasino
leave, but he cam experience has too often proed
inure the house to put him to considerableex-
pense in repairing it. We have heard of son- in
stances of this kind in which the landlord actually
paid his tormentor to leave the house. This class Of
tenants, however, as we have said, form snail pro-
portion of our migratory population.
1t is the general impression that more removals
will take place this May than have been Known in
any preceding year. This is to great event attri
butabe to the large increase in the rate Of rents,
and, as a consequence the desire Of tenalts to pro-
cure cheaper houses To effect this desirable object,
large numbers have been compelled to move farther
up town, where, although they have moi so many
convenences they are enabled to live cheaper. 1t
is said that the establishment of the Sixth and Eighth
avenue railroads had such surprising effect upon
building operations in the section OF the city lying
between Thrtieth and Fiftieth streets, and Fourth
avenue and the North river, that, during the past
year. the number Of houses erected is nearly double
that OF the year before. large proportion 0! these
may be set down to the credit of the Crystal Palace
which has also been the partial Of the present
great increase in rents. We hope, however, that
the termination of the Exhibition will bring about
better condition of things for tenants-for, mat
ter who gains, they are generally the losers.
Tradesmsn and mechanics can strike for higher
wages, and their employers, as we have seen, have
generally to accede to their demands; but who.
ever heard Of the tenants combining in body,
and striking for q reduction of rents? They
are completely at the mercy of their land
lords; and they have to submit, no matter
how unwillingly, to their terms. II the rents
we're made more uniform throughout the city there
is little doubt that the number Of removals would be
materially lessened; but afraid the day is far
distant that will see a uniformity in the value Of
houses on Manhattan island. Meantime, as moving
is at present the order Of the day. the only thing we
can do is to prepare for il the best way we can.