The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-28

i
Union ! ask the permission of the Court to enter
noe prosequi upon the which shall hand
the Clerk and which do not include any person holding
an efaciaf relation to the British government
The Court granted the permission asked for by Uni
| ted States District Attorney.
The Legislative Committee ON Tenant Houses
! A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE FIVE POINTs-KELsEY's
ALLEY-sTATE STREET BARRACKS AND sEBAsTO-
POL IN BROOKLYN-THE MODEL WORKIN0MRN's
HOME ON ELIZABETH STREET.
The Committee of the State Legislature-Mr. John NJ
Reed, Of Kings county, chairman-appeinted to nves-
gate into the condition Of the tenant houses o. New
York. met yesterday 1t 10 A. NJ at the Office Of ths
Clerk Of the Common Council, City Hall.
Subsequent to calling the committee to order the
Chairman stated that account Of the limited interval
elapsng before the termination Of the present egsa
term and the necessity for the presence Of the committee
at Albany they should not be able to give that time to
the personal inspection Of the tenant houses OF New
York they had at first proposed What they had looked
through on their prior visit they supposed air
sample of the worst class Of tenemens the city afforded
look through Of the best class tenements Of the
city would therefore, have to suffice for the present,
with the addition Of q brief survey of the tenant
houses of Brooklyn-to this city they having been
required to extend their Investigation by resolution
passed since their former visit to New York They
should give day to hearing statements Of landlords
end tenant house builders to the bsst plan the
lure OF tenant houses which would have
conclude their investigation previous making their
ort called upon to do before the close Of tho pre-
ing farther with New York, would arst take look
through few of the leading Objectionable districts OF
Mr.. r. c. Downing Superintendent Of Sanitary nspec-
tcn OF New York, who conducted The COMMITTEES their
recent inspection tour desired the committee to
themselves that they had not the worst of
tenant houses Of New York before concluding this
Of their inquiry, to look with him into of the
Mr. Shea. Of Richmond county, urged that descyip
of the class Of ter es,ents in this Vicinity and their
graded inmates had been sufficiently multiplied to leave
no one msinfcrmed of the character Of the buildings
their occupants.
eneed and accurate in It's revolving details could
the purpose that impress ion on the mind produced
by actual personal observation.
II finally decided, while carriages were being got
in readiness to convey the committee to Brooklyn TO Ad
ourn the Five Points and terminate their investga
ion, begun into the worst class OF tenant houses with
thorough survey of Omega of this class Of teneent
as shown in this locality.
The place destined to be honored with the envi.ble
and unwonted presence and personal inspection
Of high State officials four story brick house. stu
sted in what Is now called Mission place more recently
ment Of the ended once bearing the unmetropo
tan appellaton Of Cow Bay The house At present has
flying 1t from its conspicuous elevation above
the houses adjacent II looms up conspicuousy above
mitee nesred the locality manifest hustle and surprise
was All along apparent. Old women, with gray caps
their beads out Of Windows .ded prostitutes aud
founded with bewderment to the probable intent Of
the unaccustomed Ietnue Of vsters approaching
The committee, with Mr. Downing 1t their head, and
some dirty ragged boys in rear the house
before mentioned. narrow hail, terminating in per.
spective darkness, greeted their entrance.
"And, jabers what ye after coming here P'
inquired stout bury irishman, thrusting his big un-
the risht-aoDy body been mur,hs1sd - 49, 10 :
Mr.. Downirg enlightened the nqusitive Hbernian as
to the object OF their visit and asked to be allowed to
look first through his apartment which thersupon
politely complied with. room was entered ten ~
twelve feet IN dimension with six occupants innde II
a ,<Io II
room. The parties present were beside the original
Irishman obtrudirg himself from the door, another
two o boy and o
table and chair few Goals in furnace the
only fire in the apartment The remaining rooms to the
toImost story found similarly tenanted with white
persons and negroes promscuousy. Tatters and filth
and utmost destitution only revealed itself
such as only full ard detailed account could give "a
adequate conception Of. The lower rooms
almost totally dark from being contiguous the WALL
Of an adjoiniog building There ventilation.
The Of IL six sbillings week for the
front apsrm. nts and Eve sbilngs week for those in
Mr. Downing offered to show the committee through
other tenementa bad, but none worse than the
they had just looked through If they desired They
pressed themselves satisfied and beat hasty retreat to
the City Inspectors Office. Here carriages wait
reporters still bearing them company proceeded to
| Brooklyn, to enter upon their preconcerted tour.
the sshed 10 call on Mayor Hail. The Mayor
expressed his delight at seeing them, and mani ested his
eadness to afford them every facility to extend their
efeaIches. He announced the fact that having
| been made of their proposed vista IN,
| he had instructed the police captains OF tue
erent wares to prepare statement of al the tenant
houses In their respective dtrics with their general
0ndtioD, and the number OF persons occupying them
hese satements he promises TO have in readiness to
| forward to them in two three days. He informed
HEM AWHILE, that the worst class tenant houses
was in the First and Sixth wards Mr.. Reed said they
would look through few OF the buildings in these
wards, and for further information rely upon the pro-
missed statements of the police captains. Mayor Hail.
upoE parting With the committee placed Captain Wander
end officer Garrison OF the Third district ct the
service of the committee, escort The first place
looked into No. SO Columbia street. The only no..
ceable feature here the occupancy of bssemants
where IL stated the flowed In at intervals
There charged for such apsrtments-a small room
two bedrooms adjoir ipg-$ so month. Freeman,s
Hal-formerly 20 desenated-corner Of Columbia and
| Ami streets, the next builcipg examined The
building Ia large structure seventy feet on Colum ,a
| street. and fifty feet Amity street, built orRi-
| nally for a hall to be used for concerts dances
| and public meetings II IL now cut up into small
compartm ents OF variety Of sizes, and inconveni-
enoes with Of from four ak dollars per month
| for small room and bedroom school was Ia
building ced select school. II was select
deed II II meant selection Of he nosies and drti
est imaginable boys. An cid gentleman here surprised
the committee by bis protestsons that he the
Of an English noptman aud asking IL right for one
OF his noble bloc 70 live In such wretched apartments
Keteys alley formed he ensuing place of inspection.
This place slsti. In the City OF Churches contest
L n n Il Ia NJ a Yoxx