The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-04-14

drawn Dy HiSu auIHViitJ AZ @n0 SAAO Wy ,
and presented by that old and respectable
journal, the Sunday Times"
PICTURE OF CoLoRED TENEMENT HOUSES BY THE
SATANIC PRESS.
The habitations of the colored popula-
ton, with the exception, Of course, of those
who are beyond the vicissitudes of lite OF
labor, are generally of the most wretched
description. The bulk of the population
is to be found in West Broadway and the
adjoining streets, where they are crowded
into broken down, dilapidated houses, of
the most unhealthy description. The in
side of one of these habitations is still less
inviting than the exterior; and as an effort
is apparently made to clean them, it would
appear as if they ought to be the fruitful
sources of disease. The appearance of the
inmates correspond with that of the local
ity, which, as we have stated, is one of the
worst in the city.
PICTURE OF WHITE TENEMENT HOUSES BY AN
OLD, RESPECTABLE WHITE JOURNAL.
In Manhattan Place, between Goerick
6LT6GL duu tLC IIdOI AlfClJ 6lciAuo a OAONA
known as the Barracks" The buildings
are three stories high. In the narrow,
dingy rooms of this abominable structure,
the repulsive effects of filth and darkness
were noticed by the Legislative Commit
tee, at their examination, in the almost in
credible swarms of house vermin, over-run-
ming walls, floors, and ceilings. Some of the
tortured occupants complained of their in
ability to sleep at night. Their haggard
looks attested the truth of what they said,
and it was further indicated by unmistake-
able evidence; for the walls of several
rooms, recently lime-washed, exhibited
broad crimson stains, the marks of conflicts
with myriads of insects throughlong night
watches of the wretched people. The
rafters and walls of these houses, like many
others inspected, harbored such incomputa-
BILE numbers of vermin, that it is plain no
cleaning process but fire, reducing all to
ashes, can ever eradicate the pest.
PICTURE OF coLoRED TENEMENT HOUSES BY THE
SATANIC PRESS.
Within the last four or five years an at
tempt has been made to improve the con-
dition of the poorer class of the colored
population by furnishing them with better
habitations-an attempt which, we believe,
has succeeded to some extent. Mr.. Robert
B. Minturn has built large tenement
house in Mott street, near Canal street,
which is one of the largest, if not the
largest in the city. 1t is completely fire
proof, and has accommodations for about
one hundred families. The building is so
constructed that each family has its dwell
ing as completely separate from the rest as
if it lived in palatial mansion on the Fifth
avenue, which is rather strong improba-
bility, but which will nevertheless answer
just as well for the comparison. Then it
is we'll ventilated, which is more than can
be said of any other tenement house In
each dwelling there are three apartments
one of which answers for the purpose of a
kitchen and a sitting room, while the other
two are generally occupied as bedrooms.
Some have two, some have three, and
others have as many as five occupants
while the whole population in the house is
about three hundred and fifty. The occu.
pations of the greater part of the inhabi.
tants is housekeeping, washing and iron.
ing, and such like housework.
PICTURE OF WHITE TENEMENT HOUSES BY AN
OLD, RESPECTABLE WHITE JOURNAL.
Most of the lowest class tenant houses
have deep basement and cellar apartments
1t is calculated that between twenty-five
and thirty thousand souls live under ground
in the city of New York.
In Mulberry street, near the "Five
Points, stands large tenant-house, dila-
pidated and dangerous in the extreme
Reconstructed through its interior, from
an old wooden church, and used by a Bap-
fist society, it has been adapted for dwell,
ing purposes in the most careless manner.
The sewer connection is four-inch pipe
wholly inadequate as a conductor. Eighty
fUe apartments in this fabric contain more
than one hundred families, numbering
three hundred and ten persons. The base
ment is entered by shattered steps, five
feet two inches below the street level.
Families dwell in the vaults of this base
ment, and pay So per month for the damp,
destructive quarters. On the fifth floor of
this building, $3.50 per month is charged
for an apartment. The entire howell is
sub-based and partitioned with pine boards
its entries and passages are dark and
cramped; its, walls, floors, and ceilings are
of such infammable materials that, in case
of fire, it would be impossible to prevent a
general conhagration Should such a
calamity take place at night, scores of the
unfortunate inmates must perish in their
beds, and few of the whole number could
find egress through the narrow passages.
"The underground residences of the
people is a sad calamity to this city," says
DIR. John W. Francis, testifying before the
Senate committee.
"In many of them," (the cellar residen-
ces) says DIR. Samuel Ralston, 81 was
obliged to wade my way upon bricks be-
fore could stand upon the floors, for the
water would cover my feet. I remember,
especially, two cases, where the patients
were almost devoured alive by rats in
those cellars"