The New York herald., 1872-09-14
Raid by the Police on Miserable Structures in
Elm and Oak Streets and Removal
of the Inhabitants.
4 DESCRIPTION OF the PREMISES.
How the Poor of New York Huddle To-
gether in Habitations Unfit for
Human Occupancy.
THE WORK OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH

houses Nos A. A and 46 Elm street and the rear
houses % "a and 20 Oak street. The order for their
vacation was Issued some time ago by the Sanitary
Commissioner; but as 1t had not been complied
with the interference Of the police has been rem
dered necessary. The houses in Elm street were
first emptied, and the scene was pitiable as the
wretched inmates removed their furniture to the
sidewalk, bitterly protesting against what they
considered an unwarrantable piece OF persecution.
The police performed their painful duty with as
much humanity possible and did all they could to
alleviate the suierings OF the unfortunate beings
who were SO suddenly deprived Of the shelter
which, miserable as II was, was the only
one their poverty afforded to them. When
every article OF furniture had been removed
to the sidewalk the scene was truly heartrending
and dramatic, looking like picture OF Eugene
Sues "Mysteres OF Paris" The old women, 80
feeble that they were scarcely able to walk wept
bitterly and the younger women and children,
though not 80 demonstratve In their grief, were
almost rendered desperate by the predcament In
which they were placed. Every article, even to
the smallest, was carefully removed, and some
old relics, which the owners had kept from
happier days and which recalled tender memories,
were deposited as tendcrly ON the pavement as II
they had been herlOoms The houses, which are
unfit for beasts OF the forest to hudde together in,
far less human beings, were occupied by about six
poor families, and are owned by Messrs Faulkner
ana Johnson, "A Walker street. The houses on Elm
street were cleared first, and then the police
proceeded to Fishers lane, where the rear houses
of o. "a and 20 Oak street are situated. The news
OF what the police had been doing in Elm street had
got wind, and when they arrived In Fishers lane
q large crowd was waiting TO receive them in o
HIGHLY EXCITED CONDITION.
No obstacle was offered to the officers, however,
and they were allowed to proceed with their dis
agreeable duty. The lane is q narrow alley, run
ming beneath an arch formed by the houses 'front.'
Ing Oak street. Wolf Slberstein, Baxter street
Grimm ONcal, dirt contractors, lease the rear
property from him. The houses No. % are owned
by q Mrs Nugent, who lives In the front house,
which is In q much more cleanly condition than the
x description Of the above premises as they were
seen by a HERALD reporter may not be unintcrest-
ing, and will convey some idea to our wealthy mil
0nnaires now their poorer "fellow citizens' live.
ck and wooden a na has soo
the wear and tear OF numerous years. The timbers
Of the frame part are decayed and totterlng, and
holes that person runs in risk OF breaking his
neck at every step, The floors tremble under the
80 rotten that they afford no protection against
wind or rain The plastcrng of the walls and cell
ana snbecting tie syis inmates to unwhoesome
draughts The root is broken and decayed, and
admits the storm at all points This building was
joining structure, Is also
BRICK AND WOODEN STRUCTURE
and Is even In worse condition than Its neighbOr.
Looking at 1t from the street, one would wonder
how people, no matter to what degree OF misery
Within its walls but poverty is hard tssk,naster
and forces the unfortunate to have recourse to
straits that the prosperous and wealthy never
dream OF. The tmbers look as II they might at any
moment topple on to the sidewalk, and the doors,
windows and sashes have long s.ace seen their
better days. They are warped and shrunken, and
the roof Is only mockery OF the name. This miser
able hole was occupied " six families comprising
about as ory Sn oors NO. % T n OF
manner the window sashes and doors have ceased
to answer the purpose they were originally IN.
damaged and partially detached exposing the
lathing and rendering life dangerous from
The buildings on Oak street are equally loath-
some and disgusting in their interior and exterior,
and present the appearance OF conglomeration OF
BLACKENED BRICKS, RUINED TIMBERs
and long-gathered filth. The inhabitants were OF
the lowest strata in the social SCALE and made the
night hideous with the rows and fights they con-
stanty carried on. In the same vicinity there are
numerous other tenement houses which loudly call
for surveillance, and the Health Commissioners
are attending to them as fast as possible.
During the past month o number OF the tenement
houses in the Fourth and Sixth wards have been
reported as unfit for habitatiOn, but they have not
as yet been vacated. 36 and 35h Baxter street is
one Of these. It's two lower stories have fallen SO
cannot be occupied and are partially filled up with
the sidewalk The timbers have given way with
age, Wnlcn mas caused
THE FLOORS TO SINK.
The weatherboards are broken into fragments,
and permit the entrance OF wind and moisture
The stairs are decayed and dangerous. The rear
steps are like 30 many trapdoors and the window
frames and sashes are nearly numbered with the
things OF the past.
The building 30 and aeX Baxter street Is very
old and runOus wooden structure, two stories in
height IL is occupied by two families, and the
condition OF the building is such as to be dangerous
to life and detrimental to health. The timbers are
decayed and broken, portions Of the floors having
fallen down, causing the front OF the building to
tremble under the slightest fOotstep. The weather
boards are also warped and broken, and offer no
obstacle to the entrance OF the wind and rain. The
staircase and the steps are broken and danger
Gus. The window frames are extremly fratl and can
not be opened for ventilation, rendering the air in
side close and stlning particularly In hot weather
The building has been declared unfit for habtation,
and the health officers have recommended that 1t be
Immediately vacated. The owner Is Peter Lynch,
Al Vesey street.
street, SO Park street, 20 Baxter street and so
Baxter street, have oil been condemned, and II
they are not Immediately vacated steps will be
taken to enforce the law.
YESTERDAYS ACCIDENTS AND ASSAULTS