The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-27
LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.

Disfrtcts-rhe k1ch ana the Poor
Lnndlords-Humanity Pract1sed by
Manga Cruel SeasOn-LandiOrds Who
Wait for Their Rents and Landlords
Who Don't,
In such crisis as the one we are now passing
through, when so large portion Of the population
Is idle per force, and when misery stalks through
the city with Its gaunt form, the question Of the
relations between landlords and tenants becomes
q question OF the highest Importance both to the
rich and to the poor. To the poor, because they
are dependent; to the rich, because they must
naturally lose much OF their expected gains
The question of rent was one OF the first that was
publicly preached when 1t became apparent that
the season was going to be one Of suffering; and
at the famous meeting Of the InternatOnals at the
Cooper Institute one OF the main points the Com
mittee Of Safety was to accomplish was the reduc-
ton OF rents, and indeed, their extinction until
certain period-May /, we believe. or course these
Utoplan schemes passed like the Idle wind, be-
cause they were
IMPRACTICABLE;
but enough was done to show the idea which eX-
listed uppermost in the popular mind-how to
pa; rent and how to remain with roof over
the head. The question was one which went
hand In hand With the question of bread; and 1t is
hard, indeed, to say which is the most i'm
portant OF the two. To be homeless Is
even something more terrible than to be
hungry. To wander the streets Of this great city
on winters night, or TO seek lodging in
station house, Ii even more terrible than to be
without IOod to put in the month. To obtain the
little food which will keep life in the body is easy
compared with the trouble Of paying out sum OF
money for rent, which appears fortune when
nothing Is doing.
For the purpose OF discovering the real relations
existing at present between the poor tenants and
the landlords OF the tenement houses OF the middle
wards OF the city HERALD reporter made round
OF these 10 endeavOr to md out II the cruetieS
practised by landlords really came up to the
standard that was reported, Or whether, on the
other hand, decent moderation was shown by
them.
In an interview held by the reporter with Cap
tain Mount, Of the seventh precinct, one OF
THE BIGGEST TENEMENT HOUSE DISTRICTS
little streets running down on the east side from
infested neghborhoods as Scanned Cherry, Ham,
llton and other streets OF ike character Captain
Mount CASEY sae siat
place this winter. He said -
Il have noticed that the landlords as general
thing, have been humane towards their tenants in
allowing them to run along with their rents. In
such season this 1t would be quite useless TOR
them to be otherwise, and they probably calculate
that they had better Keep bad tenants, who VIII
doubt pay them in the end, to putting these out
nnd % ths e asr vacant 40 lot rooms
present and II they once get vacant apartments
they are likely TO remain so at least for this sea-
course and determined to be lenient for the pres
ent. They Will not probably lose much in the end
spring season comes on and business revives
those tenants Will be able TO pay their rents With
out any
Now II they were forced TO pay them they would
sands, and the humanity OF the landlords is well
considered, and has saved much misery to the
poor"
district.
ment house proprietors is Mr.. stephen Lovejoy,
who has blocks OF buildings at James and
roe, and whole block in Monroe street,
between Gouverneur and Scammel, and stretch
together the property Of Mr. Loveioy in tene.
ment houses is estimated at $1.o0o,O00 These ten
ements are weli built and clean, and are mainly
what Is known as "dOuble'' tenement houses.
They are tour and five stories high, and will &C
commodate four families on moor, though In
some cases families take the floors through.
run from SIS to $50 per month, and the buildings,
which are worth at good estimate $4,000 each n
Some even bring as much as $1,000, but as gen.
eral rule medium between the first two may be
cases, were found by the reporter to be owing
rent--some OF the tenants for two months, but no
case oil ejectment could be substantiated The
proprietor Of the houses collects his rents through
an agent. who calls monthly and who has every
thing to do and say as to the debts which may
be made and tue course when shall be taken
with the tenants. The janitors OF these build
ings have nothing to do with collecting moneys.
One o. the largest tenement houses IN the district
Is owned by MI. Henry Sergh In SCANNED. be-
tween Water aud Cherry streets. This is very
large house, and yields the proprietor $4,000 In
ordinary tunes Its value may be $4,000. II Is
kept as clean as circumstances permit, and Is
tenanted in the same manner as the tenements
generaly-that Is, by TOUR families on each noor.
Here they do not complain Of any undue severity
as to their rents.
FEW OF THE ROOMS ARE VACANT,
and the tenants are NANNY OF long standing.
COMMISSIONER Duryee owns tenement houses on
Cherry street, which are conducted much on the
same plan, agents collecting che rents. General
william Miles, President OF the SiXpenny Savings
Bank, also owns tenements on Monroe street, be.
tween ocammel and jackson. They are manly
full, and the tenants, though they owe money for
rent in many cases, have not been disturbed. In
some tenement houses visited In the same ward
the people did not actually know the names of the
owners OF the houses they occupied, doing the
business OF paying the rents entirely with the
agents.
In some other tenements Visited but where the
landlords seemed 10 be small people living entirely
on the income derived from the tenements they
owned. the janHor janitress collected the rent
Some OF these houses were met with IN Eldridge
street, near Grand. 1t was noticeable tnat IN TINS
case the landlords were harder with the tenants.