The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-10-18
RENT FREE.
THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HOUSE IN THE
cITy-TENANTs WHO FEAR NO LANDLORD

THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HOUSE IN THE
CITY-TENANTs WHO FEAR NO LANDLORD
ONE SIDE OF THE NEITHER SIDE.
Probably the most remarkable house In tho Nine
teenth precinct is No. 307 East Forty sixth street.
II IS plain brick double tenement, four stories in
height, intended to accommodate four families on
each floor the Railways and staircases are in tho
centre of the building To the casual observer from
the street tho house is not notccably different from
It's neighbors, except that tho windows are broken
ana the shutters in very dilapidated condition
In front of tho house, on each sidc OF the
stoop, Is that was enclosed
by nm iron railing and intended grass plot The
ratings broken the grass plot has become an
ash bed The stoop itself battered and orekcn and
Is at avenue loading into tho abodes OF vice and
degradation within Inside tho house battles dcscrip
ton. Tho floors in most OF tho apartments arc
covered with filth; In some OF them to tho
depth OF an inch or more. In many the plastering
has been Knocked of the walls. exposing tho
bare lathing as tho decorations Of tho apart
mont. The doors have boon battered by the vigor-
efforts OF the inmates to pay visits to their neigh
there is not perfect panel IN tho building
Everywhere the hand OF tho destroyer is apparent,
the inmates seeming only occupy the house for tho
purpose oil securing its destruction
WHO OWNS THIS HOUSED
least collector puts in appearance when rent day
round, and of the tenants II tenants they
be called, has paid any rent for than year.
AS there is fear apparently Of civil JUSTICES
shall ejecting the inmates through warrant Of dis
possession, tho Board of Health has found 1t neces-
sary interfere from sanitary Considerations and
examination has been made under the direction OF
the Board. In view OF all this HERALD reporter
visited the house yesterday and explored It's urty
apartments and nasty stairways. AS no approached
tho stoop no saw old man, apparently blind,
standing on tho upper step. The sidewalks both
sides OF thestrect were filled with men, women and
children.
OF tho bystandors.
floor, and Ia boss OF No. 307," was tho answer.
Fortified with this information the reporter passed
the old man and knocked at tho door OF his apart
ment. His knock was answered BY a stout. short
woman, with her sleeves rolled up and her arms
aklm1o. sne was apparently ,nasp1seo 70 ai,ow inc
81 am DOCTOR" he said, sand have como to look
at the house."
Walk in, your honor.n was tho reply. s.I'n show
you everything that is 10 BIO seen.'
Looking about tho apartment the reporter saw
the hs ordinary y convenience Of tho homes Of
tho poor There wcro some pieces OF "fur-
nure but i So they were s n nonassorp.
ana unmistakable wcrc The large heaps OF hltn AID
garbage in the corners
led the way through dark passage, offensive to
the efactores into another IN the roar Of
tho first floor. This ROOM though not SO nthy as tho
the reporter had just left, was entirely untur
nshcd.
.sDo you occupy tho whole floor through ?" the re-
Eyes, your honor" tho answer; 1--WE couldn't
get along with less loom"
''You SOON TO DO very comfortable hore at any
rate"
Eyes. and eloss US, We hope tho doctors won't sa
attbcr disturbin' US.
Ma
The reporter assembled tho stars. On tho first
landing he mot no QUO, all the doors being closed
sweet sixteen whose face was covered with Dirt and
whose hair had probably been banged by base ball
club.
~ am looking for tho housekecpcr, said tho rc-
porter accosting the beauty.
sob, she lives down stairs, sir, ono 1ight?
stAre there many families IN tho housep"
"Lct me Sec IN count tnem-one, three nve'
"Who lives on this loorP Can you tell me 2"
.'MCGuG tho grcenbacker, hvcs IN there, she an
swcred, pointing to front APARTMENT. s'say, Nc
Cuff. sho said, pounding on the door, "hercs scn-
McGuG, tho groonbackcr, opened the door, but sui
leny refused 70 answer any Questions that were put
him. lie evidently feared that tho reporters visit
bcdcd good TO the tenure by which no holds his
present apartments. MsGuG, the greenOackcr. was a
IN regard to him alter no reached the street.
ION, McGua Is rng merchant" said one Of his
neighbors; SHAT IS, no goes round with bag and
"But Why do they call him tho greonOacker ?"
swell, you see, grcenback speaker5 up here nre
scarce, and McGuH makes good speech, and SO the
green6pck party round here rather depends him.
THE u0UsEKEEPER's STORY.
Tho reporter mado visit to the roputcd house
Keeper OF this happy family (that Is happy family
there be doubt, tor while he was In the house
kocpcr's department there Tree hight among tho
children STAIRS the noise was more dcafen-
ing IN every way than would have been made half
o dozen elevated railroads). Whenever there a
lu the reporter put question to the housekeeper.
us II true that the tenants OF this house pay no
rcnt 70 any bodyf"
ssrhcrc is nobody to pay II to-"
show long has this been tho case -
sIt year last July"
sIs thore no aecnt2"
ssraere was agent Nj. Farrell, but he said no
wasn't going to bother any with tho property.
l said him, what shall do with the house, sir
Farrcllf ana he said, says he, do the best you
with It, Mrs. Mccormack And haven't seen him
since, 81. ~
s.rhcn, thcro's no landlord"
s.Divil bitn said Mrs. Mccormack, sand wo'ro not
getting on very well without one"
On the corner OF Forty-sixth street and Second av-
enue tho reporter saw Oflccr Flynn, on whose boat
this remarkable house Is situated.
sWhat Is the character Of the house No. S077 ~ no
asked
at Is full Of bad people, worry noisy and trouble
some. 1 am compelled to drag somebody out there
ncarly every night Sec that man with his head out
OF tho windows he is an ugly customer. and tho
blind man is bad as any them. The house gives
more trouble than any block in tho precinct don't
know who owns II, but nobody pays any rent, and
there is y iree fight there overy uight."