Morning journal and courier., 1880-04-21

A '" "h NJ " CS1 SAAo AAAIh
 Owners-Che Little Colony Fron, tha
 Zuyser Zee-E8sE DOgs Versus a Isaiitsf
 Pulling Doxgn IOyeIs About the
 Ears of the Stubborn Occupants
 From the New York Timesl
 In that portion of the city of Now York embraced in the district bounded by Fifty ninth street and One Hundredth street, Eighth avenue and the North river, there lives IF ot- lev population of not less than 10 900 perso onS called s'squatters" They dwell in shanties huddied together in groups of neightorhoods, and erected either with or without permission of the owners of the land This population is composed of rag-pickers, peanut vsnders, street peddlers knife grinders, laborers, idlers, and vagrants. As 8 rule these people arc hon est. They represent every nationality, although the Irish and Germans predominate lu some instances families of the same nationality con gregate in one neighborhood, forming an sx- elusive community, on which the people of another nationality dare not intrude. Here they preserve the customs, habits, and dress of their mother country. Near Eighty first street such colony of Hollandsrs have built their huts. This locality is known through out the squatter district as Ashville, from the fact that the ground has been favorite dump ing place for ashes. It has no sewerage, and the filth from the dwellings, added to the de- caying garbage, which has also been dumped here in large quantities, creates in waru2 weather an extremely offensive odor. The people of Ashville have their own school house their own school master. and their own priest and chapel. h dress, habits, and language they are genuine Dutchmep, and visitor might almost be persuaded that he had been suddenly translated to the marshy plains of their original Zuydsr Zee.
 Some of these squatters have lived in this district dozen years or more, and they come to belisvs that their squatter rights supe- rior to the rights of the owners of the laad. This belief has especially taken strong hold upon the minds of the Irish peasants of Sev- enty- ninth street. Whenever the proprietor of any of this territory desires his land vaoat ed by these squatters, that he may erect dwelling houses thereon, he has usually to re- sort to the courts, procure a judgment of eviction against the tenant, and then invoke the power of the law against them. These prosecutions are based upon Chapter 396 of the Laws of 1857, entitled, ''An act to punish nuisances and malicious trespasses on lands" This act makes it Q misdemeauor punishable by fine or Imprisonment for any person to build hovel, hut or shanty, upon the prom ises of another without authority from the owner. According to the provisions Of the same act, it is a misdemeenor for tha squatter to remain upon the premises moro than ten days after receiving notice to quit. The own CT is also empowered to pull down the squat ter's hut after the expiration of the time spec flied in the notice.
 DurlnQ the yeHES lOiIOHlD3 tIo phlIC Ol 1873, New York real estate became 8 drug upon the market. The owners of land found themselves unable to dispose of their choice lots except at great sacrifice. They found themselves burdened with heavy taxes. Un- der these circumstances they were willing to adopt almost any plan which would relieve themselves from this burden. The rcadiest means of doing this they found to be the leasing of their lots to these poor tenants to build huts upon. From scattered novels thsre grew up Ut last whole communities within this district. Some of the more thriving of these squatters became landlords themselves by building whole rows of novels, which they rented to their poorer countrymen. With the increase of population in this dis trict csme all the evils now complained of by the land owners. The return of prosperity found their property unsalable and rapidly becoming permanently injured. The pits and holes in the surface were being filled with decaying matter, which would forever render 1t unfit for the foundation of respectable dwellings, Ponds of rocking filth collected everywhere and became stagnant. The ele- evated railways sprang into existence, and the tax-impoverished landowners found that while property was selling north and east of this district they were getting no customers, while improvements wsre being rapidly made on all sides of it. It became necessary to take decisive action. meeting of West Side let-owners was called, and the following agreement was entered into We, the under signed owners of property within the district bounded by Fifty ninth street and Eighth avenue, One Hundred and Twenty fifth street and Manhattan street and the Hudson river, hereby promise and agree that, by or before the first day of May, 1880, we will cause to be removed all shanties and other temporary frame buildings from any lots belonging to us within the district named" To this agreement all the lot-own- CTS of any consequence, within the boundaries of the territory mentioned, subscribed. Ten thousand of these squatters will be required to leave their homes by the time indicated or suffer the consequences. The lot-owners found that unless concerted action was taken nothing could be accomplished, for the squat ters, when removed from one owners proper ty, would go over to the property of another owner, and the first mans lots would be no more eligible for sale or building purposes than they were befors The West Side Asso- citation also took the matter up and adopted co operative measures. bill was prepared and presented to the Legislature, which is ex- pected to pass this week, extending the fire limits of the city so that no wooden buildings can be erected in this district, and, when the