The Red Cloud chief., 1880-07-29
What q New York Census EnumeratOr
Sees

A REPORTER of the ECeninQ Post re-
accompanied one of the census
enumerators in his tour through a num-
Der of houses in Baxter and Bayard
As an illustration of the dense
population in this part of the city, it
be said that at noon yesterday the
enumerator had completed his work in
Aven hundred and t%wenty-seven
names, an average of forty-nine names
in kh house, and even this is not a
fair Vs1mate, as in two or three of the
houses families who could nOL cpo"A a
word of English, aud who had recently
moved in. were found who could not
give any information concerning them
selves, nor could any Of the neighbors
give it for them. In Baxter street, be-
tween Leonard street and Bottle Al
lev" a number of dilapidated wooden
and brick novels we're found, inhabited
by the very poorest and most degraded
class of Italians and negroes. In the
basement of one of these novels
an Italian kept what he styled a
..hotel." Here in a dirt and
smoke begrimed room four or five feet
below the level of the sidewalk q dozen
or fifteen men and women were seated
or standing drinking stale beer. The
proprietor of the "hotel" said that
these men and women were his ''bOard-
ers." In another house a colony OF
Maltese were found who could not
speak a word of English, and no inter
prefer could be found to make known
the errand of the census-taker. In q
rear house on Bayard street. near the
corner of Baxter, a large number OF
Polish Jews were assembled, and in
each family were from four to eigh,
children. Abraham. Sarah and Rache
were the names most frequently record
ed in this neighborhoOd. At first some
of the women. who were generally n
home. were inclined to refuse informa
ton, but when the purpose for which
this information was desired Was fully
explained to them, generally through
the agency of one of their children
they answered all questions readily. II
several cases only young girls wer'
found at home, and they answered TIT
questions of the enumerator in 3 bolt
manner and joked with him about hi
work (; one asked him If he would ma
Nv her or procure her . n~ice-lookin,
husband If she would tell her age truly
One woman who was in charge OF
small grocery store in the basement Q
. Bayard street tenement said in repl
to the request of the euumerator TO
her name, IL don't know my name no
nv husbands name." The threat @
the Enumeration 70 call in an officer an
arrest her, however, had the effect Z
stirring up her memory, and she CAV
j III information desired. On tn
door of the same house . tamil
fish Jews were found. Here. in
5m measuring about twelve fet
duare, four grown persons and six chi
dren were sitting about . table eatin
their dinner. A pan Of fish was cool
ing ON the stove, and the floor ".
covered with dirt, and . child about
wear and q half old sat on . bundle
dirty rags in q cradle gnawing . piet
lof ssschWartz brod." The child's fa.
vss covered with dirt and sores. ~
she whole appearance of the room ind
Gated tho most abject poverty. II
enumerstor received the names
: Abraham and Sarah his wife. the
seven children and . boarder and Il
tie foom-
On one lot about eighteen feet
{ TWIN in Bayard street there we
sfnun6s 1hrea houses-a Wretched dila
nannd ftame building on the front
III leur-story brick building.
- poar HndA three-story brick bun
5 UI6Way b1eWeeu them. In tne