The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-18

| OOO,0OO The tenement houses and apartment
houses cost together almost 800 100000. OF
| throe-fourths. Tho growth OF the stores has
been at the steady rate OF s3ooo,O00 to $4,000
| 90 year. Last year the cos ran IN to almost
s6.0OOOO0. The cost OF the office buildings has
varied, as the cost Of few big Office buildings
cost over s2n,00O.04O. In the case of the Office
| buildings the estimates fell below the coat
o ha the 81 eos
$2O,O0O,000 and the theatres about $l1 100000.
THE IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY.
Tho figures OF the Building Department and
the city Directory show What any one who has
residential and business portions OF tho city
have greatly changed and greatly improved in
ten years. The old-time tenement house is
going out more and more, with the exception
OF certain quarters on tho east side. which are
not as large now rs they were then. the over
d decreased. Tie buidinS laws have been 9 I'M
proved since then, and the Board OF Health.
care that every family has enough living and
sleeping room and sufficient sanitary arrange
only only SO much land il Manhattan Island, and
practically covered with buildings. The
bSng In sTs Of h%s come ba rS 91nbs
decEsd house ns was Hardly Known in 1850. Tiers
were few OF them. but they contained no ap-
greciable part OF the population OF the city.
ment houses. There were few houses with
more than one family whore sanitary arrange;
overcrowding and high death rate in conse-
quence Many OF the houses which were
dsns w he soap
and high roof. A family was lodged on each
floor. including the basement and the, attic.
The rooms were old the plumbing insufficient.
the drainage bad and the death rate high In
Torn down bv the hundred there are now mod
ern tenement houses in which the same space
holds ten Families of FIVE The
., u sven young school Children. TIis IS the
floor. with 2 large lot. small hall SPACE but
with yin I'D In every room. A.. The cellars are
sionally resides in them. A small shop has
taken the place Of the frst-foor family On
With from tGree to seven looms Tor each There
are now fewer families living in the Same
IN Thsss
and better regulation Of the sanitary cond-
lions, the death rate In these tenement houses
among private families In some quarters;
The Improvement in the physical condition
York on their wages has. been ACCOMPANIED
with better opportunities for their enjoyment
we're neht seh9os in s6 but only T
system OF night schools has developed into
night grammar schools, night high school.
and night lectures and night entertainments,
Which baT or waking
rles and museums, which though impertecuy
open l%, to the people who work IN the day time,
ss ee ss es and e ec
lures. There are more holidays. Labor Day
and .Arbor Day were unknown then, The Or
trades, the more skilful ones. but not in many
The knights OF Labor were then growing rap.
idly. Now It Is the American Federation OF
Labor that is the powerful labor body. The
hours OF labor have been reduced somewhat
and there Is strong movement to reduce
them still more.
PRICES HAVE GONE DOWN.
ing O' people t''i to live in New York. The
prices Of most articles. Of food have fallen par
With are sh less now than they were them The
prices Of luxuries have also fai lien. Even the
cost Of transportation around the city has on
time then. and only charges five cents now.
railroads then The Old stages numbered |
along Broadway. and there was no street-car |
line there with Its millions OF passengers and
Besides these material comforts. inventions |
have decreased the, cost Of OF things that were |
or confined to, the wealthy. The telephone had
Now there are thousands OF telephones In the |
city; The long-distance telephone was I'M
known; Inc phonograph was not even the Toy |
mat II mas been Tor several years. and It's prac-
teal use was not developed.
Win this increase In comfort and greater
Kept step. Many neighborhoods which were
ihen known as the haunts OF the vicious and
stores. and resnectabIe tenement houses. The
building w OF the city has done more TO break
Rp ne gangs than any legislation. The
worst parts Of New H YorS. Tie eX X OF Of
ne nark syst, system and the purchase by the city
mon use have, changed other neiGhborhoods
greatly for the better, A park and a stale beer
diminish crime. The neignborhoods which
were given over to tho social evil have been TO
q great extent changed and are now occupied
quarters OF the silk trade and the upper part Of
the Dry goods district have wiped out many
old-time resorts.
PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS IMPROVED.
The police force has increased at the rate OF
mont has incre ased about half as much The
Department Of Education has grown in great
N the annexed district There are flity.tiye
ier Companies, twelve battaiions in ali. At
he time OF the last census there was not an
low the neighborhood is s. We'll built i HE up.
Where the furthest-aTay COMPANY is now, on
Rlyerdale aySnIS there Was only few
'ighty eight schools OF other classes. not iu-
'luding the Nautical School. the Normal Col
Ssge. and the College Of the CITY OF New York
schools has increased, until this year they viii
eceiye from tho city A,5uO0OO without includ-
ng tho allowances Tor free lectures and for
tricty included In tho old school system.
The courts. too. have increased with the
.rowth Of the city, There are now eleven dis
Htt courts. thu annexed district, which was
hardly Il part Of the city in 1850, having court
III by Itself.
In rharitable institutions, hospitals. asylums,
efuges' houses, OF mercy and industry. and
Missions, there has been one OF tho greatest
Increases. There are lSl homes, hospitals,
nd asylums. or one for every 10000 PEOPLE.
This includes only the public and wel-known
Institutions. and not small private ones. This
record which. II is believed. il not sur
assed by any other city.
FINANCIAL GROWTH
New York has become more than over tie
nRncia cen 10 OF the country. New banks
ave been started thu old ones have increased |
no amount OF the daily olearlpGs has In
lsRsed even moro proporttonately, than the I
opulatIOn. lie working capital loans and !