New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
POLITICAL ROW" GOING
ONCE FAMOUS RESIDENCE SECTION
GIVING WAY TO TENEMENT-HoUsEs.
~ BLOCK IN sEvENTH-Sr. WHERE MANY
PROMINENT POLITICIANS ONCE LIVED
TRADITIONS OF THE ROW"

TRADITIONS THE ROW."
Political Row" is approaching its end To
sne majority Of New-Yorkers this announce
6ent full OF Importance and curious Significance
- u q. Will have no meaning. for few besides
tnose intimately connected with the civic strife
Oh the last quarter century have ever heard OF
such a locality. and those that have would not
Know where to search for It, Yet ever since be-
fore the war 1t has been block Of unique dis
JUNCTION For thirty yesrs every householder
on 1t Cor nearly every one the exceptions being
too few to be notable) was a politician Of genu-
Inc prominence. and, strangely enough, as the
years rolled on and the character of the district
changed. tenement-houses coming to right and
ielt, political Row. remained unchanged
1t is only just now that it's downfall has begun
The block in the city that has stood longest
thoroughly residence district Of excellent class
has at last been seized by speculative build
ers. and tenement-houses planned. and
actually beginning to arise. where the quaint
old houses stood for so long. The work OF
demolition will be gradual, of course for even
IN New-fork. except for some vast building
project the old cannot be swept away in the
twnlling Of eye, but 1t has already begun
and lighthouses will rise steadily upon the old
site.
This famous double row OF houses-for "Politi-
cal Row" has always meant both sides Of the
street though the houses to the north sheltered
the greatest politicians-s in a part of New
York that is less known about than any other
the Dry Dock region" 1t lies between Hous-
ton AMI Fourteenth SITS. and east of Avenue b.
where that highway of East Side trade strikes
Tompkins Park. the parade ground of the
sixties The average New Yorker thinks he has
gone a long way east when ne comes upon
Third-ave between Fourteenth and Houston
SITS However. there is a great world beyond this
Little Germany" and Little Hungary centre
around Avenue A. and still further eastward
bo-
coming a seat of Hungarian tenements with the
Hebrews beginning to crowd into it. but twenty
hve years ago a district that was American to
the backbone.
WHERE THE ROW STANDS
Directly in the centre Of this the old Political
Row stands. 1t Is the block Of Seventh-st
that lies between Avenues c and d. and though
. tenement region. together with factories and
yards. surrounds 1t on four sides. II Is still the
peaceful neat residence street Of 1860 lined
with three-story- and attic houses OF red brick
Within these houses substa ntial as they
are without buildings OF fine window castings
and door frames and artistic mantels yet with
curious narrow halls and low Ceilings all the
woodwork being painted white as was the old
New-York style. Both within and without they
show themselves to be houses Of character
The history of the block Is a somewhat re-
markable one Built in the fifties when the DRY
Dock region" was distinct and wel-known
part OF New-York 1t came to be the fashion a BILE
uv1ng place OF that locality. Fourth and Fifth
sts had claims at that time as residential sec
lions. too. but they never had the standing of
Seventh-st. In the early days OF Manhattan
Island what afterward came to be the DRY Dock
region was swampy ground but long before
this II had been filled in. The men that made the
district were a class distinct by themselves-the
shipbuilders iron and dock men, In sight and
sound OF their hammers along the waterfront
these master workmen and owners built them
selves homes. and the profits OF the sea
Political Row was builded up.
Fathers and sons Of this stock plunged into
politics at once With the substantial little fort
unes already gained. the young men could afford
TO study. dabble in primary contests and wait for
political recognition. Though for years practi-
cally every house in the block sheltered a politi-
cal aspfrant. nearly all honors But what
ever prominence the men attained. and however
the city grew. the old homes continued in exist
ence. and judges county officials and ATTORNEYS
kept their homes as they had always been
THE FIRST REMOVAL.
The present residents OF Political Row" can
yet recall the excitment about twenty years
ago when Harvey Calkins. whose term in Con-
eress had just expired. announced his intention
OF moving uptown Such thing had never been
q in 10 Of