Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-25
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Vice Crusade Affects Price of East
Side Property.
POLITICIANS PROFIT BY CHANGE
Mayor Van Wyck Criticized for
the Flag Incident.
MIR. WI QUESTIONS d. B. HILL

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, January "a, 1901.
They are gambling on the vice PROPOSE
ton the East Side during these latter
days. 1t is an even wager that the present
crusade will not last beyond the dog days
of summer. 1t is certain that it is not like
1y to last longer than the next election, no
matter who is elected mayor. For even
during the Parkhurst-Roosevelt regime,
even during the palmiest days of the Mayor
Strong administration vice was not sup
pressed on the East Side. And everywhere
it is admitted that the Strong administra-
ton was the most respectable that New
York has had in many years or is likely to
have in many years to come.
Just at present the question under dis
cussion by the chamber of commerce COM
mttee Of fifteen and the Tammany Hall
committee Of five is the proposition of real
estate gamble as to just how long the pres
ent crusade against vice will continue One
of the most recent phases of illegitimate
land dealing that has been brought to the
attention of the committee Of fifteen is the
business OF buying up property vacated by
reason Of the recent pool raids. When the
houses We're closed up through the influence
of the police ito LETT signs were immedi-
ately put up, but although. more than a
month has elapsed since the red light
district within the Eldridge street precinct
has been made specifically clean, the own
ers of the houses have received no reason
able offers to rent the houses.
Houses Tabooed by All.
No new woman of doubtful reputation
will go into these houses while the present
police orders stand. and respectable families
will not occupy the places. because too
much annoyance would arise from mis-
takes. A family from another neighborhood
which did not know the reputation of the
places started to move in one of them the
other day. Half Of the furniture had not
some of the neighbors informed the head
Of the house of the previous character of
the place. The household goods were quick
~ put back in the van and the family
sought refuge elsewhere. About the only
kind Of business which Is suffering in the
red light district Is the saloon business,
and 1t Is said that as a result of the exist
ing order of things half of the proprietors
OF saloons In this district confess that
bankruptcy Is staring them in the face
However. as there are too many saloons in
that section Of the city already it is not
likely that anybody will shed any tears over
business troubles Of that character save the
landlords and the families of the saloon
keepers Immediately concerned.
Within the last week it has been noticed
that agents of certain Tammany Hall men
of influence have called upon the owners
of certain questionable properties and they
have commenced to buy this real estate at
rldiculously low prices. 1t is fair infer
ence that they merely intend to wait until
the storm blows over. When the owners
commenced to reject the offers of these
representatives OF Tammany Hall chief
tains these agents did not hesitate to say
that until certain number of the vacated
diSorderly houses in the locality changed
hands certain influence in the district
would see to it that no profitable tenants
hn
blackmail was so novel that 1t caught the
landlords by surprise. The owners well
knew what 1t meant to pay for protection,
but this stand and deliver proposition
staggered the landlords who had for years
grown wealthy from the most infamous
forms of vice. Accordingly, q number
yielded to the arguments of the agents, and
this particular property, which has been a
drug on the real estate market since the
beginning of the crusade, was disposed of
for what six months ago would have been
regarded as a mere song.
Views of "a Business Man.
Your correspondent recently interviewed
one of the largest manufacturers in the
Allen street section of the city. This bust
ness man, who located there long before
the lower East Side became a center of
vice. takes not the slightest stock in the
Tammany Hall reform program Indeed
he is not enthusiastic over reform pros
poets, no matter which party controls the
destinies Of the city, and he has made ar
rangementS to remove to the suburbs His
statement is interesting merely as an in
dication of the temporary character of the
reform movement on the East Side.
Il could tell you stories of the life on the
lower East Side that would make you sick
at heart said this manufacturer. 1.-The
testimony Of the women that have appeared
at the police board trial of Captain Her
lihy is mere child's play beside some Of
the things that indicate the syndicate
nature of vice on the lower East Side. The
whole thing is run by a political ring and
no matter which party comes to the top
you can bet your last dollar that this ring
Will get to the front. Reform? What is
the use in trying to reform a rotten egg"
Il will say one thing for the benefit OF
the reformers, though. They have so
frightened the young girls of the East Side
that they will not even fiirt. l am of the
opinion that Allen street and Essex street
today are the most moral streets In the en-
tire city. AS 1 employ hundreds of young
men and young women 1 can pretty nearly
tell what is going on. Attempt to speak to
young woman on the East Side that you
think you have even passing acquaint-
ance with and she will drop her eyes and
blush just as though you were detective
in plain clothes. Last? OF course not.
Can the leopard change its spots? Not on
the East Side, at any rate
Slight to Great Britain.
On one single flagstaff-and that on the
city hall-the flag was not half-masted out
of respect to the memory of Queen Victo-
ria. The board of aldermen and the munici-
pal council were In session when the news
of Queen Victoria's death was announced.
Mayor Van Wyck was on duty In his pri-
vate office. But the Tammany lawmakers
and the Tammany executive made no sign,
though all around them were expressions
of grief and regret, and the flags on public
and private buildings all over the city were
at half-mast.
Mayor Van Wyck's attention was called
to the flag several times The lawyers who
crossed the park from the court house no.
ticed 1t and went into the mayors office
to speak to him about it. They asked the
mayor If he had not heard Of the queens
death. He said he had. and added. guess
ing their errand, that he didn't intend to
lower the flag upon the death of Queen
Victoria or any other foreign potentate.
The lawyers in disgust left him.
At the session of the aldermen a resolu-
ton concerning the death Of the queen was
prepared for Introduction. but 1t was not
offered. The explanation was made after
the meeting that 1t was thought best not
RI Introduce II because of the possibility