New-York tribune., 1901-03-10
TRANSIT ISSUE FOREMOST.
UNCERTAINTY OF REACHING WORK IN
TINE FROM SUBURBS KEEPS TENE-
MENT HOUSES PACKED.

Albany March (speciaD.-That more adequate
interborough transit facilities will 10 great de-
gree cure the existing evils OF tenement house HE
in Manhattan is clearly shown in that part Of the
Tenement House Commission report which has not
vet been made public and which consists Of test-
vnony obtained witnesses who are residents OF
the most densely crowded districts. This testi
7nony will later be offered to the Committee On
Cities either house of the State legislature IN
sllpport Of the commissions report
This testimony shows that thousands Of persons
live in squand in-lighted, nlventilated and narrow
rooms Of the East Side rather than in homes in
outlying districts which wou% cost much less and
are blessed with the heavenly boons OF light and
air for the reason that these districts practi
cally inaccessible.
II is shown that with the present uncertainty OF
Interborough communication the laborer or shop
girl who is employed in Manhattan is never sure
Of reaching the place of work time. The tene-
fnent dweller is accordingly punctuai and regular.
and keeps Job whereas the suburSanite is often
delayed by fog bound ferries or bloc1ades on the
trolley lines. After few such delays the suburb
anite loses his position, and the wolf appears at
the door.
A good illustration OF this is afforded by the fol-
lowing testimony, which given TO the commits
sion by Mrs J. A. Miller. who has lived in the
tenement districts OF Manhattan for more than
twelve years After she had told Of the vile and
unsanitsry quarters in which she lived the East
Side she asked:
Suppose you could get the same accommodations
for So in Brooklyn in The Bronx that you
getting here in Manhattan for s12 would you go
fhere?"
No sir"
Why note"
Because my husband works away downtown.
nnd think / hadn't ought live than half
hour three-ouarters at the most. from his
work. Just the with any workman An
ether thing, you have be your place Of bust
at a given time II trains boats don't run
on time. you are late TO work You can't give 'em
that excuse too often. They get
home TO work for Them
Are there not many parts Of Brooklyn that are
comparatively free from the foul air OF the air
shaft and your husbands work as an up
town hathouse?"
1t is easy for some. perhaps. but before /
married i worked. and / noticed the Brooklyn
girls were often late. They delayed by fogs
or Ice or something else, while the girls OF New
is there any other suggestion You have 10 make
why home IN Brooklyn and The Bronx would not
I would prefer living there If the work was
there. should much prefer living in Brooklyn
OF daily labor stake 1 believe in living al home
and think that there 11 are & great u. many n that
1horities are permitting the same oyerSrowding in
in the lowest districts OF the East Side Here. in
little narrow streets big six story ana eight story
of rooms. by feet Dp Win
Have the buildings you have lived in been occu-
pied principally by Americans or foreigners"
Il have tried 10 get among Americans if / could
II could not i preferred the Germans. About
others 1 only know what ! see from the outside"
You never lived then in tenement house in
Italian district
Yes. I did. Forty-sixth-st. has plenty OF Ital-
fans in it,
average, would the people prefer to live in the
suburbs. other things being equal?'
DO you mean the Italians
Yes; take Italians Illustration
Il don't know. They seem 10 live more on the
sidewalk than in the house
Take the Polish Hebrews?
II do not really know what you would 90 with
shen They have peculiar ideas. had relative
who owned a little old fashioned house down there
and next door they put up one Of those enormous
tenement houses. II filled up from top TO bot
tom with Polish Jews, packed in like eggs IN a
crate But that these people are ured
OF tenement house life and looking for decent
place TO live in but can't find IL
ssIs Won could get q home in Brooklyn where you
would be able get 10 NewYork in three-quarteTs
ff an hour without fail or with as much certainty
as YOU can get down Second. Third or Fourth
ave you would live there, wouldn't you:
Certainly" -, ,-- ,,.s :.
tenement houses would prefer 1t?
Yes"
so. II IS q question OF transportation