The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
IN A SWIMMING POOL VAULT.
NEW YORK'S VITAL STATISTICS
HAVE AN ODD BUT SAFE HOME.
Keeping Them a Big Job. So Fast DO We
Grow-But They're in Better Shape
Under Reform Than Ever Before-Se-
crets which Not Every One Can Get.


Under Reform Than Ever BefOre-Se-
crets which Not Every One Can Get.
New York Is getting used to statistics
indicating how fast 1t is growing. Yet,
when New Workers. read In the Health
Boards tables that there were IS, 900 births
in the city last year, 60, 900 deaths and some
thing like 80 900 marriages, few OF them
probably stop to think what big Job it is
to compile the statistics and keep the records
that show Just how big W. are getting.
As the city grows the Job gets bigger
Just how big it has now become can only
bc realized by visit to the Bureau OF Vital
Statistics. Then the job appears to be
almost stupendous.
The city Of New York has now been COL
lectina statistics for its citizens for more
than a century Not all Of them have been
preserved, however. In the beginning Of
the last century a lot Of records OF deaths
were lost. They have never been found.
There are records back as far as 1898. Then
there 10 a gap of some ten years prior to
1875. From that time to this the records
continue without gap.
Only records Of deaths were kept in those
early DAYS, but since 1s47 deaths, births
and marriages have been kept. as provided
by laws then passed. Outside OF the col
| lection OF real estate titles no collection OF
records is so valuable, and none ID more
jealousy guarded.
The place where these records are kept
is one of the strongest subterranean vaults
| in the city. To Commissioner Lederle this
reform Is due, and only posterity can know
the full value of it. When Or. Lederle
took hold of the Health Department its
records, though fraught with 30 much
Importance TO thousands Of persons, were
kept on the top floor Of the building in an
ordinary room. A fire could easily have
DESTROYED them Now they are In what
was the old swimming pool Of the New
York Athletic Club, the former tenant OF
the building This pool was In the cellar
DIR. Lederle had it rooted over with steel
II an earthquake should come along some
fine day and the big fve-story building
above it crumble into pieces the records
would still be preserved, for experts have
declared that even that catastrophe could
not shatter the steel roof Of She vault
We're the records ever destroyed the
loss 10 this city would be incalculable
s. Commissioner Lederle feels that the
expense was Jt!stlhaDle.
The public does not have direct access
TO the records Only the searchers Of the
de Jartment are allowed there. but through
the courtesy Of DIR. William ii. Guilfoy
who has been in charge Of the recOrds fol
twenty years, IA sun reporter was taken
through the vault the other day,
II IL well lighted and ventilated, and
on the shelves are many rows Of thick
little books each cont aiming the origina
certificates Of births, deaths and mar.
rages filed since 1883. Prior 10 that the
certificates were copied. These volumes
some ~ which go back to 1883, are kept
on other shelves.
/ The Health Department knows only
three ages Of man, W TO speak, Instead Of
seven It denotes each Of these by "A scpa
rate color Red Is shown for birth, grl Oh
for marriage and black Tor death.
When peers n Is born In this big city
whether on Firth avenue or Essex street
his name goes into little red book along
with 4v9 others, 500 cert ificates making d
volume When The same person geti
married, his name on new cate
goes into q green book Of the same size
His career officially Ii ended when thu
death certificate goes IN the black book
| Each book Is On a separate shell, and they
toll the story, ~ far as the Health Board
wants to know II ~ The life ~ every New
| Yorker,
The ittl. rad, groan and black bpDks
are no determinations Of persons Tn,
| rich mans name stands neat TO that 81
the meHdiranl The little books are grea
Jewellers, m any one can SEQ who turn
their pages
Back IN the HRS, RECORDS, beneath tina
Of the death Of Alexander Hamilton, standi