The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-15

Taken In connection with the production
along similar lines last year the showing
is extremely interesting. Durirg 1905
5,0l7 multifamily houses were put under
construction in the FIVE toroughs Of the city
They contained n, 2S5 seI arate APARTMENTS
that Ia, acoomnota ions for a like number
Of families. Usirg the available basis OF
As persons to the family, we ave here
provision for 347 49, persons during 1906
and for a total Of approximately 527, Ooo
for The last eighteen months.
However. these figures do not take into
account rriva O dwellings and two family
houses, which do rot come under the super
vision Of the Tenement House Department
The two family house has been this year
and last a marked feature Of construction
in h Bronx and In Brooklyn. last year
plans were fled for moro than $500 one
and two family dwelling in the entire city,
providing for about SC, OO0t pereons. It Is
probable that this years output 30 far will
house another 10000, making a total of ap-
fortunately 2c7,o 900 persons provided for
since January 1 ard COZ 600 for the last
eighteen months. In Manhattan a large
proportion Of the new construction has been
planned in sections hitherto unoccupied.
In the other boroughs practically all of it
has been in new territory, Too much al
l~owanoe must not. therefore, be made for
the fact that the erection Of new ar art-
ments p~resupEoses the demolition CT Did
ones.
1t is apparent that rot only has the dis
inc nation 10 build which manifested it.
re tetween 1902 ard the 81 ri: g Of 904-
due 10 tho enforcement Ct The tenement
but bui d RS lave gone TO the otie r eX-
trcnio. The buildings put urder construc-
ton this year will te resdy this fell and
next srring. By that time the city will have
the next three years, even If the or nua in
ere ase In population should exceed 1851 900.
Last years State census paed the ar nual
increase between 1900 and .935 at less than
10000.
Tho opinion is sometimes ventured that
the prevailing heavy immigration points
to a happy outcome Of this serious situa-
ton. By a roundabout process OF calcu-
lation 1t is estimated, for instance, that Of
the $50, 543 immigr ants who arrived at the
port of New York during the rear ended
June 80. some 22o, 900 were added to the
population Of the city. Estimates of this
kind. however, take no account Of the largo
numbers OF immigrants who return annu-
ally to European ports, nor OF the TACT that
an appreciable percentage Of the immi-
city remain here only temporarily. Further
more, there is Q constantly increasing de-
mand for unekilled labor at interior points.
Nor do imm. - rants, as a rule. supply the
tenantry for the apartments now being
built. They must necessarily seek the
cheapest accommodations.
As long ago as last fal! critical observers
were convinced that too many flats and
tenements had already been planned. The
statistics ( the Tenement House Depart
this year, fully confirmed this opinion.
The reckless construction since then can
only be explained by the fact that q very
large proportion OF vacant land had passed
by a process of professional manipulation
into the hands Of a new and inexperienced
element among the SPECTATORS. Land 30
acquired had either to DO built on 30 that /.
might bring in revenue or else carried at
considerable cost. Evidently a large num-
Der OF these owners have chosen the alter
native Of building as being the less of two
evils. It must be borne in mind that old
law tenements have gone through a SINH
lar process Of exploitation since 1908, this
phase Of trading being at first based on the
theory that the lowor cost al compared
with that Of the W tenements would in
mately tend to increase the value of tho
buildings.
While the modern and better equipped ten
ements bring higher rents the rental schedule
Of new tenements, old law tepements and
the old type Of cold water tenements all
now overlap each other to a certain extent.
The newer buildings naturally have the
advantage. The prevailing schedule Of
rents represents the effort to ad ust in
come to the extremely high values created
BY an artificial process. These schedules,
however, are not being maintained. As
long ago as last winter the free rent evil
had been r~eintroduoed in some parts OF
Manhattan and The Bronx. In the latter
borough landlords are now trying to oon-
troll tenants for q reasonably long period
by making reductions from the schedule,
receipts being given in full and the rebate
allowed on each monthly or quarterly
payment, as the case may be.
The statistical tables here presented
furnish an interesting side light on the trend
Of new CONSTITUTIONAL enterprise. Brook
lyn has planned for a very heavy increase
In population. The thing has been over
done, OF course. However, 1t is plain that |
the tendency tosard decentralization Of
population must from now on AVE an |
Important bearing on freehold and rental
values In Manhattan. The result OF recent
attempts to retail at auction lots In out
lying sections OF The Bronx and in the
suburbs 10 not without significance. Last
week two large offerings had to be with |
drawn after q few lots had been sold, Other
recent auctions have shared q like fate.
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