Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-05
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I'm Most Crowded New York


Tho publication of statement at
tributed To Il Brooklyn policeman the
other day to the effect that while
he, was making an arrest In tenc.
ment house in the nciGhborho0d OF
Second avenue and Twelfth street,
Brooklyn. he found threc,story
house In which 260 persons were
iomicilcd stirred up tho tenement
house department, the police and the
newspaper men. After IL long hunt
the house was found and diligcnt in
quirles lw the tenement house inspec-
tors, the police and the reporters dis.
closed that ut the most there we're
only thirty-livc persons living there,
most of them Poles working in near
by mill. No official action was need
ed on the ground of over-congested
population and there were no unusual
facts warranting newspaper notice.
Tho story, however, stirred up coll
siderable discussion as to crowded
tenemcnts and the most denscly pop
ulatcd blocks To be found in New
York. 1t started the investigators.
No two authorities questioned
agreed aXactly as to which blocks In
New York had the largest number OF
residents: neither did they agree as
to the block which was most crowd
cd. II was no surprise to learn that
no other borough of the city had
wrested the palm in the matter from
Manhattan.
There seems to he no record avail
able as to the tenement which has
the largest population or the tcne-
mcnt which has the greater number
OF residents to the square foot When
it comes to city blocks the census
figures of 1905 tell something of the
story, but only part.
The tenement house department has
not developed tho statistics fully, and
neither has the health department nov
any of tho phianthropic societies
which work among the poor. More
or less data concerning crowded COIL
ditions are gathered by these various
bodies, hut If you want TO know which
block In Manhattan has the largest
population and which llock has tho
densest population. You will have to
examine the researches of Harold NJ.
Finley, one 90 Prof Ballcy's boys
from Yale, who come down here
every year and lok over New Yorks
slums and other things of interest.
In recent ISSUE of Federation. a
quarterly publication of the Fedora
ton Of Churches and Christian Or
ganizations in New York city, there
is Il compilation by Mr.. Finley that
scmes to settle the question. 1t is a
comparative study of populations In
New Yorlt's most crowded blocks. The
figures produced, all based upon cen
sns reports, supply the exact informa-
ton
The block with The largest popula-
tiCn In Manhattan is not on the East
Side at all, contrary to the general be-
lief. 1t is on the West Side and is
bounded by Amsterdam and West End
avenues and SiXty-first and Sixty-sec-
ond streets, The population of the
block, according to the 1905 census,
was GLIB. 1t contains $3.50 acres,
making the density of population Lac
to the acre.
In 1000 the most popnlous block in
the city was that bounded by Second
and Third streets and avenues b and
c. 1t had population of i,l05. In
1903 it had population of 5,O3G, hut
TT fell to second place on the list of
poDulons blocks. It's ratio of inhabi.
tants to the acre was 1,10i.
There are three other blocks In tho
city hitch in 1905 had more than 400
residents The third on the list is
that founded by Ono Hundred and
| Twelfth streets and First and Second
avenues, Little Italy. 1t had popula,
ton of 1925 and a ratio of 93l iRhab.
itants to the acre.
The fourth on the list is the block
/ bounded by Fifth and Sixth streets
and avenues C. and D. II has pop.
| ulatiCn oil 4l90 and Il ratio of 9S7 to
the acre. Tho fifth of the blocks
having more than 400 residents Is
bounded by Catharinc, Madison. Mar.
kct and Henry streets. It's popula.