The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01

Facing Great Financial
Losses White People
Plan to Have Blacks
Occupy Land North of
l,5th Street Where
Proper Houses Will Be
Provided
owners or their agents. representing
rye than $500 900 900 invested In real
e:a'e IN the district north Of 10th
greet and cast of Morn!ngside, Brad
hurst and -. Nicholas avenues met one
lsat las, week and took initial meas
res ~ stop the spread of negroes
throughout: Harlem. Il was the first
meeting Of its kind held within the
memory OF the oldest real estate man
IN ,he city and It marks the high tide
o. fear on the part of owners that their
.nyestH'' n,s VIII be destroyed and their
interests wiped out unless something
rldci Is done II prevent the spread OF
Hfai Harlem calls Its blight.
For starter the white people have
formed an Incorporated association
which Will have a capital of 100000 10
h used for defensive purposes. Their
next step will be to force out negroes
from streets where only n few families
have settled and gradually to work into
the heart Of the negro belt, reclaiming
50 far as possible the principal streets
al avenues now occupied by blacks up
% l35th street. With valuations con-
sanity falling throughout the district,
AZ even the prestige and value of l25th
rect, the shopping place of Harlem,
.ieatened, owners and agents who
aye not yet given way 10 the negro
-us.on find themselves confronted by
20 - the greatest problems they have
sd 20 face and they purpose sparinS
:, effort to save Harlem from literal
.as'rurtion. Their efforts will be en-
.r,'y along peaceful lines and their
ro-'amme includes radical measures
hr the social and physical betterment
9. lie negroes.
Records of the Tax Department show
,Ast assessments have been dropping in
al about the negro colony for several
years The decline started in the blocks
o. l&lh and l35th streets east or
SEVENTH avenue and each year more
CTS have been made as the colony
spread out and took in greater area.
Only las, October when the assessment
'..s were published IL was noticed that
several more square blocks had been cut
Materially because of the changing
Character 90 the tenants. and there Is
10 an owner in Harlem who believes any
PORTION cf II can be saved unless enec-
I've measures are adopted to prevent
Ge further spreading out Of the colony.
At this time there are negro fani-
les living in 1l2th. 117th and llsth
sweets a few in each street. In 12lst
greet there IL one house so occupied
Rsa, next TO the shopping centre, on
,.iA street between Seventh and
Erhth avenues negroes have a strong
tgho.j Then from 10th to l3sth
rraet east of seventh avenue ana in
tne cases extending over 10 Eighth
avenue s., practically Il solid negro coll
c1y Again in the vicinity of 14Ith
t;-aAt Eighth and Bradhurst avenues
Il another colony, which Is expanding
rap.4.y az the colony further south
Some of the blocks mentioned until
the negro invasion were among the
most attractive and OF highest value
N Harlem What the effect OF the
INVASION has been Is to be seen not
oh.y IN the city assessment records out
eso in some actual sales only rev
Gays ago the sale was reported OF the
'hurch ~ the Redeemer property on
!a5'h street between Lenox and Sew
'ntA avenues, II was taken over by
re African Zion Methodist Episcopal
'huF"h, Tho property, consisting or a
vel built edihce on "A plot 90 by loo
'Net with a three foot outlet to l5nh
street, brought $4,000, or $4,000 above
TIE mortgage.
One u the wardens OF the church
nated Yesterday the story OF an ofer
made for tas property about SIX years
seo, wh.nh was rejected OF course. Al
nat time, he said $4,000 cash was
NE price which II sure enough buyer
wanted 70 pay, but the church au-
M'f'"s, who could not see the CLOUDS
coming, We're so well satisfied that
uey CAV" the proposal slight considera-
u'h, S.ao" that offer was made the
'a'le Of 'a" property has been gong
G'Wn steadily with the coming OF
'achS - the nc,ghborhood meniners
w ID" 'un"r"gation began to move
sway and as the invasion Increased
CIV IN" u'.lp colony spread the chuich
''lNn Ns.t with rapidly diminishing
o''hadn''. AZ last there were not
~'1sn members to dofray the eX-
r's'S ana monthly deficit resulted
=" 'IHf.t 'aau 10 sell were unsvailing
,,."ay N'ld buy the property at a
WI N...H NUIil net tho church any
''' Finally the officials were glad
s"' $4,000. for with the $4,000 above
,s nor .s. they " re- able To pay
church.