New-York tribune., 1921-01-31
Alfred T. White.
Philantllropist,
browns Skating
Body Taken From Lake at
Central Valley After Long
Search, W. A. Hartman
Aiding in Night Hunt
Hat on Ice Gives Clue
Brooklyn Engineer, Author,
Merchant Built First Sue
cessful Tenement House

AA~u A~o"u"oy WnlCe, SeVcnCy-nve
years old, engineer, author, merchant,
philanthropist and sociplogist, who in
1875 erected the first successful tene-
ment houses in the United States, and.
IN the same year, built the first seaside
home for summer relief for poor chill
cren, was drowned Saturday night
while skating on Forest Lake, near
Central Valley, N. Y. His body was
found yesterday after searching par
ties, including one led by w. Averell
Hartman. had spent all night and
part of the day in the woods und open
country within q radius of several
miles of the lake.
Mr. White, who lived at 40 Remsen
Street, Brooklyn, and who was q mem
Der of the firm of W. A. & A. M.
White. OF Ia Wall Street, went skating
with his brother. William Augustus
White, Saturday afternoon. About 4
O'Clock, w. A. White said he was tired
and went. to an inn, five miles from the
him later. When Alfred did not come
to the inn at the time agreed upon. his
brother organized q searching party.
Later several other parties were
formed.
Hat Found on Ice
About 6 o'clock in the morning one
Of the searchers found Mr.. Whites
hat in an opening in the ice in the
lake, about forty feet from shore. The
body was recovered several hours later
MIR. White was born in Brooklyn
May 28, 1876, the son Of Alexander
Moss and Elizabeth Hart Treadway
White: He was graduated from the
Brooklyn Collegiate and polytechic In
stitute in 1862 and from the Rens-
selaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy in
1865 with the degree of civil engineer.
In 1890 he received the honorary de-
gree of Master of Arts from Harvard
University IN recognition Of his work
in housing reform. Mr.. White mar
ried Annie Jean Lyman, of BROOKLYN.
on May 20, 1873. Mrs. White died last
May. -.
Mr.. White had been a merchant in
New York since 1866. About 1872 he
began a study of homes of laboring
classes. In 1876 he erected the first
successful tenement houses in the
country, and this was followed in 1877,
1878 and 1896 py the construction Of
other buildings of the same character.
In 1875 he also erected the first sea-
side home for summer relief of poor
children. He was Commissioner Of
City Works of Brooklyn, 1898 to 1895,
and a member of the Tenement House
Commission, New York, 1900 to 1901.
He had been a director of the Brook
lyn Children's Aid Society since 1866
and had been affiliated with the Brook
lyn Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children since the organ
ization.
Head of Charities Bureau
He was for twenty-five years presi-
dent of the Brooklyn Bureau of Chari-
ties. director of the. City and Subur-
ban Homes Company for building i'm
proved homes and tenements, trustee
of the Phipps buildings, for the same
purpose, and trustee of the Russell
Sage Foundation. Mr.. White was a
member of the New York Chamber of
Commerce. He was a member of the
Unitarian Church, and an Independent
Republican. He was also a member of
the Century, Grolier, Downtown (New
York;, Hamilton and Engineers
(Brooklyna clubs. He was the author
of Improved Dwellings for the Labor
ing Classes" Better Homes for
Workingmen" and "Sunlighted Tene-
ments"
Mr.. White attended the Church of
the Saviour, Pierrepont Street, Brook
lyn. Deeply interested in the Amer
the chief figure in the Brooklyn chap
ter and served for time as member
Of the executive committee of the ma
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