Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1914 — TALES OF COTHAM AND OTHER CITIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TALES OF COTHAM AND OTHER CITIES

Harlem’s “Apartment Houses/’ Flats and Goats

NEW YORK. —Harlem is that portion of Manhattan island which is bounded on the north by New York Central freight yards. Van Cortland park, Yonkers and goats; on the south by the city New York, on the east by the

magnificent East river, with its artistic conglomeration of coal barges, garbage scows and sewer outlets, and on the west by the majestic Hudson and Riverside drive, together with the New York Central's freight tracks. Sometimes you can't see ti|e Hudson from Riverside drive, but if you wait long enough, maybe the New York Central will move its freight and cattlecars and allow you to see the drift

wood, sewage, dead dogs and cats, etc., washed upon the bank of the majectic ■ Hudson before referred to - ———— Harlem was once noted for its goats, which were about the most healthy and marketable of that species grown any place in the world. Of late, however. goats have given way to children despite the fact that proprietors of the justly famous “Harlem flats" usually object most strenuously to dogs, cats, parrots, automatic pianos and children. It should be mentioned that Harlem is more ttf&nnoted for its flats and “apartment houses." There is a difference between a flat and an "apartment house ” A flat house is one of those tomb-like buildings, so numerous in Harlem, where the rent does not exceed $25 per month. Also the flat house is usually occupied“by motormen, chauffeurs, street conductors, etc., whereas the “apartment house” is occupied by head waiters, police lieutenants, poets, writers, newspaper men, clerks, etc. There you get the social distinction: — The “apartment house” is, of course, equipped with an elevator. The word elevator Is used with trepidation, because frequently it doesn’t elevate. Most Harlem “appartment house” elevators are a trifle eccentric, and many of them are as liable to carry you down when you want to go up, as to carry you up when you want to go down. In charge of the elevator is invariably a West Indian “hall boy,” from Georgia or born in New York's “color belt.” The hall boy also runs the telephone switchboard. When you want to go down in the elevator, the hall boy is at the telephone switchboard. When you want to use the telephone from your "apartment and kitchenette,” the West Indian youth from Georgia is at the sixth floor in the elevator.