New York in 1900s

The book you read at Christmas, Eight Great American Tales, comprises different stories but they all take place in New York during 1899-1910. For this reason I thought it was interesting to know a little bit about New York at this time.

The turn of the century brought a new period of tenement reform, headed by City reformers including Jacob Riis and Lillian Wald. Their concerns for the health and welfare of the City's poor immigrants led to an investigation of tenement houses by The Tenement House Committee of the Charity Organization. All the buildings constructed after 1901 were built according to specific minimum requirements for the size of rooms and amount of light and ventilation. 

The 1900's continued to reflect the "search for order" in both the political and social spheres. After the assassination of President McKinley by a crazed anarchist in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt took office, heralding the arrival of Progressivism in the White House. Roosevelt's immediate policy initiatives called for greater federal control over corporations, increased authority for the Interstate Commerce Commission, extension of the merit system in civil service, and an aggressive foreign policy. 

The spirit of reform was not restricted to Roosevelt's White House. A series of popular writers made a national impact commentating on the human condition. The writers, whom Roosevelt called "the Muckrakers," included Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell and Lincoln Steffens, among others. 

The introduction of federal legislation regarding meat inspection and the pure food and drug act largely turned on Muckraker popularization of these issues. 

The Progressive years were also characterized by efforts to improve municipal government throughout the country. Some key amendments included the development of initiative and referendum (1898), recall (1903), direct primaries (1903), the direct election of Senators (ratified in 1913).

In New York, a return to classical, yet cosmopolitan construction marked the turn of the century. Beaux Arts design, which characterized the city beautiful movement, became the dominant architectural style through the 1930's. 

With a never-ending stream of immigrants entering America through New York's ports, the City experienced an unprecedented population explosion. The Lower East Side acquired the distinction of being the most densely populated area on the globe. The deafening clamor of horses on cobblestone streets made it impossible for even the healthiest individual to ride in the over-crowded streetcars without a headache.

In 1863, London opened the world's first underground railway. A little over twenty years later, the profound economic and population growth prompted New Yorkers to develop a high-powered rapid transit system for New York City. In January of 1888, encouraged by the city's merchants and businessmen, Major Abraham S. Hewitt put forward a proposal for construction of an under-ground subway system to serve the city's commuters. After a subway plan was approved, work began in earnest in 1888. The Rapid Transit Subway Construction Company was awarded the first contract for $35 million. The first subway line ran from City Hall to 42nd Street, then west to Times Square and finally north along Broadway up to 96th street. By 1902, a second contract was extended to the Interborough Rapid Transit Company to build a line into Brooklyn.

Adapted from www.thelivingcityarchive.org