An old rear-tenement in Roosevelt Street

This is an image of a rear-tenement in Roosevelt Street. These types of accommodation were some of the worst available in the 19th Century. 

It is evident from this picture that there was severe overcrowding of immigrants in these buildings. Each apartment in the accommodation is small and box-like. In addition, the lack of contraception at the time means the immigrants would most likely have large families, who would be crammed into these buildings. The vast number of clothing lines that are attached to the building, also indicates a lack of space within the rear-tenement. 

When I first saw this picture, I immediately thought of shanty towns or favelas that are common in South America. These slums are some of the most impoverished settlements in the World, and the manner in which their inhabitants are treated is not dissimilar from how the immigrants in the picture had to live. These people live in extremely cramped conditions, kept out of the way of the middle and upper class. This comparison with the South American favelas, highlights the attitudes of society towards these new Americans. 

The building in the picture looks like it's made out of wood. This indicates the cheapness of the accommodation and how the immigrants were viewed as inferior to other 'native' (obviously not real Native Americans) Americans. These buildings were prone to catching fire and often suffered damage during storms. 

Sources:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45502/45502-h/45502-h.htm

http://www.tenement.org/encyclopedia/housing_options.htm