Part 58 (1/2)
”Of course these questions can be answered to you, by your chief of police and officers, only as to the best of their knowledge; but, as a general thing, shrewd police-officers will be able to give correct answers to them. I do _not_ wish names, only the round numbers in each cla.s.s.
”I shall do myself the honor to forward you a copy of the report when completed, and shall be glad to receive your replies to the above queries by the 30th of this month. You will please direct your answer to
”Yours respectfully, ”WILLIAM W. SANGER, ”Resident Physician, Blackwell's Island, New York City.”
The following are the replies received:
BUFFALO, N. Y.
(Copy.)
”Mayor's Office, Buffalo, October 2, 1856.
”DEAR SIR,--I received your circular of the 1st of September, asking that certain questions concerning houses of prost.i.tution, prost.i.tutes, etc., might be answered.
”I immediately directed our chief to collect the necessary information through the police, and I have just received his report: I here inclose the answers.
”To show how far the report can be relied on for accuracy, I here copy from his report: 'The captains inform me that they experienced much difficulty in their endeavors to make a correct report and answer to the several questions proposed; they, however, believe that the returns, so far at least as the number of houses and public prost.i.tutes is concerned, are very near correct.'
”Any farther information you may desire I will cheerfully give, so far as I am able. I am respectfully yours,
”F. P. STEVENS, Mayor.”
(Inclosure.)
”Houses of Prost.i.tution, 87 ” of a.s.signation, 37 Public Prost.i.tutes, 272 Private Prost.i.tutes, 81 Kept Mistresses, 31 Population, 75,000.”
LOUISVILLE, KY.
(Copy.)
”Police Office, Louisville, Ky., December 26, 1856.
”HON. JOHN BARBER, MAYOR:
”DEAR SIR,--Below I give a statement of such matters as called for by Dr. Wm. W. Sanger, Resident Physician of Blackwell's Island, New York City, which I think you will find correct, or as near as can be arrived at from the facilities afforded. Hoping that it will prove satisfactory to the doctor, and that it will _many tales unfold_, I remain respectfully yours,
”JAS. KIRKPATRICK, Chief of Police.
”Houses of Prost.i.tution 79 ” ” a.s.signation 39 Public prost.i.tutes 214 Private ” 93 Kept mistresses 60 Population of city (supposed to be) 70,000
”I am now preparing to take the census for 1857.”
NEWARK, N. J.
(Copy.)
”Newark, N. J., October 4, 1856.