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Among several contemporary efforts to capture the essence of New York City in the 1890s by photograph and narrative, two stand out for their unblinking candor:
E. Idell Zeisloft's The New Metropolis (1899) and Shepp's New York City Illustrated (1894).
In his deluxe edition of The New Metropolis, Zeisloft exceeds the Shepp brothers' efforts in graphic quality -- including a variety of duotone, sepia, and color illustration media. The volume comprises over 700 pages, with over 800 photographs and engravings, several panoramas, and 16 color maps.
In this work, Zeisloft illuminates the triumphs and troubles of New York City in the 1890s. He ably accomplishes for posterity the promises of his Introduction:
"...it is not the purpose of this book to give a detailed description of the early history of New York, but rather to present a correct picture of the greater city as it is at the close of the nineteenth century, leading up to it with a résume of the memorable events of the preceding three centuries, or from the time the Island of Manahat-ta came to the knowledge of the civilized races, illustrated with a large number of interesting pictures of old New York which tell their own story. In doing this it will be seen that New York has been closely connected with all the important events which have been national. The destiny of the island city has been the destiny of America..."
"The cosmopolitan character of New York is best represented on its great East Side, where is presented a picture of human misery unparalleled in the world. But New York is grappling bravely with this problem, so suddenly thrust upon it by the enforced exodus from their native lands of the hordes of non-self-supporting and incapable humanity. Much space has been devoted in this book to a description of the East Side, and the methods employed for its up1ifting. With the restrictions now placed on immigration, together with the close attention paid to the education of the young, another generation or two may hope to see the East Side undergo a transformation to Americanism only less wonderful than the change wrought in the island itself in the last century."
"Thus it appears that a study of New York is a study of the progress of the New World. The highest accomplishments in every line of work and pleasure find their best market in this great city, where there is a vast accumulation of wealth. And to the student of life and the problems of living, New York affords an opportunity for observation not equalled by any other city in the world. Whether I have succeeded in placing on these pages a faithful picture of THE NEW METROPOLIS and an interesting representation of old New York; whether the traveler will find it valuable as preserving permanently, and recalling vividly, scenes visited; whether the stranger who has not, and may never, become personally acquainted with the city may form a correct idea of its general character, places and people; and whether the native or resident will value it worthy to be handed down to his descendants as representing New York at the close of the nineteenth century -- I leave for the reader to write mentally on the last page of this volume."
See the table of contents for this book for a listing chapters and illustrations.
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