Up to 600 if necessary, though I am not sure it ever held that many. More
boys stayed in winter than in summer. At Christmas 1899, 400 boys were staying
there. One May, 1900 article in the New York Times mentions at least
70 boys staying that day, though it says nothing about the total number. The official
1900 census, taken June 11, shows 181 boys listed as "lodger."
In all but the coldest weather, newsboys were proud of "carrying
the banner,"
which, despite what the script of Newsies says, means sleeping outdoors. (In fact, the
movie newsboys should be the last ones singing about "carrying the banner,"
but it's such a great musical number we won't hold it against them.)
In winter.
It appears that the house regularly held about 260 beds on the
dormitory floors (4th and 5th). Not only was the attic used for
storage, but it was also filled with beds and during the winter
months would be opened up for use, increasing the capacity to 600.
Building materials?
Brick.
Ground dimensions?
William St. side: 55 feet.
Duane St. side: 110 feet.
New Chambers St. side: 69 feet.
Back of the building: approximately 75 feet. Since the building was in a thick "L" shape,
it is "missing" a small chunk out of the NE corner.
How was the building laid out?
Basement, 1st story:
Rented for use as shops. Unlike in Newsies, there
was probably a minimum of space on the ground floor remaining for the Lodging
House's use.
2nd:
Large dining room (seated 165 to nearly 200), kitchen, spacious laundry,
store-room, servant's room, rooms for family of Superintendent.
3rd:
Contained a large school-room/audience-room, plus bath and washrooms,
all fully supplied with cold/hot water. A steam-boiler below provided both
the hot water and a means of heating the rooms. The washrooms contained iron basins
(washtubs); these tubs--not to mention towels--were at a premium at 6 p.m., which was when
the majority of boys
entered the LH for the night and were required to wash up. (Newsies has Snipeshooter
taking a bath in apparently freezing water, but that would probably not have
happened. The movie also puts the washrooms on the same floor as the dormitories.)
Campbell says there was also a gymnasium here, but it is likely an error, as numerous other
sources state that the gym was on the top floor.
The school-room had two rows of movable desks. At one end was a raised platform
for teachers/visitors, and which could also accommodate a piano.
Close by the door in the school-room was another, smaller, platform, surrounded
by a railing. The person in charge stood or sat here to register the boys
as they entered. Note that Newsies took some liberties with this, putting this
registration area on the first floor, and removing the railing.
The boys had lockers for their clothes, which were likely on this floor.
4th & 5th:
Large and roomy dormitories. Campbell says that each had
from 50 to
100 beds; another (unidentified, but likely dated 1890's) source says each had 134 beds.
They were arranged like ship's bunks, one over other. The beds had wire-spring
mattresses, white cotton sheets and plenty
of comforters. For these beds the boys paid 6 cents a night each.
There was a room set aside with beds that had curtains around them for some
privacy. For 10 cents a boy could hire one of these "private rooms."
6th:
Gymnasium
7th:
Attic
The private beds.
Fourteen of these were available to the boys at ten cents a night. The beds were single, not stacked bunks as in the dormitory. Each bed was surrounded by curtains that could be drawn for privacy. There was also a set of wooden lockers (boys using the regular beds had to use the lockers in the school-room on the third floor).
Amongst the boys, the room which held these curtained beds was known as the "dude room," in which dude referred to a fashionable, fastidious man. Despite the higher price, it was said that the private beds were hardly or never empty, as there was no shortage of boys who were willing to pay extra for the luxury of better living quarters.
I am not sure whether the dude room was on the fourth or fifth floor.
I've found the photo that explains the apparent discrepancy in the
roof. How could it be both flat and peaked? The truth is that
the rooftop was flat. But along the east side, there was a
freestanding triangular wall with "Home for Newsboys" lettered on
it, acting as a huge sign.