s, were without
employees. Yet very few, 21 in all, employed five or more persons. The
largest number, 87, had only one regular employee, 65 establishments
had two employees, 29 had three and 16 had four persons regularly
employed. The number of employees of 14 firms was not ascertained.

Floor space occupied by many establishments is a good index of size,
especially in New York City. Of course, in the case of such
establishments as brokers, employment agencies and express and
moving-van firms that require an office only, this is not a criterion.
But for many other establishments in a city where square feet of floor
space is carefully figured upon in the cost of the product, such a
measure has considerable value in estimating business enterprises. In
securing the measurement of floor space in the different
establishments it was not possible to make an actual measurement in
many instances. In some cases the proprietors knew accurately the
length and breadth of the place they occupied; in other cases where
measurements could not be taken estimates of length and breadth were
made, taking a rough view of the frontage and depth of the building or
apartment occupied.

A goodly number of enterprises, such as dressmakers, milliners,
shoemakers and tailoring "bushelers" carried on their business in the
front room of a ground-floor flat and lived, often with families, in
the rear rooms. In those cases, only the floor space of the room used
for business purposes was included in the estimate.

Establishments to the number of 17 were estimated as having less than
150 square feet of floor space; six of these were offices of brokers
and express and moving-van firms. The greatest number of
establishments, 186 in all, were estimated to occupy between 150 and
499 square feet of floor space. Thirty-one establishments occupied
between 500 and 999 square feet of floor space; 17 between 1,000 and
1,999 square feet; 4 between 2,000 and 2,999 square feet; 10 between
3,000 and 4,999 square feet; 8 occupied 5,000 or more square feet; 36
were not known--a total of 309 establishments.

Thus, it is seen that the typical Negro business enterprise occupies
small floor space, since 234, or 75.7 per cent, of the 309
establishments occupied 999 square feet or less. Table XXII (p. 107)
is included to show the details as to floor space in square feet
occupied by each class of establishment.

Monthly rental is also a fair indication of the size of a