New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-26

:, The matter of Dwellings for the Poor in cities,
svsn in the present social order-lmprovement
.,bicb shall increase their comfort, while reducing
,be cost Of their living, and the same time reward
inc par,y the enterprise which effects it, Read
and consider:
TENEMEN.gS FOR THE POOR.
A good deal has been written by medical men
and others engaged in visiting the poor, about me
,vr,tched manner in which they are lodged ana the
high prices they forced 10 pay tor these lodgings
hui the subject hitherto 10 have attracted D0'
,ie the attention of the capitalists, through whose
ac,ion ONLY any important change IN their condition
csn be effected. This may be attributed 10 TWO
causes First, that but small number OF this class
al citizens il usually acquainted, by personal obser-
,.,;on with the hardships which the poor suffer III
this respect and consequently their symPalnies are,
mot as much awakened the subject as they should
no. and secondly, that there is prevalent opinion
mat ,enements leased TO the poorer classes, by
,yb;ch mean day laborers, are poor property,
or;og 10 the trouble and loss in collecting The rents,
nnless they are leased 10 some middle man VINO
gives securty for the whole rent, and make the most
be can out Of the unfortunate inmates.
Neither of these reasons are, thlnk' good ones
being founded in want OF correct knowledge
II any man doubt the assertion that the poorest
class Of, tenants no, only pay much more in proper
ton TO their accommodation than any others, and
much more than they ought 10 pay, bat that large
number of them inhab cellars and garreis no; II! Tor
The Judgment of any man, let him Join for single
day one of ministers al large IN his Visits, and
.r snre he will become convinced that the evil has
mt been exaggerated. But If it be admitted that the
poor are wretchedy provided for Is 1t no, the duty
Of men OF properly obtained in part through the labor
nj these poor brothers devote portion OF 1t 10 the
Improvement Of their condition. by building for them
houses SO coutriyed to give them all the comfort
which can fairly be afforded Tor the rents they pay Is
tnot saw the duty OF the rich 10 do this even /! II
pd NO, be shown (as II be- that this sort of real
estate is as good as any othe. Surely the safe invest
uen, Of his funds is not the only duty OF the men man
But what the capitalists and builders actually dong
IN The matter They pulling down on all sides tue
old houses ard sheds occupied by the poor without sub
situiing any thing which take the place of them
Handsome house, shops ana stores supplan each sea
son the crumblng aoodes oil the needy laeorers, wao
driven from one corner after another are Obliged to
hroug still more those crowded ana dreary quarters
which remain 10 Them.
hcsn however he shown. by both reason and expe
renee that class of houses well contrved Tor the use
othose who pay by the week ought TO be and s good
property when managed AS 10 give tire tenants their
irl moneys worth. doubt not that es matters are
new managed the tenants. subjected To Kind OF rack
rent system by which middle man gets large proht
their expense and crowds his house TO such an extent
as to make all neatness ard comfort impossible, may
frequently be backward In their payments and wasteu
The landlords properly. They lind no pains taken to
their comfort aud return III Tor tat treat meu
Ike iogs and they will behave like dogs all the world
Crowded the poor are In some parts OIL our
civ without light air water. bow can the virtue OF
nes,ne,s be expected of them II we wish to teach
Them cleanliness must first provide them with rooms
which is possible for them 10 oe Clean ana then
they may gradually learn TO be So
The FIRST must come from the upper classes and
the form urged The truth Is. one cannot draw any
Conclusions RS 10 what this class OF tenants would De- IL
properly housed from their present appearance; but
can draw avery reasonable conclusion from analogy
and the of the change proposed II you put men
who crowded aud uncomfortable, INTO clean
well contriyed rooms which sult heir needs WITHOUT
giving them unnecessary luSurcs, and charge them
the new quarters than they paid for The Old IL
you show them ha, you disposed 10 give them all
that can De fairly afforded for the rent and al the same
sine intend 10 insist upon punc;uaiy and good conduct
you not Ouly have hold upon their good VIII Out a'so
upon their scIishuess They cannot serve themselves
sowe in any other way IA by doug their DUTY toward
the landlord in having his rents puncusy and preserv
Ing his property, and II la therefore reasonable 10 cou
sIdc that they will make every effort TO do lns
These tenants who pay by the week, i; should be re-
neubered are ia quite different position IRON ihost
Eho nav by the quarter. IAty hare credit and mUs
py the cash down wherever they lodge, or remove al
once They cannot. therefore. practice the deception
sometimes attempted by tenants who hlre by the quarter
nd keep moving from one hoase TO another before tne'
ren: ia due without paying anywhere or even oohee
the landlord 10 give them quarters notice when they
don't intend TO pay at all. Tue poor VINO pay oy lae
week have no opportunity 10 practice these tricks Were
they disposed to do but must do them the justice
70 say that, far my experience soes they nave
rarely the disposition TO sttemptit
Their FIRST always for the rent ana there seems
obe especially among the Irish very honorable feel
M about money matters.
have never known a single attempt 10 shirk about
rent from this cssa Of tenants, although the class VINO
pay 500 500 per sunum are frequently making them
.eives troublesome IN this way.
This remark brings the question OF experiment
which OF must be always satisfactory than
my reasoning can be,
Some Gentlemen OF this city in order how far
iasr views would be borue by facts, invested in e+i
about 5000 IN land and building OF brick. arranged
for Inc accommodation o! sixteen families allowing to
..Ny
Key, separate outhouses and on each story separate
PAT OF yerandsh piazza on which TO wash and dry
;hes. &c. Each tenant was likewise provided with
copper boiler and one more closets.
Tie was fixed at the lowest which fair
'neres. the investment could be obtained. and
collected and paid over weekly by one of the tenants,
with memorandum Of the names and amount
lh't tenant also vested with kind Of sGpervis
ion OF The establishment, go tar a 10 see that waste
was committed aud report 10 the landlord any mis-
eohcrct, for which services he was allowed TO occupy
0ae Apartment uf the sixteen rent free The ten.
so who were taken they offered, rejecting Only
ss'e of known bad habits, often persous OF
Enjoyment, and with very slender resources. They
se however given to understand in the outset tina,
suln payments would be insisted on as well as or.
.sty conduct that it was intended give cheap od Z
A 20 hose who could afford To pay and 20 others
use Of the generally visited the house once
week during the first six months to receive the
son the who collected it. and to see how things
iosed bu, during the last six months Of the year Si5
as ,eranis were LEI. pretty much to themselves and
aaa an opportunity shirk about the rent had they
zen disposed 10 DO So
% making UP the accounts the end Of the year il
Us found lha, the had been paid with remarkable
.ssoafiiy md that only 81 remained due snd unpaid
~ q s6}6 04-Snd O: this only 81 10 now remains
aa In the way Of breakage and repairs ii was found
1 20 expense had been incurred, excepting for o~
sSes Of glass in the cellar windows. Here result
exceeding the most saaguine expectations ofthose
80 undertook the experiment TIE tenants taken al
,saoai' and seven.eghths OF them Irish, had shown
Ist!ves honorable in their dealings and decidedly
gu, ai OF the landlords interest They mad also been
fny qu!e, and orderly. During the yesr t"o fain
uAa been dismissed from the house in both cases
.s 70 drunkenness on the part OF the wife. Ia this
ac' cu0n may remark that by giving each enan, due
ON daions Of MS ooa q shared with others }
ksh the cnei causes OF querrels among those who in
cap.. ns same house, and Of course OF the chief
IT, Q. waste and breakage. Is removed
rae being fixed very low and the all
during the whole year only about I. per cent.
Tia, . esp'a WAS received but i, be easily shown
eshs ~ per cent mar be obtained similar larger
e, In the lower part eli the city if built in the
ISaner, and on cheSp structure higher rate,
iAIy II the Easements are leased for shops
e, no pretended that favorable result is 10 be
beo 10 all cases Some loss O. rent and considers.
and lear should of course be allowed for but
On experiment clearly shows thar the
A hazp 80