The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-10-15
Ihe Oheapeninn nf &c..

some benevolent capitalists are making a mova
in New York for the Improvement of the condition
Of heeIaborIng classes. The great drawback tn
their prosperity in large cities is the extravagaDce
of the, rents. For small, nconveRient. ili.venti.
lated tenements for family, thew nav soroetiross
half their earnings for rent. Cabined in these Close
places their families suffer from confinement. tbe
want of pure air and space for healthy exercise
they suffer much farther by sickness loss of time
and the doctors bills In every city that we know,
of the want which most aflicts the family of the
working man, is the want of comfortable dwell.
ings at small rent. They have proposed in New
York, to afford partial relief by the following
plan which we find described in a letter from thai
city " large tract of land is to be bought fifteen
mel from the city. Two millions Of dollar is To
be in vested The company are to build brick
houses at $500 each, including the lot of 50 b,
200. These houses are to be let to mechanics At
81 weak, which will pay 10 per cent. on the can't
tai All the houses to be uniform. Each aeon
pant is to have the right to purchase his house bv
paying 81 week, and keeping up the interest If
7 per cent. In this way, he gets a title 10 his
homestead in about six years. A negotiationjs 90.
ing on with the Hudson River Railroad that The
occupants of these houses shall have the priviles
to commute with the Railroad company for their
passage to New York and back again, at a price
not to exceed SIX cents day for going and coming
the distance each way will not be far from fifteen
miles, at 3 cents head, and they can reach the
city in half an hour" The plan is one of real.
bsBevoleDce, consulting the primary wants of the
largest number, and yet it is not without its own
rewards-which might tempt even the pure specu-
ator to join in an enteTprize having the same oh.
jects. A new city for abOrers could not be buiIt
up, nor quarter in the neghborhood of any large
place be built up on such principles that woultnot
raise the value of all the neighboring and inter.
mediate tracts Of land, and return for iudicious
investment cent for cent. In improving the latter
it is not merely the daily laborer who can be
benefited by such plan nor does it require large
capitalists to invest millions in a scheme of philan
throphy, or for purposes of gain. In any growing
town, and most towns ia this country are growing
rapidly, a few men of moderate means or in steady
employment, cam associate and secure the SAME
benefits to themselves by a moderate outlay, prose-
cuted on a steady system of economy In the
neighborhoOd of New Orleans there are tracts of
land well fitted for building, which could be
bought at reasonable prices and easy terms, and
ny erecting dwellings for themselves the purchasers
could secure lowsrens, and soon clear the whole
"ost by the mutual efforts Of their own improve
mems IN increasing Lhe value OF the whole. Some
such enterprises are, we believe, already pro-
iected, where young men with growing families
propose associating for the purpose of obtaining
homestead. Independent of the mere question of
profit, there is nothing more conducive to steadi-
ness u conuucl' ana acquisition of fixed habits
Of business, than to propose dIsunUU 0BJagr IIKg
this, easily attainabie by few years careful man
agement.- In addition to the sums saved in rent,
how much more that is wasted from thoughtess-
ness, or because there is present nducement for
small savings could be cheerlully devoted to such
an object, judiciously selected. We know of no
plan in which the small means of the Young man
of industry and thrift could be better invested for
himself or to the advantage of society
The less fortunate or thrifty-the dav-laborer
and mechanic--whose means are inadequate to a
share in these enterprises, must depend upon the
landowner and builder and we have the New
York project as a proof at least that there is a
growing disposition to provide more thoughfuy for
the health, comfort and independence of the poor