New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-24
Hish Rents In CIries-Thc EVIL and the
Remedy.
NEw.YoRK. saturdaY. Fe

NETWORK, SATURDAY FeO To-
To the Editor Of The Tribune:
What are mechanics, who from the nature OF
their business are compelled to reside in the City,
to do in the matter of House Rent, while agitation
in reference to so many reforms is being carried
onl 1t 10 enough almost to crush the heart OF
the hard working man who is striving to raise up
his little toftener large family in respectable
manner, to feed them, and clothe them, and edu-
cate-no, thank God, that g free to them-when
he is compelled to pay good part Of his earnings
in order to provide them decent place to live
in. Year after year it has been nothing but raise
rents, raise rents, until the poor had begun to
console himself with the reflection miserable
consolation tool that it would be impossible TO
raise any more on him but, deusive hope, May
comes near again, and the landlord informs MIN
that he must raise the rent" All the landlords
are raising on their tenants, and ne must RAISE
aeo" and so it goes on from year to year out
this wear rents have gone up, or rather have been
put up as il all the gold brought from California
during the past year had gone into the pockets oil
the workingmen, and the landlords were deter
mined to make them disgorge. why, SIR, opPo'
site the house in which | reside stands building
erected last Summer, four stories high, flashed IN
the plainest manner. and which rents for so2o.
Ii is occupied by eight families each renting one
half of floor This is the manner IN which re.
spectacle mechanics are compelled TO nVe ana
the instance / have stated will answer to hun
dreds of others in the same Ward the Eleventh
Would it be unconstitutional to pass law u
ask for information making it criminal for land
lords to charge more than a certain per centage on
the value OF the house and lot If taking more
than a certain per centage on money loaned be
usury where s the difference A MECHANIC.
Reply.
No, friend Mechanic, we don't think
your remedy would amount to any thing
If the landlord were obliged by law to let
at a reasonable rate, there could be no eff
fectral obstacle to sub-letting on the most
exorbitant terms. Suppose the landlord OF
that house opposite were compelled to let
it for 5000, when tenants could be found to
pay more FOR it-he would be certain to
lease it to some cousin, nephew or other
favorite at the legal rate, and the lessee
would sub-let it in floors or rooms so as to
obtain 500 rent and his own apartments
free. Pretty soon, such leases would be
bought and sold openly or quietly, and the
bonus they brought would find its way into
the landlords pocket in some circuitous
manner.
No, sir, there can be no remedy for ex-
brilliant rents so long as all creation will In
sist on crowding into the great cities.
While mechanics will abandon the pure
air and thousand unpurchased comforts OF
the Country for the crowded dens and pre-
carious livelihood of Cities, they must take
the consequences.
There ought not to be Coat, Hat, Boot,
nor any thing of the sort manufactured
within ten miles Of our City Hall. With
the facilities now afforded by our many
Railroads, the great mass Of our Produc-
tive Industry should be carried on in busy
villages along those Railroads, each elus-
ter of producers having its agent IN this
City to receive their daily boxes OF pro-
ducts, deliver them as directed, and send
back stock. goods, money, &c. in return.
Then our working men might have whole
cottage TO each family instead Of half a
story of gaunt brick dwelling then their
children might grow up among woods and
brawling streams and free, pure breezes'
with the wild berries inviting their taste
and the melodies of birds sweetly blending
with their morning dreams. Then an in
dustrious, provident mechanic might save
enough by the time be is twenty-five
(which is early enough TO marry to take
his wife home to a cottage and garden
wholly their own. Then mechanic need