The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-31


Tsnsnsms 0Susss.
s~~,~,~o AZ ruu L EGr sL ATIvn COMnITTEH-YUnTHXR
-oorsrToNs Az TO BUILDING rDgANr HoUen0 DY
IAEpLoRps AND TENANT HOUSE, BUILDxRs-1Unr
rUxR INSPECTION OF TENANT HoUsBs-9HNERAL
RESIDENCE OF NIGER OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
INVESTIGATION.
The Committee of the State Legislature, Mr.. John n.
mad chairman appointed look into the condition Of
- tenant of New York, met sgNn ON saturday
A 10 A. n, at the cfhce Of the Clerk Of the Com
mon Council, City Hall With the exesp ion of Mr.. Cur
a. Of wsstcheser county, fun committee was In at
Sensance There also . numerous attendance OF
>dords and house builders and others interested
- the subject whose had been requested BY the
..mpttee The Chairman announced that IL was neces-
he should absent himself order to return 70 Albany,
vAere i'm DO business demanded his presence Mr..
nsed thereupon left when it decided among the
NAMING members of the committee In accordance with
- Arrangement previous day. for portion main
snA hear further statements Of parties desiring to be
Aeard % the best plan for the future contraction OF
tenant houses. The others, meanwhile, would look
Arsush some Of the tenant houses In the Eighth and
Ninth wards This latter arrangement agreed upon,
Mr. Brevosrt desired TO mako personal inspection Of
some Of the tenant houses, not having been with the
committee on their previous tour Of inspection. Mr..
Dusanne, of New York, accompanied Mr.. Brevoort,
vale Mr. shea Of Richmond county, remained behind.
We give first what said before Mr.. Shea
n. r. o. STEPHENS was the frst party appearing. He
nd that hs owned the four stcry brick tenant house No
- Baxter street. He complained, in the outset Of the
fences and abuses he had to suffer from those
living h adjoining tenensnts, and he wished some
81 be passed compelling proper respect by the oe-
slpann OF every house to the comfort and health
q parties occupying premisss adjacent Houses
q III fame unfortunately next TO his building, and
NJ sk.l huovv NJ nf
business effect the breaking up Of suoh localities
n SHEA said the committee in their present official
cha acter had nothing to do with such places.
M. STEPHENS repeated that the proximity of these
pests made IT impossible for him TO keep his yard
- ceany condition, rubbish and garbage were con-
Sant.y being thrown from their yards into his
Mr.. SHEA suggested best remedy that Mr. Ste
pAess buy the Joining houses and convert them into
respectable tenemen's.
Mr.. said this would do it not that It
night compel him extend his purchase over . large
Of the city. Iaughtsr Mr. Stephens, after this
preface proceeded at length 10 speak Of his own house
building 81 by 45 feet In dnensions four stories,
with two f.rilies . flor, each family ocapying .
and two bedrooms. The IL terrier, he said not
clean, out this he at rbutsd Jointly to the infectious
Influence OF bar example, and The natural filthy habits
Of ME poor Of large ciIies He said that he did AL hs
could enforce cleanliness bat to its
sAy length of time IL necessary that police OH
and health officer should be in constant tendance As
fs however, could not be Done he urged upon he COM
nstee that shey introduce clause in their bill, IS TO
tenant houses giving TO every landlord the power Of
health officer He claimed that in no o.1er way could
cleanliness be maintained. The occupants Of tenant
nany of them were emgranA, whose natural element
vss seemingly filth. They those who, from power
y, losing their sehrespect soon los. all idea or care
Mr.. SAMUEL WEEKS next appearing, said that he o~ned
aarse number Of tenant houses in the city situated
speetvely in Pe Elizabeth Mott and Mulberry streets.
Besides attending TO Ills buildings, he KEEP office
r the general renting and supervision of tenant houses
He had grown with the business and knew what it
he had been engaged landlord for tenant house
owners in The city thrtytwo years AT the commence.
s :, ns agency wss ,es IN S n &
hon to his own the letting and supervision Of ten regu
hr tenant houses besides number Of old buildings
rented TO <nanS but not modern built tenant houses
h built his buldI g expressly accommodate the
class Of people, these getting salaries from So to
Nos Al and 4s Mott to date this class Of
tensns Their dimensions Il BY 20 feet each; each
s.t Of apartments comprised tareeooms, two suits on
Akor The main room II oy 10 fees, with bedroom
BY II feet, and Darkroom kitchen 10 by II feet.
Ia ceiling was eight and half feet high. When these
Buildings were first rented, he charged nine dollars
Aenth At present he let them twenty Ave per cent less
9nt a this reduction large majority OF tenants could
a afford to pay the amount The result that they
would let their apartments and this was one
Why the tenant houses were crowded and filthy All
su s.S nops Of h business be-
Mr.. SHEA asked If he had rct rules regulating the
tIg Of his apartments and The order they should be
Ar. WEEKS said he always inquired 70 he chars,
tsr of his tenants morally well a pecunArily but rs
the landlord had not enough power he ployei
70 take general charge Of each building aod soon
h. had cleaned out tn. yard the tenants woui again
would do it purposely to give his maa something
% DO. They seemed to delight in doing it. By
The present Laws, tenant paid his rent it vas diff
snlt to eject him. 1t frequently happened that drunken
man would get in bis apartments and it was very diff
eait 70 get rid Of him. He desired enactment touch
Al ID ID
eec. dsordery characters without the present exorb
tAnt expense Mr.. Weeks in conclusion, rec ended
The hest plan for tenant house, lot 20 feet front
By 100 feet ceep az 70 build front AMI rear house
thereon each Is feet deep allowing interval Of forty
house. These buildings he would erect five stories
high With twelve inch walls each builcDg 70 nmo-
ca Ten families The suit OF apartments tor eac family
would be q room and bedroom. The main room Ii by
10 fee, ard bedroom by feet. The bedrooms would
each have windows. and be ventilated from the yard.
euoh buildings could be built At an average expense,
Tor both buildings, OF six thousand dollars exclusive Of
sost Of lot The would vary from IS t. So month
Mr.. Weeks Denounced as rii:ulous all the doe spun
notions bout chambers and all that Poor psope
poor people and had 70 get poorly The dif
hcity VAS not hno ords, but ensnts Mr.. Weeks said
he would not turn out poor respectable family be.
sasse hey could ct pay their rent Ths bus nesI Of
house citing not good a. In foruer years,
though lie managed even TO make ten per
sent IN his money invested in buildings.
M. JoHs hcChErSEY desired next TO say somsthlng,
vas IN order for any one = give their sussss ioas
two rows Of buidngs front and wi green plot
between, and fountain playing beautiful isO npid
waters In the centre Mr.. McChe=ensy continued at
length with descr otion very much after the pc
tire Of the p,lace Of Lake Como.
Mr. SHEA sugges ed that practical facts we're shS. the
oom mittAe wanlei.
Mr. McCHEsEsEr said he not house builder by
profession, but he had ideas aud only give these
utteIance tnat he appeared His principle regarding the
POOR duLz 81 laik
Mr. THOMAS PHILLIPS followed. BE said he build
o. sno hsd built large number of tenant houses Of
various plans and dimensions, tor himself and others
He had been gsd in the business thirty
He obc ted In the first place TO the erection
tenant houses imposs ole to keep the yard clear
Impurities, ard especially the aeywaJs leading to the
rear tenenents. single house, on sioge lot could
In bis view, with proper and attention the part
Of the landlord be Clean sdequsts aion could
- aforced and health ensured to the occupants. He
that under circumstances less than two
roCms wi proper ventilation fhould BE- alo we'd for
sisGie auiy and mo than four tor II nily
NeQ they 10 have more rooms they would either
them = . coa ard woodhouse ess underlet them 10
otner tensrt The hail Of every tenant house should
% from fur 10 six feet vide at the from: and