The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-23
MISCELLANY.
Tenement Houses.

Tho New York Sun Of Tuesday, speaking Of
the N isery observable in the barbarous New
York tenement houses, says:
A eiorm in these dwellings has been urged
from time TO time in the columns OF the Sun,
and various. remedies have been suggested, but
without effect. In Washington and Green
witch streets these houses are more thickly
populated than In almost any other part of the
city. Here the casual observer will find a little
room, about twelve feet square, with bed
ROOM attached, from which light and air are as
scruoulousiy excluded as if they were inJuri-
Gus Instead OF beneficial to the health. In some
oil these little rooms our reporter, VINO pernlies
nothing to escape him, saw at one time no less
thar thirteen individuals, all breathing tue
same impure and unwhoesome air, whiie Inc
stencil from the accumulated filth In the yard
below was intolerable. The family residing In
these apartments" y consisted OF widow,
with a daughter over eighteen years old, and
three sons, aged respectively sixteen, fourteen
and eight years, aud all occupying the same
bed on the floor. The widow took in dodgers
and In one corner of the same floor lay two
sisters, who paid two shillings each per night
Tor their bed, such as it was, and in another
corner lay the niece Of the widow, a married
woman, while the dark bedroom was occupi
ed by mann his wife, and three children
sickness, as matter of course, followed, and
~ usual Ia such cases, the younger children
sunered the most. Beneath these apartments
was damp cellar, with ground for floor, ,
where about dozen ssboarders," men and We
mei, lay like pigs in sly, and the family who
boarded them consisted OF five individuals
making seventeen in all
A. case Game before Justice Hogan,on Ihurs-
uay, In which woman was summoned by TWO
unmarried ladies for pawning their ciothes.-
On Inquiry the fact came to light that the wo-
men In question were dodgers, and sne oetain-
ed the clothes for their rent, which was nity
cents per night each. Now the woman and
her three children, and these two girls, occu.
pied room and bedroom in rear house Oh
Prince street, which both together were moi
sixteen feet square. Our reporter subsequent
ly went 10 hook at the place, and only wonder
ed how six individuals managed to live In it
although tho bedroom was light, and, to dc
the woman Justice, although she was washing
In one corner OF the room, tshe takes in wash
ing for living, and had her dinner boiling
on the stove in another part, the place was
very clean, but so hot that our reporter was
glad TO beat hasty retreat. Like the other
she is "a poor widow" and says she is com
PEELED TO take in dodgers to help pay her rent
Now, In apartments of this kind, there are
even worse things done than eating, sleeping,
washing and cooking, all in the same ROOM
Many OF these women can be seen entering
corner groggeries with their ginger beer bot
ties, whieh-they get filed with 1.-THE best
brandy" for five cents-a material difference
between that and liquor store ON Broadway
where 1.-THE best brandy" is two shillings pc.
ny glass. II these poor women are asked why
they drink, they reply: ats SO hot and stiff.
ing inside that il we didn't take little DROP
we would faint" and thus what Is earned BY
hard work goes into the pockets of the ven
der Of colored favored alcohol and csmphene
On the other hand, where there is father &c
Il family, he leaves his home and spends hi,
ei rnings in gin mill, because, as he says, 1.-THE
pi e is more airy than his own dwelling.n-
b. grown up sons and daughters, too, leave
the louise to enjoy the evening air outside, and
ofte outlines get into bad company, thus bring.
ing lpon themselves trouble and misfortune
Some plan might surely be adopted by which
better and improved dwellings could be pro
vided for the poorer classes, which would be
attractive TO both parents and children. The
former needn then go TO the rum shop, nor
the latter walk the streets. The city govern.
nient and private benevolence can do much
~ remedy this state Of things, and it Is to be
hoped that ere long pleasant and well venti
lated apartments may be provided for those
who are now compelled to herd together like
cattle, in small rooms and damp Easements.