The Portland daily press., 1864-03-24
Model Lodging Houses.

the health and morals, of the hundreds of lab
oring men in our cities, who will never own
house, or be able to occupy comfortable
one unless provided Tor them, is now being
turned in that direction, and large appropria-
tons are being made by individuals and asso-
Citations, to erect model lodging houses in
healthy locations with reference TO conven-
fence, cheapness of rent, and general adap-
tedness TO the wants of the laboring man.
Mr.. George Peabody, of London, has
recently given large amount for the estab-
lishment of model lodging houses in that
city, one of which is already completed. The
late Hon. Abbott Lawrence of Boston, left
in his will the sum of $50 900 in the hands of
Trustees, for the purpose OF procuring land
in that city and 'the erection thereon of
Model Lodging Houses for the poor; the
same to be built and arranged for the accom-
mediation of families, with especial reference
to the comfort and health of the occupants,
and the proper ventilation and cleanliness of
their tenements and upon the further trust
to cause and permit the said houses and tene-
ments, when SO erected and completed to be
lilies, at such reasonable rents as to the said
trustees shall seem best. In accordance
with the provision Of the will, says the Boston
Advertiser, alarge and handsome house was
built ia the rear of Harrison avenue near
Kneeland street. 1t is Of brick with granite
basement and freestone trimmings 1t is four
stories high with French root, the top of
which is fiat for the use of the occupants in
drying clothes. The plan of the building is
similar to that of the houses belonging to
the Association mentioned. There are four
tenemeDts on each floor, each containing
four rooms, with closets, ETC., attached. Each
tenement is divided from the other by a
brick wall. The entries are fire proof, and
there are two iron staircases running through
the entire building. All the stories are eight
feet six inches high. The basement contains
store-cellars for each tenement, and a CON-
mon bathroom for the use of all the occupants
of the building, supplied with hot and cold
water.
In the spring of 1858 company OF gentle
men forming themselves into an Association
called the "MoGel Lodging House Associa-
ton, 'took the first steps in building tenement
houses in that city. During the next year
two large and commodous brick houses OF
different construction were built on land
procured by the association for this purpose.
These buildings contain seperate tenements
for twenty families allowing to each living
room, two or three sleeping rooms, according
TO the space, wash room closet etc. Each set
of apartments opened upon the common
stair or passage way. In each of the houses
is double stair case continuous to the roof,
and one of the stair cases was composed OF
iron. There are two main exits. These
houses are five stories high, not including the
basement or cellar, with four tenements on
each floor. The roof of both houses are 1T
ted up with convenience for drying clothes,
and have safeguards of iron around them
In the cellar are closets, one for each tene-
ment, to hold fuel or stores,
The entire cost of both buildings together
with the land is more than covered by the
sum of $4,000. The rents are placed at an
exceedingly low rate and the houses arc con-
stantly filled, each tenement being at all times
occupied.
As business operation. looking at it only
from the stand point of dollars and cents, an
investment in such houses would be good
one. But looking at it as means of provi-
ding comfortable aud convenient houses in
healthy localities for the Woodworking ever
toiling mechanic or laborer, it is a noble en-
terprise that viii add greatly to the sum of
human happiness both in its effect upon the
giver and the receiver. 1t has been suggest
ed that such building erected in this city
would be very great accommodation to many
laboring men and pay good interest. As an
experiment, house that would accommodate
ten families could be completed, at an expen-
Sc of perhaps $4,000 and If found to answer
the expectation of the protector, additions
could be made.