New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-11-29


agent and he never handles the filthy currency
rags which are paid in for rents. Non oIe', said
vespasan. "When one nigger'S dead, buy
another" said Legrce. "When one house.
burns build another" says Capitalist; and
subscrbes five dollars for the Home for the
Friendless.
The poverty and bad habits of tenants cause
occasional losses; in some cases. largo ones.
But the capital invested is comparatively mod
crate for every tenement, for being thought bad
neighbor, deprcsses the market value Of the land
near it; it is always cheaply built with little ex-
penditure for repairs and none for ornament, the
general rule being to put as little in as possible,
and squeeze as much as possible out, so that 1t
is reasonable to estimate the average return
from tenements at from fifteen to Twenty-Five
per cent annually on the capital invested IN
them. The question then arises, whether it be
practicable to provide comfortable dwellings tor
the poor except as benevolent enterprise.
The answer must be in the affirmative, for the
thing has been done. AS stated in an article
which appeared in The atlantic Monthly several
years since, a society formed for the purpose
built, in 1853, three tenements designed for
model houses, fronting on Pleasant-street and
Osborneplace, towards the South-end OF Boston,
and in by no means the worst quarter OF the
city. The houses are five stories high, accom-
modating twenty families each, and III golden
letters the fact should be recorded that care
was specially taken to secure pure air, pure wa
ter; efficient drainage, cleanliness, light, and
security against fire. For the last, each house
has solid brick partition wall dividing 1t
in the middle; two main exits; double stair
cases. continuous to the roof-ln one case Of
iron-and an iron bridge thrown from roof to
roof One house has a circular staircase III the
center, surrounded by four tenements on each
floor, which consist of a living room III by 10
feet and two bedrooms by Q, or as an equiva'
lent, stting.room in place of one bedroom.
Wash.rooms, wood and store closets, sinks and
cupboards are in every tenement. In one build
ing, each tenement las shaft for dust and
oflal, communicating with receptacles in the
cellar. The roofs have convenences for clothes.
driving: tie cellars closets for fuel; and the
basement of one house has actually two bath
rooms. One of these houses is original and pecu-
liar, furnishing kind of open court in the
shape Of the central circular stairway, which
gives easy egress in case of fire; the other has
a common stairway in the center OF each OF its
two divisions, with ono tenement on each side
on every floor.
Now this is not Fifthavenue, but onthe other
hand, it is very far removed from Bakersfield.
The tenements are not much moro closely con-
nccted than houses are in any block; and in
looking at the plans, the accommodations are
such as would not be rcpulsive even to people
of ample means. And what have been the
financial resultsi Inclusive Of the land, the
cost of the two buildings was little less than
$40 900. The rents are from 81 to 81 81 per
week-not more than are sometimes paid for
hovels-and the total yearly income from each
house is 81, $685. which leaves full ak per cent
return upon the capital invested. A large
building 100 by IS feet, containing ninety tene-
ments of three rooms each, was erected in New
York some years ago at cost of 100000; but
the same article states that il has not been finan-
cially successful, having made an annual return
of but four per cent, owing to injudicious man.
agement. Although first cost and taxes are
much greater here than in Boston, we believe
that good and comfortable houses can be built
on such plans as the above, and be made to
yield a six per cent income. For be it remem-
bered that tenement houses contain not only
the ncurably idle aud vicious, but many whose
poverty alone, at present exaggerated rents,
compels them to such straits. Comfortable
homes beget hope, and that industry and Thrift.
At least make it possible for those who are dis
posed to labor TO dwell comfortably and the
gain is immense should reform go no further;
but some at least of the lowest would be moved
with the ambition TO rise. The experiment has
been proposed, and upon small scale tried, of
building large blocks to be occupied by num-
Der of families in common, single kitchen
doing the cooking of all. Similar plans might be
adopted for a cheap and good tenement, to con-
tain sort Of restaurant for the use OF all the
with small but healthy lodgng-rooms
Granting that the poorest classes most need to
be lifted up, every step of this kind increases
the number Of those who are able TO pay rea-
sonabe sums for their homes, and diminishes
that of the abject ones whose ideas reach moth
ing better than sty.
While human nature remains as at present,
it is probably vain to suppose that men will
voluntarily substitute property which makes