The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-03

smiths, staymakers, sawyers, painters,
printers, laundresses, letter carriers,
cabinetmakers, bookbinders, dressma-
kers, artificial flower makers, carmen,
and others. The entire community
there now consists of 674 individuals, of
whom 10 are widows, the rest married
persons and children.
The new buildings at Islington are
substantially constructed of brick, and
consist of four blocks of houses, five sto-
ries in height, which are let out in tene-
ments of one, two, and three rooms.
Each block will afford accommodation
for sixty families, or 240 in the aggre-
gate. The rooms are each of them about
9 feet wide and IL feet long, and of a
suitable height The attic of each block
is paved with tiles from the Isle of
Wight, and is surmounted by hand
some ornamental turret. There is also
accommodation for washing and drying,
and at each end of the buildings is els
tern II feet long, six feet wide, and four
deep, capable of containing 1850 gallons
of water. Everything has been done to
render the sanitary arrangements CON-
plete in every respect.
The principle and organization in each
of these extensive structures is the same.
Drainage and ventilation have been in
sured with the utmost possible care the
instant removal of dust and refuse is eff.
fected by means ofshafts which descend
from every corridor to cellars in the base
ment, whence 1t is carted away the
passages are all kept clean and lighted
with gas withot any cost to the tenants |;
water from cisterns in the roof is dis
tributed by pipes into every tenement,
and there are baths free for all those who
desire to use them. Laundries, with
wringing machines and drying-lofts. are
at the service Of every inmates, who is
thus relieved from the inconvenience Of
damp vapors in his apartment, and the
consequent damage to his furniture and
bedding. Every livery-room or kitchen
is abundantly provided with cupboardS,
shelving and other conveniences,. and
each fireplase includes boiler and an
oven. But what gratifies the tenant,
perhaps, more than any other part of the
arrangements, is the ample and airy
spaces which serve as Fairgrounds for
their children, where they are always
under their mothers eye, and safe from
the risk of passing carriages and laden
/ carts.
In evidence of the improved salubrity
nf the buildings, the superintendent re-
port that ill-health is rare, and that the
'nly deaths as yet, since the first builds
ngs were opened, in February, 1864
nearly two years ago-have been one
nan, aged thirty, who died of chronic
complaint, and four children, one Of
whom was under five, and two under
two years old. The entire contentment
IF tenants is freely expressed; no COM
plants have been made of any of the ar
rangements provided for their comfort,
and they all speak approyiDgly of the
unaccustomed advantages they enjoy.
There has been but one person arrested
for quarrelling and disturbing the peace,
and one expelled for non-payment of
rent These exceptions, out Of COM
munity of $50 persons, speak strongly
for the selfrespect and moral principles
| by which they are Influenced.
The weekly rent charged for one room
is %. Cd; for two rooms, As; for three
rooms, IS. As Mr.. Peabody directed by
his letter that the sole qualification to
be required for tenant was to be San
ascertained condition of life such as
brings the individual within the de-
scription Of the poor of London, conf
bined with moral. character and good
conduct as member of society,"" it Is
the duty of the trustees to ascertain by
actual inquTy-first, that the circum-
stances of the person proposing himself
as q tenant are such as to entitle him to
admission; and, secondly, that in the
opinion of his employers there is nothing
in his character or moral conduct to dis
qualify him from partaking in the
benefits OF the fund. These two condi-
lions once established, the tenant on
taking possession of his new residence,
finds himself as free in action and as
exempt from intrusive restraint or off,
cious interference as if he occupied a
house in one of the adjacent streets.
His sense of independence is preserved
by that he pays for what he enjoys;
while for this payment he provides HIM
self with dwelling much superior to
that which he had formerly been accus-
toned to inhabit. rtes
THE PERILS OF THE COUNTRY.
The following startling report by the
internal Revenue Commission has not