Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-22
HORRIBLE CONDITION OF TENEMENT
HOTeES IN NEW YORK.

un aiievways through disgusting filth,
Compounded Of garbage thrown out by
: the occupants and the muck from the
streets.
We found a house in the First avenue,
I five stories in hight. twenty-five feet
front and forty feet deep, having the
privies within six feet of the
house and i'm the worst possible
condition. These houses have no
connection with the sewer. There were
nineteen families, or about ninety indi-
viduals, occupying these premises. There
have been in this house during the past
wear forty-five cases oftyphoid or enteric
fever, and eighteen deaths. At the time
of our visit. we found seventeen cases Of
fever in the house. In one apartment of
about fifteen feet square, haviugattached
to it a dark recess miscalled bedroom,
without window OF means Of ventilation,
We found whole family, consisting Of
father, mother and three children, all
Frustrated with fever, surrounded by filth
and wretchedness, without fire, food or
medicine, and without medical OF any
other attendance. This house is one of "a
row Of like character. the others being
but little better In East Seventeenth
street we found a block OF seventeen
tenement houses, five stories in hight
with but about eight feet beJW cen joints, |
in which, during the last year, fever has
been constantly present. In oneot these |
alone there have been over one hundred Z
cases Of tvphus during the year. These /
houses were extremely filthy. Under
the efficient supervision of Capt. Lord I
the sick inmates were sent 70 the hcSpi- I
tai. and the house We're thoroughly .
cleaused. In Cherry street is a house of /
about thirty feet front and about two /
hundred and twenty-five feet deep, five /.
stories in hight containing one hundred I
and twenty teuementst averaging seven 1
persons 20 each. The light of day can /
hardly penetrate these gloomy and Z
wretchel abodes. There Is no veutila- /
ton except through the windows and 4
doors, which, though generally closed, !,
are sometimes opened TO let ia little I
air. already vitiated by the filth of the /
street. The open stalls. miscslied privies, /
are situated ia the basement, and are in .
the most horrible condition, the Od0r /
from which penetrates the atmosphere |
of the whole building The tagging of .
the court is sticky with street muck and /
garbage. During the last year about /
one-third Of the occupants suffered from
typhus, scarlet fever, small poN, cholera 4
infantum, and from less serious diseases. /
In two adjoining tenement houses in I
whom Il6 were p70stratcd at one time
bv smallpox, measles, scarlatina, typhoid 4
fever. cholera iurauium aud marasmus.
These are but % few examples Of hun
dred- of Ike character.
Very few Of these houses have any
connection with the street sewers.
Nearly ali the families throw their garb-
age or refuse matter I'm the street. or in
boxes on the sidewalks, which are never
thoroughly Clean-ed,
The want of cleanliness in these houses,
and in the circum iaceut streets, whereOn
the women are constantly throwing
slops, is past all belief, unless from actual
personal inspection. The rooms are dark
and foul, and rcek with a uOXiOIss and
di-Igreeable OdOr, disgusting and Sicken-
ing % all but the inmates, who become
50 accustomed to it that they do not even
perceive il. Over CrOwdiug in these
houses is a source Of disease and death
Eighty-seven tenemuuts, ia one house,
contain 327 inhabitants, and in another
~ apartments are occupied by $50 human
beings.
1t Is well known 70 science that at
least from 10 to ij cubic feet OF air per
minute are required, and that To remain
healthy, each human being must have
from 500 20 100 cubic feet of space, in
which 10 dwell Yet we find G., ggl per-
sons, who have not more than 500 cubic
feet, and over A1,uON inhabitants who
have not 10 exceed $50 cubic feet OF air
wherein TO breathe and dwell
Fifteen thousand two hundred and
twenty-five human beings inhabit cellars
or underground dwellings. These tr0glc-
iytes are receiving into their systems
hydro-~ulphurig, aEWoBiaral and ear
IF#.FH q ..Hn
materials from the sewers and from the
street washings Gf eSrrsnteutitiOus mat
ters; such a. putrfd animal and vegeta-
hle substances. II Is we'll known to ply
SiciaHS that in these cellar aloJrs
2yuotir diseases have n4n sweep
and are enormously destructive % life.
Those born hpgr rarely live one year. OF
the sGi,lyor>, and OF infants bpru else
where and removed To these places,
cholera-iniantum, sCarlGtina, measles,
small poN and tYf,..s destroy twenty-five
per raAI hafura The second year df their
lives. Thirty-tive per cent. become
poisoned before the 9Th year, and only
about thirtY-tiy5 per cent. attain the age
Of twenty. Should any reach this age, |
there still clings to these unfortunate be-
lngs scrofula, pulmonary disease, OphthAi-
mia and 4 general aGGheVtic condition,
enjoyment of life. When we consider
that over one-half OF our eQtiFa papHla-
lion dwell in tenement hoUsgs OF in un-
derEroupd sbodes, amIu squalor and lecu-
lende. can We wonder that human souls.
as Wen as bodies, become foul and
leprouso So horrible are many Of these
places, that Danic's inscription over the !
gateway 70 nio iaferno,
"Au hops abaudo.l. ys wna enter here
would seem Co be net Inappropriate. The
OccupGnls al houses nom which pure air
and daylight are excluded, are TenLsrea |
not alone 1T subjects for disease t0 prey
upon. but become surely UemoTalI5s5i
and fitted for crime. The constant in
hab,tatiuu and absorption Of toXical mat
tiers depresses the vital energies, and ere
ates an unnatural craving Tor artificial
stimulants. tglijEen Of tender years
make unfortunate demands for coffee
and tea and as they become older, they
have recourse 81 alcoholic stimulants
These causes combine TO deaden the re-
sisting powers Of nature, - that slight l
atmospheric charges, Or scanty sslpply
OF fegl, iuay become the spark TO light
up either fbbriie action OF Asiabc chol-
era. These depressing agencies render
ordinary diseases more difficult to con-
tally The condition Of the Inhabitants
Of the tCnements and lars ofthe city not
only piteously apIaAis 10 the philanthro-
pist and to hu1laiie aRd enlightened legis-
iauOR tor amelioFation, but il also power
iully addFesses the weil-being aud self-in-
est OF the merchant, the capitalist, the bus-
mess man and the well 30 do-class6s gen
orally. As q question OF mere politica-
ecopH4iAyi d Is = subject Of great interest,
Iur the great loss OF life, and the Conse-
quent loss Of producing power lMpoyer-
ishes the nation.
This dwelling among 9th and disease
establishes reservoir Of InalariOus poison 1
by accretion, and which IS Go be after- I
ward dissem minated throughout the length |
and breadth Of the CITY, through omni- |
busses, street ears and by means Of per-
scaai contact IN the thoroughfares. The /
seeds Of disease aad death in the shape Of /
tvphus. smallpoX and cholera, being no 1
respeotSr of Glasses, viii periiata the \
dwellings of the opulent as surely AS they i
exist ia the ah0des Of psnury.
Ea- A X tmarkable discovery WAS made
a few davs since iu the shape Of cOnsid- |
cradle quantities Of quick silver. Il Is |
found la = spring in Jessamine county, |
ny, wkere Il runs out of the rock with |
the water Several pounds have been 1
taken 20 Lexington, and proves % be Of /
the pafes1 quality.
BEy~ II is reported ia London that up |
ward of $500 u4 have been privately sub I
serihed iof the Atlantic Telegraph Com |
lany, and an appeal viii probably be /
made TO the public Tor e250 900, TO com /
plete the manufacture Of new cables, with /
view 10 another ATTEMPT al slnbroerginc /