The New York herald., 1867-01-29
TEE TENEMENT HOUSE SYSTEM
Continuation OF the Herald Ccmmis-
sion's Inspection.
shocking Scenes of Poverty
and Filth.
No Fire Escapes and Few Comforts IN the
Homes Of the Poor.
Re

Tho hERALD reportorial commission has continued IL
abors during the week. having visited numbers Of tone
nent houses In this CITY, making thorough nspe
0a their dark holes and corners diving into nosome
alley ways, climbing rckety and noting all
shas they observed with their reporonal kesnness The
Following concise report Of what the distinguishing
characteristics Of these wreched homes Of the poor
~waken legislators realization Of the stern duty do
yslvtns on them In the promises
rHs sEvEsrExxra wAAD.
1As occupants Of the tenement houses OF the Seven
zenith ward dier in many respects from the residents
~ the down up town wards thc west side Of
No city, the majority Of the population in Mackrell
Oilie bsing Germans on that account became
Ay to cali in the services interpreter In exploring
he homes or the poor In this ward there o. 2O7
pesons residing In 1890 tenement houses Toe average
eumbsr OF families to each house s eight and onethrd
The number OF houses where the Of escape
In the Of re 359 and where 1t good there are
t,s3L These houses are reported good not because
phey have fire escapes, but because their roofs a
end being all Of height II the roof be reached
n many cases travel around the block them
There 500 houses that have bad ventilation and 1855
chat have sewerage, although. there is . in
every street.. The inspection Of this ward made
sndsr the guidance Of officer Walter of the sanitary
corps
ZONE PICRERs' HOME.
No. AS East Thirteenth street is known by the souby
qaet Of Bone Pickers' Home There is from; house.
with three tenements the rear The lot resembles
chs letter placed sidewse. The three rear houses
4Ave each water closet, but they full Of 9th and
are infested with thousands Of Between the wall
sf the rear house and the one adjoining there is space
q about foot down which some Of the tenants pour
shcir flth from their bedroom windows In summer
She stencil arising from the small piece OF ground
0nod within these walls is ntolerabe. Of the
pants the ground floor stating that unbear
able that she had to close up her bedroom to prevent
Infection from the smell The escape the roof is by
ladder three feet short Of the height of the scutile
chat even II the roof were reached there would be
~ay 70 descend again. The front building provided
with NO better OF escape Tho ventilation Of the
house also bad the bedrooms being close and dark
Many Of tho occupants their bedrooms for cca bns
eating sleeping and working bone picking in the
Kitchen. The hydrant is in the Of the yard,
whore The lthily inclined empty their nuisance,
She smell Of which sometimes rises TO the fourth story
Windowa There are 6fty-hve families in the three
houses The charge for q room and bedroom in the
aear b four dollars per month. The rental OF this
llthy i-yentated establishment, unprovided as IL is
~lh ths Of escape from Hre II S257 per month";
- y, ~ Per year.
LIFE OF 4 BOMB HCKKR
In room and bedroom in the rear was found aged
German couple the man husily plying his knife the
bosss that he had picked out Of the ash barrels In the
SssA Several bushels Of bones and scrapnss Of meat
~ scattered on the noor The old man was seventy
Sas yean Of age, the woman seventy. They had been
tyslve the country, and had never done any
GIhg sss bus pick up bones for living. The bones
UAsa scrspsd brought ninety cents . barrel and the
0aae Two cents pound Such portions OF the meat
- ala nA -
hlghsr price Five bone pickers tins house averaged
er income - thirty cents day or about nine dollars
IA ns q this income s the majority of ,he houses
- air Of comfort, cheap religious pictures hung
- wallis. and on the msnte piece ucked cheeriy
00uncCtcut CLOCK. But what must be the condition OF
Dis house In the summer monthss Refuse IN the
yrd, refuse between the wIiis refuse spread the
gcing ON in apartments where thero II ventilation,
lnsde and the house all the ordinary laws OF
health are set at denance ~ sease and death were
Ha l07 avenue A is entered by long alley. There
- three tenement houses In the row. The yard In
'front.' about six feet area and Is covered with ashes
and snow to such depth that walking is made dan
There Is n no .s escape 70 the roof poSn q s ne
used for nrcwood BY the poverty stricken tenana The
cellars ed with ashes and garbage and into them
. rot land smell There are twenty -four families
khi house. For badly venlased room and bedroom
he houses being little better than stables, with the
companmonts or broken down bansters, . dirty yard
asd casspool, NO nre escape frozen hydrant the
ssoant pays 81 . month The rental Of this entire
LARGE HoUss WITHOUT FIRE ESCAPE
No - stanton street, four story house, is occupied
by thirty six families, nine Of them being the top
eoor. The apartments are entered on each story
from o long wooden platform, which has fire
cape 10 tho yard there here h y long ladder, which
- would cost but little 70 have nre escapes at
cached TO this building. Tenants on the top door
below and those the balcony below would be in the
esme plight In the event OF fire. The yard very large
was impossible 70 is condition 40 10 cleanliness
The water closets smell bad, and should frequently
esive bounteous application OF lime
families The ventilation is bad. For dark bsdroom,
With q middle room, also dark. and kitchen, the
= the tenants arc labelled on Zach door the re es
s.2e BY the scue 70 the roof and thence on 70 an
-od]oining roof.
No 222 East Fourth street is entered by Wide alley
Tho entrance what In caei the front house from
1oors opening this passsecway ~ the end OF which
Shsre row Of four four story houses, occupied by
twenty -four families The stairs are dark and dirty,
khs apartments are In the same condition, and,
ever are without ventilation. In room there
found thousands OF cockrvaches accumulated about the
ssove Tho occupant said, with smile, that In sum-
ner you could hear them squeal In warm weather the
bedrooms are surocadng and In storms she roofs
found leaky The Ore escape is By adder through the
zsscsni. and me ladder is also several feet too
short. Tenants pay "a 80 for dark room ana bed
E~o made from twelve 70 twenty i've anss DAY by
ssIling matches. woman lay sick abcd reading
her Bipe wbe her two children sat BY her crying The
uDnsiApe had been there 70 disposess her, aud she
1sared hearing ner visitors that he had come back
again sho was the widow OF soldier who had boon
6iIed during The statistics OF those buildings
ore ~ follows:-
Fdmsta Perscns
10, 'front.' house. ...........-...........H W
&22, front house. ......................-l4 ol
G1l roar Observation-Disclosures. 81
NclO' ...........................7 80
Making total Of Al families, comprising 162 persons,
nd m the closets OF No. "a back up 70 No 30,
which used BY the tenants, not less than 200 persons
0se one water closer, which must from necessity be
alwsys IN fi1hy condtcn On the top floor OF the
Esnnnts asked the landlord for ladder 70 get on the
roof He him TO the carpenter AMI the carpea'er
n mt him the landlord, and tbs result ID that ne
house vet remains without ire escape. Considerable
alarm was felt lately the occasion Of brc on the
ART foor but fortunately extnsushed before u
bad gained headway
No 532 East Thirteenth srcet Is our stories high, and
hsa two families on floor II is possible TO get on