New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-28

OF this whole number $50. tho superintendent
ports per cent, 9s6 houses 10 be condition detn
mental to the health dn gerous the lives 0i their
occupants, and 5s are 80 from negect-that H. frou
overcrowdng Accommodations OF nth defective water sap
ply aud similar The danger public health WINCH
results from these conditions especially IN the W
those maades which arise from snc sources ho IN.
superintendent says adequately represented by thess
figures Tor while in the upper and newer parts OF the
city tenementhouses are comparatively Wei b1ns
aud well taken care Of, there are many local
lues even tletc' Me i @ - ~
covered by such houses IN very Dad CONDITION. ana the
danger is increased by this concentration. The worse
localities the lower part Of the city ~ Intervals.
and along rs eastern ana western Doui7 hs hsh W s
FOrtysecOnd-st the east aud SXteth the west or
the cause OF TINS IMPROPER sanitary eonltlon Sl tee
menthOuses, me SupelIhtShueHi OF fla.ss Hnu ,to
OF erecting front and rear houses on the same lot
BY this plan the OF the rear house Is brought within
short generally from inches To two feet--Of
the Of the house the adjoining on the ne street,
The result Is that the rear rooms OF these Loses ro
entirely cut of from direct sunlight and ventilation is OF
course very imperfect In addition this these spaces
and rarh1re Of every kind giving on the most oensiys
emaTations which are either dfsed through the adja
cent hOuses or the tenants are compelled 10 Keep teir
windows constantly closed Even the front rooms ot
such houses suffer in similar manner, though
IN less degree. from the contignty OF the high
S Of 5ou the .nn and on the free con Of s
Aside from this the other OF light aud ventilation
very imperfect The halls generally very narrow,
and except on lowest floor do not extend through
the building Tho tenants keep their room doors closed.
fresh air except by the windows which only on one
side OF the The bedrooms mere closets opening
from sitting and generally without WIN
dows. The same reasons which keep the halls dark and
wet and rotting, and the walls ana pannlstefs
sticky with constant moisture The easements
cellars often entirely below the ground, ana are
necessarily far more dark, damp and iyentlated than
the remainder OF the building yet many o these are CON
stantly occupied aud not nfequenty used as lodging
places though without any communicating with the
ternal by the entrance and never receiving any
natural light Many these houses have no FOR
drainage except the surface cutters by which the house
Stops not inirequently mixed with urine, and even
fecal matter conducted across or immediately
beneath the Sidewalk, TO the street gutter whsro
they remain, sagnant and purifying in Pho
Summer and in Winter by freezing Obstruct the drain
entirely and turn the flow into the cellars The water
closets and pryes are generally inadequate in number
aud almost always imperfect III construction III many
there being but one for the accommodation OF om
there DeIng DuJ one Tor acconnIVIl 90 ffo.
co to 100 persons Usually these cessp0Os are An the YARDS
but sometimes they In the houses and consist 81 ss
and provided with an opening aid seat on each aoor.
with no means OF flushing them, and nothing 10 pre-
OF the emanations from the material accumulated
below. Such, with the occasional absence Of CrOton
water and the frequent lack Of fire escapes the most
prominent faults OF construction in tenement houses
In this city. Some OF these tonemens owned by per-
sons OF the highest character but they fan to appreciate
the responsibility which rests upon them They are fire.
quenty entirely ignorant Of the condition Of their prvp
ery and either trust IT'S care TO AN agent or lease them
10 middle men," as they called who have inter-
est an the property except its immediate profits and who
destroy even ITS original ventilation and aggrayate its
defects by dividing the rooms into smaller Ones and
crowding three or four families IN space origin
ally Intended for one Disease, especially ia
ent In these dwellings, and every now and then
becomes epidemic in or more Of them. In ono
house 20 cases yphus occurred last year Last sn-
through every epidemic. tenement houses were
the first resting place, ana permanent abode Of cholera
In the event OF fire the staircase OF house Is
generally the first thing destroyed. aud, excepting In
instances where iron ladders have been attached
outside the house. the tenants entirely cut of from es
gGther has been proposed substituting one IN lower
separate from and IN the OF the house. and conected
bic railing sheathng. and the space now occupied oy
the staircase 10 be left open for ventilation