The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-15
HOMES IN THE CITY.

HOMES IN THE CITY.
From the ~ Y. Tribune.
When Mr.. Alexander T. Stewart builds his
projected houses for working people, we hope
he will endow them upon commercial princi-
pies similar to the Peabody trusts and Sir
SYDNEY Waterlow's Company in London. The
British metropolis, under the Transforming in
fuenoes OF railways aud skilful labor, has
changed 80 much with the last quarter of a
century as to furnish q fair parallel to the
growth and expansion Of this city. In both
cities like causes have destroyed street after
street of workingmen's lodgings, and given
them up to large manufactures and immense
commercial houses. In London, as in New
York, dwelling houses OF a higher class have
multiplied indefinitely, while small tene-
ments, so far from increasing, too often fall
before the march of improvement. Every
body is aware of the effect of this policy
in this city, where, year after year. increased
rents are demanded for poorer lodgings. A
workingman whose weekly earnings are from
$18 to $50 per week cannot find q comfortable
dwelling anywhere upen the island at q rent
at all within his means, and the consequence
is that he is driven from the city altogether,
or compelled to submit to all the inoonveni-
enoes and annoyances of lower class tene-
ments. Where man can place his family in
q snug little home in one OF the surrounding
villages, he will find himself better off than in
contending against the exactions of landlords
in the city; but many persons are SO situated
that they cannot get out of town, though it is
degradation and death to stay in 1t. To this
latter class Mr.. Stewards dwellings, and
others which would be sure to follow from his
example, would prove q benefaction without
being charity, and stimulate toll by Offering
q reward to manly independence.
Mr.. Peabody's Trusts now amount to $3.50,
600. The original fund was gift of ESQ, 900.
With this the trustees have already completed
dwellings for 1871 persons, or 400 families,
and the plan being reproductive, they have
besides surplus of f20, 900. Every tenant in
the Peabody Buildings Is fully master OF his
own house, and his seolusion and privacy are
as secure as In the dwellings in the adjacent
streets. The sanitary conditions Of the build
ings have been found to be excellent, and the
habits Of the occupants for cleanliness and
order have improved in a marked degree. The
terms are all within the means Of working
men, and the general favor with which the
scheme is received is apparent from the nume-
rous applications for every vacancy. The new
trusts embraced in Mr.. Peabody's recent
gifts will greatly accelerate the progress
Of the trustees In carrying forward the OBJ
jeot of the benefactions. Sir Sydney
Waterlow's Company now house about 1000
persons. This company has advanced more
rapidly than the other because the Peabody
Trust only extends itself out of its own profits,
while the Waterlow Company obtains loans
from Government to erect other buildings on
the security Of buildings already erected.
Other companies in London have adopted
similar policy, and the progress made toward
the removal Of crying evil is described as
very great, even in that great metropolis. In
New York we are convinced the effect must
prove even more beneficial than in London.
The adaptability Of our metropolitan popula-
tion renders the plan peculiarly feasible here,
and the want of fair accommodations at q fair
price is so grievousIy felt that Mr.. Stewart
could not inaugurate his project at better
time.
Aradioal defect in all attempts at improving
the condition of the poor of this city is to be
found in the fac. that we have hitherto pro-
vided charities which could only be accepted
by the very base or the very unfortunate
classes Of the community. There has been
no endeavor to provide workingmen with
homes where they can live in comfort for a
reasonable rent, and in this way to prevent
welldisposed people from becoming bad.
What we need are great public benefactions
which shall not be charities. In this country
we have one peculiar illustration in point-that
of widespread religious communion in which
poverty and charity are alike unknown. The
German Baptists, or Dunkers, as they are
usually called, together with the Mennonites
and other scots with similar tenets, embrace a
membership Of 100, 600 people in Pennsylvania
and the West; and yet in this whole body
there is scarcely head OF family not pos
sessed Of a competency. They are people
not addicted to the giving Of aims, but the
younger men have the use Of the capital o
the elders, not as q gift, but as a loan, and by
frugslity and industry grow rich as the!
grow old. The same results might be ex
pected to follow, in q measure at least, II W
should provide cheap homes for our laborin
poor. Thrift would be encouraged, Will
happiness, and education, and morality wer
promoted; and what would be to the advan
tage Of the citizen would also prove gain t
the city.
FEAR IN THE CABINET-THE STUMBLING
BLOCK OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
From the NJ Y. Herald
Secretary Fish is the stumbling block i
the path of President Grants administration
He sympathizes with the struggling Cuban:
but is opposed to the granting OF belligerer
rights to them. He is willing they shoul
fight 1t single-handed, and just as willing ths
thav shall he hupQ or shot. Ha ia afraid tbs