The New York herald., 1869-01-21
TENEMENT HOUSES.

UcTfpftOn OIL lucul Anu nrAf s"AAc~ACS-AAn-
provcmcnts Demanded In Their Censtruc.
aion-Model Tenement Honses-Legislatien
on the snbicct-Fire Escapes.
Tepement houses are a feature OF New York. They
are the product OF our city's growth They are the
offspring OF our heterogeneous population made up
iargey as it is OF the aboring poor. New York is,
at the least calculation, century behind the great
cities OF the Old World In respect to tenement houses
Take the city Of Paris sample. Crowded is the
gay French capital the houses occupied by
the poorer classes are constructed with view
u the utmost possible comfort OF their occu-
pants. IL is disgrace there to live in tenement
houses-no special, undsguised work or poverty, az
here--no positive assurance OF limited resources.
And the system prevails in others OF the lead
ing European cties-in Naples, In Florence In Rome
In Berlin, In st. Petersburg ana even In Londcn
The reason Is obvious. The same greedy grasping
for gain does not influence the landlords there In
our city, the same careful calculation OF the net
profit of their investment-the same eagerness to
grow rich upon the necessities OF the poor. The
cult here OF this avarici0ns spirit we
every side, At every turn OF every street,
In the multitujinous tenement houses blocEading
every avenue and byway or our great and growing
CITY, We see it in the mode OF their construction,
IN the erowtling together in the smallest possible
space the largest possible number OF tenants, IN the
exclusion Of ami proper ventilation essential 10
the accomplishment OF this result, in the en-
denies that occur from this most obvious
violation OF natures plaiDest and simplest laws;
and last, bur not least, in the exorbtant charges
exacted for rent One half OF our population live
IN tenement houses. Almost the entire population
Of some OF our wards comprise those living in tene
ment houses some streets wholly made up OF this
class Of dwellings,, aud through nearly every street
and avenue and lane OF the city they are az "shick
IA leaves in yalambrosa.s' week OF assiduous
uto she M
delyng inIo deep ana dark basemeps, threading the
iabyrinhan mazss of our colossal tenement houses,
md mounting 10 The sSy-aissing atEcs Of the more
ambitious of this class Of houses, has enabled us TO
gather pretty iull and comprehensive
Idea OF the subject, and with descrip-
ton OF these abodes, throw out suggestions which
deem pertinent to the case and OF value touching
needed reforms in their mode OF construction, and
rs having IN important bearing on the futurc wei
fare Of the occupants OF this class OF dwellings, and
the general weli-being aud health OF the city a. large
ruaEER OF TENEMENT HOUSES.
II is au lndspatable fact, as already stated that
over Ono-h.f OF the population Of our city live in
tenement houses. SPECIAL census, having reference
10 this subject, taken in 1862 By the Police be-
pariment, pursuant to special orders. This census
showed he following results
Number OF tenement houses. es......-.......... IS247
reputation proper S.s'2sl
tSiiar population .,.......-........-.-..- 22,uso
--lf the tenement houses S,546 were pronounced as
having proper means OF escape and 3s0i Us being
deficient in means OF escape In case of IRE. This
further showed that OF the buildings enume-
rated sl26 ere properly ventilated and 4, 81 with
ouf adequate means OF ventilation. it was still fur
tler shown that in respect to sanitary condition
sz OF these buildings compiled 18th the existing
Efastes on this subject, and that 22l failed to CON-
ply with the iegai requirements III such cases made
ard required. Particular Investigations point OF
most vital interest-was made III reference 10 the
number OF cubic feet Of ar allowed the respective Give
qummed up as foliows-
No. or cubic Feet. Houses. Population.
From 100 to 600. ............. 1909 62s8S
From 800 to 400. .............. $3.50 i02, 34S
From 900 to 50U............... 1850 1871
From 500 10 500. .............. 1,4gI 6a.S42
Frc0 go 10 200. U............... ll0J aL151
From zoe TO 500. ....... .ss .aSsI
The papabe and gar1ng defect with regard TO tae
number OF cubic feet OF air essential to health ia
demonstrated BY very casual pathological nvestiga-
ton that one thousand cubic feet Of AR IS the mean
Wien it il seen, as ia clearly demonstrated by the
above table, tnat the amount Of air and venti
small percentage OF the population of tenement
housea the danger Of zymotic diseases or diseases
only wonder IS in view OF the facts stated, that
have been spared visitation OF the terrible plague
crowded dwellings, and lack OF good and pure arr
Fortunately the great fire that swept over tue crowd
the VISITATION OF the plague removed the cause fine
disease, ana thus prevented its recurrence. The
compact and crowded dwellings destroyed in
fh.s connagration witch led to the erection OF more
suitable dwellings, making wider the streets and
aonsoauent Exemption from repetition OF the same
Devastating epidemic IL our own tenement houses
reesesSnes. Of % AMMAN comsoi and health i shown in
the al iitionai tenement houses being erected, and
the same one purpose xept IN view a. now 70 sect
the largest possible percentage OF profit on the invest
meats made it will not be long before we are visited
witl the same dire calamity Of endemicai disease,
trafC n nj
strucsion. AS surely as the wages OF SIN Ia nea.h.
surely the present system OF crowded tenrmcnt
stringent reformatory measures adopted
10 ward or the impending calamity. since
rcerred our city has increased wonderfully
in population. fhe. nuinoer Of tenement
houses has increased, beyond donor, iuiy
one-fourtn, and the population resident IN them
may be saicly set down ~ over half million In
seventeenth and Fourth wards amore recent cen
sus, and which shall particularly aIlude mere
aiier, has been taken taan that W which We have
scribe the tenement houses In those wards where
they prominently abound
SEVENTEENTH wAED.
Beginning with the seycnieeuth ward, we begin
with good sized city vi ITSELF. its towering tenement
aDodes are sight 10 behold and the compact l!fe
wsihin them marvel and mystery. special
census of this ward was taken two years AGO with
tire following RESULT
Suubcr o front tenement houses ............ 2e1s
NnmDer of rear tenement houses. ............. 81
Families occupying tenement houses. ls.sl@
Persons occupying tenement hoases......... s:,l9
Cellar population. 2soa
In The past two years this ward has greatly IN
creased In population Taxing the number ol votes
registered IN fuis ward Al the i,st election proper
bass Of estimate The present number of inhabants
be set down at 1000 VIII propOrton1Le m
crease IN the number OF tene0ent abones. Ihe
ward. In fact have aiready stated. ia a cfy
of itself. having within - boundaries 40
less han fourteen churches 0g layer beer saloons.
ant liz places where NJ gtnds of liquors indis-
.rinnaicy sold. Mere is ward IN tne city where
such proportion of the population itcs in tene-
melt HOUSES. Excepting tue private dwellings In
Second avenue aud q FEW M seventh. hlgAtn NiDtn,
Tenth and Fourteenth streets between tie First and
Third avenues, the cntife inhabitants i've tele-
fneit houses. Fourth street. the r0Uih eide, be-
tween avenues AUud B hrick houses, front and rear
nf fnnr aud I'VE stories known a. .tAgpckers Row p
r. the grand. lead centre 0f ige ragpickefs of the
city. they ere crowded tOgether. dozen 20 ~
small aud iliy-vcgiiaich ROOMS. Retklng 10 MN
snd scottish stupidity not one m ten hnxving how