Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-09-04
CITIES AND THEIR DWELLINGS.
An Interesting Article on the Way In which
People Live--HOuses and their Inhab-
ttants.

Science Association in Boston, a report
entitled "Houses for she People in
American Cities " was read. Thereport
sets forth the population, number of
dwellings and number OF persons to each
dwelling in the principal cities of the
United States, and shows that the worst
over-crowding in tenement houses is in
Now York and Brooklyn. In these two
cities, with a population of nearly a
million and half, there are actually
fewer dwelling houses than in Phila-
delphia, with from $50, ZOO to 800, 900
inhabitants. In the worst wards of New
York the average number of persons in
house as twenty-four, and the average
for the whole city about fifteen, while
the worst wards in Philadelphia show
but eight persons to house, and the
average for the whole city is but six. In
Paris, when it had the same population
that New York now has Tin 1880, there
was an average of twenty-five persons in
each house, or less than is now found in
the worst wards of New York. In New
York, too, the over-crowding is growing
worse, while it is diminishing in Boston
and some other cities, by reason of the
enlargement of their territory. Thus
Boston had in 1915, with population
of little more than 100, 900, only 10000
occupied dwellings, and about ten per-
sons to each house but since the last
annexation it has only seven and one
half persons in each house, containing
now about 100000 people and perhaps
$4,000 dwellings. st. Louis shows
about the same ratio of persons to dwell
ings as Boston Cincinnati more Zone
house for eight and four-ffth persons);
Chicago and Baltimore less Zone for six
and two-third persons); and New Or
leans and San Francisco still less Zone
for five and three-fourth persons). As a
rule the crowding is less in southern
and western than in eastern cities,
Philadelphia being tho marked excep-
ton.
The experience of Philadelphia in be-
coming a Getty of homes " was dwelt
upon both in the report and in the de-
bate. 1t seems that since "benefit
building societies." as they are termed
in England, were first introduced in
Philadelphia from England in 1881, they
have enabled from $4,000 to $4,000 of
their members to purchase homes of
their own, and of these no less than 3d.
600 are already paid for. The present
number of members is estimated at 55,
600 in Philadelphia alone, and includes
persons of both sexes and of all nation
alities, who pay monthly not less than
81, 100000 in dues and interest. The
property held by the building associa-
tions there is not less than $5O,0OO,00C
of present value, and may amount tc
$50, 1000, 900 or 70,000,000. 1t was mon
toned in the debate that the English
building societies originated il the
northern counties early in the present
century, and became numerous at Man
chester and Liverpool fifty years ago
in 1887 when Mr.. Spring Rice was
Chancellor of the Exchequer, they were
legalized and favored by an act Of Par
lament, of which Mr.. Rice and Mr.
Poule FL. Thompson were supporters
since when they have increased yer,
fast, and are now supposed to humble
1000 societies in the whole United
Kingdom, with from 100000 to 1000,
600 members. They have passed, how
ever, in England, out of the control o
the working people ndsmall tradesmen
, who first went into them, and are nov
managed by weather. persons of tn
: lower middle classes. In Scotland AM
5 Ireland they do more for the benefit Q
the poor, and in that respect more close
| ly resemble those of Philadelphia. 1
} the United States there are probably n
more than 1,500 such societies, with a
: average membership of no more tina
s 100, and perhaps less. In Pennsylvani
b alone there are probably more than 1, 90
societies in Delaware twenty or thirty
, in New Jersey upwards of 100. A fe'
e exist in Baltimore, Richmond, Ne
i Orleans and other Southern cities MOI
, in st. Louis, Chicago, Cleveland ON
e the cities of the West; and they are il
+ creasing everywhere.
J. Mr.. Ayres described the condition {
Il the homes in Philadelphia occupied b
J. members of these building association
it which he visited last spring-their greI
l. number, uniform neatness, and I'll
y quiet and good order of the populate
& inhabiting them. He found that fir
rs are very rare among them, and hay
h never been known to destroy more tha
% single house ; that riots and drunken
ness do not prevail in the streets whel
i they are built; and that they are actua
Is ly inhabited by all races and grades
st the working people, tradesmen al
Is clerks of Philadelphia. OF late yea
a. these houses have grown larger, han
Q. somer and more costly. He was sati
es fed that the building associations hi
es enabled thousands of poor persons
n Philadelphia to save money and b.
II their own houses who would not othe
es wise have made savings at all.
in DR.. Davis, the chairman, made an i
p teresting statement concerning t
,h homes of operatives in Fall Rive
ce which, he thought, were more general