The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-11
HEALTH AND HOMES.

At Joint meeting OF the Public Health Associa-
ton OF New York and the Dwelling Reform Asso-
citation, held last night in the School or Mines,
Forty-seventh street, DR.. stephen smith read
very interesting paper upon the most important
subject OF improving and cheapening homes for
the middle and poor classes.
The lecturer Grew attention TO the VAST spaces
or unoccupled ground in the upper part OF the
city, as contrasted with the crowded condition OF
the Fourth and seventh wards, where 100000
souls we're slowed away In %, 900 houses owned
by about 5000 landlords.
Tue plan adopted In Philadelphia is a good,
practical one. lt is that OF cooperative unions,
composed each OF 1000 shares. man may own
as many as he can AFFORD to carry at the rate OF
81 a month EACH The monthly income OF 81. 600
is sold az whatever premium it may bring-from
i've TO twenty per cent. The entire tax upon the
purchasers purse does not exceed $3.50 per an
mum, and in twenty years he becomes owner OF
his own house aud lot.
The present pernIcIous plan OF laying out blocks
was treated OF ana plan suggested for building
single rows OF houses IN such manner as would
admit Of their having Tree passages around
iry feet deep, and Jour streets twenty feet
wide. The plan employed in london
applicable here. The Citizens, Laborers and
General Dwelling Company, OF London, some
tney called sure wsbury PARK This land was di-
vIded into stores, halls, parks &C., TO contain
1,2U0 houses and 5000 people. The enterprise has
proved so successful that the same association has
more recently bought eighty acres OF land near
Harrow Road Out OF the 2,4oO houses intended to
be put up In this lot ], 900 were sold before the
ground was broken.
Much reform il also needed in the tenement
houses, in order the better to accommodate very
poor people wno will not be induced TO change
their habits. To do this all the house room IN the
lower part OF the city must be utilized. the tene.
IN Ia n
warehouses aud other similar buildings are
only nalf occupied. In London MISS o. HIl mas
done excellent work in the very poorest districts
by gradually teaching her tenants the value OF
having repairs done out OF the rent paid by them.
The landlords should OF themselves gut out all
the old,
DOWN TOWN TENEMENTs
and reconstruct them. The profit in the enhanced
value OF their properties would more than repay
all costs OF alterations, &C. The five Points Mis-
sion House affords an example OF what may be
little capital. Formerly the death rate there
10 per 1000. In 1896 the CITY OF Glasgow
Police Act enabled the members OF the Town
$4,000, 900 OF property, the security Afforded by
the purchased lands and houses, for the purpose
or having new streets run, dwelling houses
erected and dens OF vice rooted out The Town
most wretched part OF the city, where the pop
ulatIon was packed together at the rate or
OEB THOUSAND SOULS TO THE ACRE,
or Gao, 600 people to the mile square. Before the
ward la this locality was commenced the death
rate there equalled seventy per 900, and now the
mortality can scarcely be called a 1.-THE or TINS
enormous ngure. This great plan or improve
ment involved the demolition or 900 houses, and
tne ground where they stood was laid out alresh
and lorY new streets formed.