Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-08

Ten Completed and Occupied by 10000
Persons.
From the London Daily News, Jan. %.
1t is little more than six years since
George Peabody died, and already ten
of the commodious and substantial
dwelling houses he bequeathed to the
workingmen of London have risen in
the metropolis, all, save one, being COM
pleted and occupied. The first, built in
Spitalfelds, and completed during the
lifetime of Mr.. Peabody, has since been
followed by the erection of others In
Blackfriars road, Stamford street, Stad-
well, Islington, Chelsea, Bermondsey,
Westminster, Southwark, and Pimlico.
This last is still in course of building,
and promises to be the largest of all,
for it stands on five acres Of ground, and
affords site for thirty-six blocks,
twelve being already far advanced on
the way to completion. In the aggre-
gate the population of Peabody's build
ings is probably not less than ten thou
sand persons, being within twenty-four
of the population of Tiverton, which
returns two members to Parliament.
What the population will be in the
course of twenty years might be calcu
baby be startling in its results. AS is
well known, the amount left by Mr..
Peabody, with the object of providing
"improved dwellings for the poor of
London" was half a million sterling.
This is a capital sum laid out IN an IN
vestment returning a certain moderate
but safe interest, which interest, as 1t
accumulated, becomes available for the
building of dwellings,; and these will
themselves, in the magical manner
peculiar to compound interest, add
further sums to the ca pital, and SO on
ad :asffaitasns. The wise and beneficient
action of Mr.. Peabody has, in fact,
planted in London goodly seed which
will increase. and multiply till, in the
course of time its branches shall spread
out far enough to provide shade and
shelter for all who can prove their right
to dwell beneath it.
MODEL BLOCKS.
The latest addition to the rapidly in
creasing number of these congeries of
homes has just been opened in South
wark street. 1t is a substantial build
inc of twelve blocks, and, taking the
average of four in each family, will
SUODlN house IOO1Il III dOOllu OIlS OlIOo-
sand persons. In each block there are
twenty-five tenements, a few consisting
of one room, some of two, and many
of three, but each absolutely self con-
tanned, and all as private as if they
were flats In Victoria street, or In the
Rue du Faubourg ST. Honore. The
three-room tenements consist-tO take
an average example-of kitchen Is
feet by II, bedroom 16 by IA, and a
second bedroom Il by 16. The floors
are boarded over, the walls are cement
ed, and all are at present beautifully
white. There is a fireplace in each
room, that in the kitchen being fur
nished with capital oven and boiler.
There are several cupboards, one in the
kitchen having over it a meat safe,
with door of perforated zinc. In the
passage outside is coal bin of neat
and ingenious construction, capable of
holding half ton On each flat there
is laundry, with copper boiler, a
wringing machine, and mangle. This
is devoted to the use of four families,
who have the privilege OF occupying it
by turns one day a week. Each flat
has dust shoot, the tenant having no
further trouble chan to open it and
drop down the contents of their shovel.
Nor does this conclude the list of spe-
cial accommodations in these wonder
full mansions In an underground room
of each tenement there is capaciOus
bath, to which the tenants have access,
without charge, and as often as they
please, there being no other necessary
preliminary than that of calling at the
fo, tho bow
Gas is provided in the wash houses
and through the roomy staircases, also
at the expense of the trustees. The
rent of three-roomed tenement Is
5s. Cd. a week; for two rooms, IS. 3D..
and for one room, IS
LIBERTY OF THE TENANTS.
It is satisfactory to know that these
advantages, which become all the great
er when contrasted with the sort of
dwellings to which the poor of London
are accustomed, are not tempered by
any arbitrary interference with the hb-
erty of the tenant There are few
simple rules enforced in the buildings
but they are designed simply In the IN
terests of order and cleanliness, and for
the general good of the little commune
ty. For example, it is ordained that
the passages, steps, and closets shall be
swept every morning before 10 o'clock
and washed every Saturday. This the
tenants take it in turn to do. Washing
is to be done only in the laundry, and
care is taken that the place shall not
become public wash house by the en-.
forcement of the rule that "only ten
ants clothes are to be washed" Pos
sible intentions of turning an honest
penny are further nipped in the bud by
rule No. 10, there are only thirteen
which DEGREES that no tenant will be
permitted to underlet or take in dodgers
or to keep a shop of any kind" Other
rules are aimed against the hanging Out
of clothes to dry; the disposal of " mat
ter in the wrong place" by the simple
expedient of throwing it out of the
window; of the playing of children on
the stairs, IN the passages Or In the
laundries; OF the keeping of dogs; OF
the papering of the walls, or the driv
ing Of nails into the same; or the beat