The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-10
TENEMENT HOUSES AND RAPID
TRANSIT.

DRExEL BurLDIxe WALL STREET, NEW York.
10 THE EDITOR HRRALp:-
1t has become evident many OF those persons who
interested the we'll being Of their fellow men In
this great metropolis that necessities OF the tone
ment house population are IT not entirely overlooked.
certainly greatly sighted by both the promoters and
enemies rapid transit in their respective argu
ments and endeavors. New York has occasion 10
pride itself its tenement house institution or
the unfortunate condition Of their inmates.
In the April number OF the Penn Monthly appeared
most excellent article, by Mr.. Louis Bodgett, on
titled, "A Building System for the Great Cities" At
page 200 OF this essay Is sad:-"In 1855 tho whole
number OF the tenement house inmates was sol, 22a
nearly twothirds Of the entire population OF New
York. that this time there 90 900
with fully 500 900 occupants" When this appalling ex-
hbition is considered with Its degrading results
its fruits OF death and crime stare the intelligent
classes OF New York daily in the face, II 10 amazing
that rapid transit is not promoted with the energy Of
despair and from motives OF kindly consideration.
The municipal authorities are, many Of them, tho
direct reprcsen OF the tenement population,
and cvcry neglect and impeachment their part OF
any feasible scheme of rapid transit should be at
tesded by penalty which Is adequate to redross tho
wrong aud prevent repetition. Ii is recognized
fact that the single house system, by which is
q single dwelling for each family OF working people,
elsvates the OF the community, and the occupa
ton OF tenemcnls by TWO more families lowers it
correspondipgiy. The proletarat in New York
time its history threatened to become the peer OF
the French Communists OF tho earlier revolution, and
the appearance and expressions OF the New York mob
have been described by eye witness something
appalling anu Of unparalleled tcrocity. There
1000 people living IN New York vocatons are
ped by nignt, and who are never seen In the lair
ignt Of It's aay This Is OF the products OF the
MOI Ted
and reinforced by the delays in rapid transit
no remedy is TO dinusc the populations over the
lands adjacent to tho city, aud TINS be ouiy
accomplished with rapid transit as an auxiliary This
plan OF avoiding crowded tcncmcnts has beon tried in
other cilics, notably IN Philadelphia, with complete
success, longer experiments its results
Improvement IN the social and moral conditions. arc
demonstrated Tho wisest philanthrop Is proven
to De udicous inculcation Of habits oil thrift
pendence and sell respect among the working people
problem Nv the efforts Of welEdsposed people else.
whore IL Is amazing hat tho charitable portion OF New
York have not gwen moro attention 10 the crying ne
cessttes Of The crowded and unfortunate tenement
population.
York:-"A building con tanning from forty TO hun
rooms eacn Of which Is separately let 10 one or
more persons, can scarcely be expected TO
offer any Increment to cleanliness order aud seli-re.
spect - and again, ''The public concerned with
the dnal results' OF tho single house system He
ropcrIy SAYS that Is social question the highest
character raised this discussion oil the
ofbuildng up great city - and IN The Same paper no
reviews Inc results OF tho single house system III
Philadelphia.
New York cannot be permitted much longer
tnue The system OF neglect OF tho social condition Of
the great body OF It's population, or longer permit the
violation every law OF successful growth regulating
commercial town without rapid decrease in pcrnia
nent prosperity.
IL IS possible with wise legislation on the subject OF
distance, rapid transit 10 commercial centres, and
building laws, within ten years from this time
TO have tenement house, In the popular meaning OF
this term, remaining Cd New York Island. THIS how
ever needs the concurrence cooperation vi Oud
os real and, at first, the more thrifty Of
the working people, anu finally OIL all. Upon simple
plan OF cooperation in Philadelphia, alone from lS49
10 1876, inclusive, tho sum Of over fifty millions of
dollars has passed small single Tor
cupaton tho artisans aud their families. In 1876
400 active building associations In opera
ton in Philadelphia.
With what results Mr.. Blodgett says:-.I havo
seen men, with their families pursuing precisely the
same occupations las the New York tenement p0pua-
tiOD) living IN Philadelphia neatly kept houses of
their own, in c,esnly streets aud with every evidence
that they ieit inspired all the present comfort and
hopes OF improvement That elevate honor man IN
the numbcst we'll as in the highest position. Asa
act OF sanitary prccuution, oil benevolent public
spirit there could 10 greater conferred on
acity than TO Introduce ana enforce the single mouse
SYSTEM"
These wise words, and how much longer is their
text 10 DO violated by the combined efforts OF
sighted corporations aud our unwise city authoriess
The combating the inevitable and the other neg
lectng until neglect becomes crime, the forfeiture OF
the franchise Of the corporation oDstrucng the
1t IS but yesterday New York tremblcd at tho posi-
BILE uprising OF tho tenement poor fortunately without
reasou but unless this great majority OF The popua
oasy solution II taken III connection with rapid tran
ST. the time must come when all this ovcrcrowdng
produces protest the revolutionary orm. II easy
Tor unthlnkng to asten such results as W.T.
nesssed Ia New York on the tenement population ~
sell, it most unphilosOphic Tor but few
dowed with the power OF solving social problems, and
these for the and less gifted OF their
fellows 1t is to the rich OF New York that the DUTY
OF promoting the single house system belongs, and III
q subscque paper will be demonstrated by the
suits accomplished elsewhere that with the aid of rapid
transit new avenues OF investment IN The direction
pointed out will be opened which Will produce admra-
Ole results to Inc capitalists we'll as TO the
fortunate tenement poor, who will then seek to he
househ0lders.
In England and in Philadelphia many thousands
have become possessed oil property through building
societies who, without such associations, could
have become hOuseowners.
II easy TO convince the most sceptical OF the pro-
fits to all concerned in the single house system by
marshaIng tho figures which represent the total
suit of sucn system elsewhere These prove that
with slight effort intelligence waste lands adjacent
to city may be made with profit the healthy perma-
ncnt aud happy bones for a class otherwise over
crowded and wretched. In Now York such result
be until after rapid transit 10 It's suburbs