The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-12
TENEMENT HOUSES.
Sad Consequences Of Their Present
Crowded Condition.
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.
Mrs. Miles Successful Experi-
naent in Park Street.

tenem eut house reform anc improvements becomes
more Immediately Interesting. This question has
been discussed Tor tho last ten years and nothing
practical done until Mrs DR.. Miles undertook to
take charge OF tenement house at No ~ Park street.
on the 81 January last and show what practical
improvements could be effected in tenement lie.
Some slight illusions this germ OF grand and good
work. open 10 the pnilanthropists Of Now York. was
made tho meeting OF tho State Charities Aid Asso
citation. ana duly reported IN yesterdays HERALD.
Fuller details arc laid before the readers in The
present article. But il Ia well TO remember,
before entering into these, that haf OF tho
population OF Now York supposed 10
live in houses and that the rate OF mortality
In these Is scvontylvc per cent higher than IN the
ordinary family dwellings. This high death rate is
very largely madc up by the great number Of deaths
OF children during the three coming months, June,
July August. The last reliable statistics IN REFER
ence TO the comparative deaths unfortunately date
back to 1873 In that year the tenement house popu
ation suffered 37.72 deaths per 900 living, while
those living in ordinary dwellings, only suffered 20 A
doaths per 1000. Tho excess OF deaths IN the tenc-
men popu Iatop estimated at close upon TO- 900
per annum Besides these deaths 1t may well asked
how many thousand drunEards, paupers, criminals
and iramps annually raised in these hotbcds OF
vice and how many millions they cost the taxpayers
of New ork In tao shape OF prisons, hospitals, police
and charity expenses?
TENEMENT DEATH TRAPS.
In England the ARTISANS and Lsborers Dwellings
Improvement act passed three ago, has slightly
reduced the tremendous evils Of tenement house iiic
Here legislation is also sadly nccded--rrobaby even
moro than in LONDON. How many families are there
not in New York composed OF half grown up boys aud
girls huddied together In one room? How many
rooms are there not in houses low that
good zcd man must knock his head against the cell
Ing II standing upright How many rooms (particu-
larry middle aud cears) arc there not IN
habi,ed by families utterly without windows and with
out any inlet whatever for fresh air9 Anybody who
knows New York tenements knows that all these may
be found by the thousand, and sanitary authorities
havo been agreed for years that law has been
urgently needed providing that tenement houses
should be erected in wholesome manner; that
every habiiabe room should have sufficient height,
space, air, light and ventilation; that no cellars
should be allowed TO be Tor sleeping purposes.
Legislative relIef ike this would only apply 10 tho
iuturc and meanwhile the charitable reader Will ASK
s.Can nothing DO done. with the t-nements OF New
York as they are?n Miss Octavia Hill has already
shown what could DO done with some OF the dirlIest
tcnements in London. She secured their lease or
control, had them thoroughly cleaned liked mod
eratey remunerativc rents, collected them herself,
always insisting prompt payment, ana by personal
efforts ana suason cndeavored 10 elevate each family
step STEP sclrespect and the health and virtues
THE PARK STREET EXPERIMENT
The tenement house No. Al Park street, noar tho
Five Points. visited yesterday by tho writer Mrs.
Miles secured the control OF tho house by leasing 1t
frss months rent out OF her own pocket. As she
said yesterday her oSc at the Five Points House
OF Industry, in explaining this stcp:-"If own
control house you eau do much in reform
Ing The inmates Than If you arc merely visitor |
il Is mine, ana my tenants VIII listen 10 me more
readily than II were moro stranger TO thcm." Tho
nous. was 81, out a repair nnd Nike. most
oughly cieancu, aud when the writer visited 1t
yesterday the halls and STAIRS ana Tho rooms far
tho writer could see lheir Interior IN passing
eral open doors, were as clean new PIN. Tho
halls particularly spruce and neat those OF
any Fith avenue mansion No garbage was about 10
cxude vile odors Mrs. Miles vigorously requires
that all garbage be burned. No drunken inmates
eating beverages III the house
THE RULES.
Tho following is copy OF tho printed rules which
are furnished TO each tenant
For the beet INTEREST," and comfort Of the tenants Of No.
Al Far. street YORK city, thcfelloang rules have
OF cheerfuiy complying with them:
l. None bat pledged total abstansrs will be permitted to
occupy rooms - This house
in Of scKness and then only under the direction
81 to be paid weekly III advance. to the super
ntcndcni ~ his rooms In the building ON saturday even
tenants WI be required to make good any damage
70 pumDins glass &C.. Immediate notice is
No tenant permitted to underle any portion Of his
&C. to b done before A. NJ direction the
~ garbage to be burned and all ashes to DO thrown
s. Tie will be locked at eleven r. NJ and any
an. o out uss "n. asus s "ps 70
morning
will DC regarded Sufficient tor tine penendent
10 dean possession OF the offenders expira
now rmK RULES WORK.
Mrs. Miles SAID that she found great difficulty In
"A In In
widen the neld OF tenement improvement she would
drop this rule the next iene mcnt houses which She
expected TO leasc and substitute therefor ono
providing that no intoxicated or dsordcrly persons
wouil be allowed IN tue house TINS change IN the
rules would BRING Ia that large class Of poor people
who drank moderately. The weekly payments, sho
found, were great AID 10 those wno received their
wages weekly. In paying their rents weekly tners
was less opportunity or temptation spend
the rent money IN drink or other uIneccs-
all tho month. Each tenant was given little rent
book IN which the weekly pay ments were carefully
entered Some OF those receiving their wages daiiy
were urged 10 lay even thcir daily traction rent
ASIDE anu dd 50. Those that were paid monthly
excused from tho observance OF The rule requiring
weekly payments OF rent. The nth rule prevented
the letting cut OF rooms TO women and men, a dozen
OF whom uscd 70 sleep Ia one apartment Tor len or
tioen cents night Mrs. Mics thought IL was an cx.
cciicnt feature oi her regime that the doors were
locked AZ eleven O'Clock NJ night How often mad sho
not visited tenement houses and Atuinbied at nlrht
over the bodies OF drunken ~ ing IN the entrance
hall.
IMMORAL INFLUENCES REMOVED.
As matter Of fact II is true the doors in most
tenements are opcn all night allowing drunken people
70 enter and sleep In tho Railways Another rule OF
tho house not mentioned above that q lamp lights
every hal from dusk to eleven +. N. "Most OF the
tcnem, mt houses OF the poorer Glass; Mrs Mules said
ARE Kept dark all the evening, ana tnis apparently
tring circumstance has ttscii very unavorabie
onoct upon the morality oi'thc tcnants.n Mrs. Miles
SAID that The rulo requiring the tenants Ia turn TO
scrub aud clean their halls, although ~ seemed per-
haps little harsn was iourd TO Work cxcolIenty. In
mou tsncment honsss . janilor !. PROVIDED Tor the
toward Keeping the house clean, ana the halls were
curing each tenant TO scrub anu her nall made
her icci that she mad nm interest In the house, ana
prevented also the almost daily quarrcls between
Janlors and inmates
THE RENTS INMATES.
Mrs. Miles admitted frankly that the rents In hcr
house were not lower than in most ienements, but
MS sue went 10 great expense IN having repaired and
overhaued she had 10 make up this loss la ordcr TO
make II pay Tho house now, 10 her great JOY, paid
Tor It's rent and expenses tho tenants having become
moro and moro prompt IN the pay