New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-11
Observation-Disclosures INSPECTION.

The tenement-hOuse Inspectors, whose work
has been so closely scanned by TRIBUNE re-
porters during the last ten days, have three
months of aTduous labor before them.
Twenty-Five thousand houses come within the
range of their observations, and owing to the
wanton violations Of sanitary law which they
find wherever they go, the inspection will
drag on for many weeks. Whoever has read
the graphic accounts Of the adventures of the
inspectors and the evils Of tenement-house
life in the densely-pOpuated quarters of the
city cOmprehends the magnitude and import
ance of the work which the Board of Health has
before It, The inspection has proceeded far
enough to justify certain conclusions:
1. The mode of inspection is defective in
certain respects The majority of the in
spectOrs have shown great interest in what
they are doing and tolerable degree of eff
ficiency, but their work on the whole is
neither as intelligent nor as thorough as it
ought to be. They content themselves with
taking measurements in the houses and yards
and counting heads IL the apartments, and
with recording the more formidable stenches
which their noses detect. The measurements
aud census are of Importance, inssmuch as
spectng breathing space by which the evils
of oyercrcwdDg may be ascertained aud OBJ
waited but there are other points which
sh0ud not be overlooked. For example, de-
fective house drainage. The inspectors should
examine every sinl. and. Water-coset, and find
out whether the sewer connections are in
working order, and whether there Is adequate
ventilation. 1t is not enough to ask the ten
ants whether there are "any bad smells
from the Outbuildings in the yard, and to
make note of the answer. In nine cases out
Of ten the tenant will complain of bis neigh
bOrs and make light of nuisances on his own
premises. What the inspectors must do is to
use their own eyes and noses rather than
their tongues, and, first of all, they must
know something of house drainage. Nor is it
enough if the official visitor peers into bed
room or cellar, and asks whether there are
foul stenches after a rain. The problem of
ventilation and sewerage is one that demands
careful observation in every tenemeut-house.
Some of the inspectors are well informed in
these respects, and know what they are
about others have much to learn.
2. The sanitary laws must be enforced as
fast as the inspections are made and the re-
suits reported. Such nuisances as have been
described by our reporters during the past
week ought to be abated without delay The
dark cellars in which the atmosphere is a
noisome compound of dampneSs and stencil,
the underground bakeries with doors open
ing within few feet of filthy cess-pO0ls, the
manure-pits and stable-yards in the heart of
tenement blocks. the habitations where as many
as three children die in a single room during a
year and another will soon be out of the
damp and fever of its wretched cell, the bed
rooms where the windows overlook plague
spots, and the wan mother means as she NUT
ters We can't sleep with the sash up, and
eve can't sleep with it down, so we have to
"spend our nights on the pavements in the
"yard ";-these are scenes which should be
brought before the eyes of the sanitary au-
thOrities at once.
1t is evident that the officials are working
with energy and q sincere desire TO satisfy
that public sentiment which has been aroused
upon this question. But the first methods,
both for the discovery and remedying of
these evils, are likely to be crude. IL will
not do to be content with them. Both in
spectors and officials can learn rapidly if they
will their whole duty IN this new and rather
repulsive task. Let us hope they will They
do not need to be stimulated hY the thought