New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-24
EVILS OF SOUALID HOMES.

EN Ills OF SQUAIlD tbMES.
A5dresse5 at the MGd0R square Prem tsriaH CbUJh.
The regular services at the Madison Square Pres
bytcrian Church wer5 dispensed with last night
and the large audience present listened to addresses
on the subject Of tcnement-house reform from tho
Rev. Dr. Henry c. Potter Dr. Elisha Harris. Dr. d.
b. St. John Rosa. DR.. r. ii. Derby, {. l.. Brace,
Henry T.. Pellcw, and tho pastor, the Rev. Or.
Tucker. who presided.
The Rev. DR.. Tucker said the present movement
for reform in tenement houses grew out of similar
conclusions reached by different organizations that
bad been working without previously concerted
action. The evil was pecnIlarity Of this city and
demanded immediate attention. The object of the
present movement was not an arrangement
of tenement house PROJECTORS who have
suffered with all other real estate owners
during the last few years. They were not accused
of cXtortion, but their property may be made to
ing experiments that have been tried elsewhere.
Improved homes were followed by improved people.
and that was the purpose of these meetings IN con-
nection with churches. Constant and patient effort
was needed 10 bring success.
Henry f.. Pcilcw said he felt As though no apology
was needed for bringing to the attention of those
present facts IN connection with the tenement
houses of the clty with which they should be
familiar, but, unfortunately, they were not. Fifty
per cent of the 100000 inhabitants Of the
city, he sand, live III tencmcnt-houses, crowded IN
with an average of from 800 To- 100 10 the acre,
in some cases exceeding that number REGARDING
the children these houses uuc-iaif the deaths u
the city occur IN Oue-tcnth OF the population. 10
know and recognize the evil Of tenement houses
will be practically One-halt the cure. Al present Il
is an increasing evil about 100 such houses having
been built last year. There - great danger present
in these houses, and Stlll greater danger IN the
future.
lishcd by the committee regarding tenement hou>cs
had been fully verified by visits made by day and
night. lie had visited many hous'S, and a iyp al
house was one SIX stories high where the
inmates gropo rhcir way through dark halls, and
where the daylight never pcnctrates the middle
rooms on each floor. Another house visited
was five stories high, IN which there were thirty
two rooms dependent for light on other rOoms.
This building had nlnety-two occupants. One
room was IOx1 t. and feet nigh. and wa, furnished
with Il stove IN the centre of the room. FIVE men
and four women occupied tie room. Ia an
other room were found twelve men and
Similar instances were gwen, and the speaker said
that he found the family relations many i'll
stances almost entirely decentralization. women
aud children living prom>cuOnsy together. lie
thought the remedy would be- iOuud H rnlIght-
rued public opinion, and IN forcing landlords to
rrropaIZc thc fact tina; they owed something ur,.
than mere shelter 10 their t"raut,.
{. l.. Brace sand that tenement houses were the
source of all tiio difficulty encountered in attempt
ing to improve the city. New York. he said, has
great prominence III youthful criminals. In the
Chidrrns Aid Society about 5000 children SEEK
shelter IN the lodging houses in one year. About
5000 are sent Ia PRISONS. hoy brought upwlth such
surroundings - natural criminal, and for little
girl 10 keep pure under such circumstances j. al
most impossible. Industrial schools and lodging
houses show that it Is possible 10 save Them Ii IL
necessary to take measures whereby the working
classes will lift themselves up, rs the
working classes i'll PhIladeipha and else
where have done by means of loan societies
etc. 4 labOTug class without SEPARATE homes
will not improve much. ~ present they are the tools
of designing dcmaSoGucs, and Without this iguOr-
ant class such gigantic frauds were prrpetrat,d
by Tweed would not nave been possible Oneremedv
that of Miss HUI, IN London, and Miss Mills. this
city, was to TcnOyate tcncment-bOUses. Another
plan Is that of su urban colonies whereby labOrcrs
by means of loan associations, can become prOprI-
ctOTs. Building house, on the outskirts. and I'M
proved tenement-hOliSes IN the city Were also
recommended. Any lmprOycu Cnt must be- accom-
panied with necessary legislation and "A public
opinion to Sustain H..
DR.. Elisha Harris sad that the tenement house
evil had grown up within thirtyliye wears; twenty
nine wears ago the pdbllC startled with series
Of articles in lHE RBuNE on the subject, which
were at first questioned as To accuracy, but on
investigation were found not To bc OVcrdrawn.
The cyIl increased rapidly during the fifteen years
Of great prosperity. OF the "a ,O00 infants born in
thcsr quarters there is very little chance of the
Ylyal of more than small number lherr are
moro serious evils than that of mortality. What
used to be confined TO the Old Brewery and
Five Points district has now spread throughout
a largo district. The prisons aSylumS and POtters
Field are filed with inmates from TINS section of tine
city. The vicious are crowded with those dcSirOus
of llnE better me- ana reform Is SimoSt impo>Si-
blc The speaker gave large number OF interest
ing statistics. showing the great and growing evils
of the tenement hons, =.
Dr. u. B -. John ROOsa said that the ., 900 medi-
cal students the city were attracted here by tho
prevalence OF disease III the tenemcnt-house ans
trlcs. lie windy pictured the sick scenes m dark
rooms which he had visited, and spoke of the I'M
possibility OF great men and women ever coming
from tencmrnt-houscs.
The Rev Or. Henry G. Potter said there was a
seusc IN which the tenement houses of New-lOIk
had no moral or rel gous aspect. He thought II al
most impossible TO have the qmetude necessary Tor
religious life with such surroundings, but no was
glad to know there were such martyrs IN the ClIy
In many Of these houses children did not
know their own parents. Thus there was growing
up "A structure which would eventually undermine
society. Christians needed to be aroused. lie
had much hope IN the work started by
Miss Hill in London. lie thought If each
person would take tenenent-hOuSe and
give CLOSE attention to II tor one year, remedy
would De. provided. There was gentlcluSn
present who would be one of ten to subscribe
FLO 900 each 10 build al experimental tenement
house with improvements. lhls experiment lie
thought should be tried.