New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-06
SCENES ON THE EAST SIDE.


engaged in the work had been, he said, assigned to
duty in district which was believed TO be in q
moderately good condition, and each had been given
a single block OF square to inspect, as test OF his
ability. 1t was expected that some would not find
the work to their taste, and would leave 1t after
finishing their trial sections but as yet no discon'
tented ones had been found, and no complaints had
been made in regard to the character severity OF
the work Those who had completed their first
tasks had promptly reported for further duty. and
been assigned other and often harder sections
AN INSPECTORS OUTFIT.
Much ingenuity has been shown in providing the
inspectors with suitable outfit. In order that
the reports may be uniform aud may comprise
the most essential information. large printed note
books have been made with every item noted, leav-
ing the inspector to fill out the blank names and
numbers On one page are blank spaces for the
number and street, name and address of the owner,
of the agent, of tho hOusekeeper number of adults,
number of children size of house, of living rooms,
Railways condition of Closets general sanitary
dtion, etc. On the opposite page which is rule1 In
squares on reduced scale Of five feet to square,
half of the page is reserved for plan OF the builds
ing, and the other half for general remarks. The
inspector is provided with tape line, for making
long measurements, and with rather handsome
yard-stick cane for measuring the height of ceilings
eyes, ears and open and to exercise his judgment
as to sanitary conditions and to act a draughts.
man. The Board was evidently in doubt as 10
whether physicians or civil engineers the bets
ter qualified for doing the work. At any rate mems
bers of both professions were appointed, and pro-
vided each with an outfit and gilded badge OF
office. The work is anything but agreeable and
cannot be sighted without the grossest neglect OF
duty and subOrdination of conscience; for the
blanks must be filled out and the plans must b
drawn, and observations must be made on each
tenement-house. The pay is only $50 per month
aud the Board will not be disappointed If some OF
the forty inspectors show the white feather.
Some Of the work done by the inspectors has all
ready been recorded. A number of them have not
vet made beginning. The opinion prevails botk
among the young doctors and young civil engneert
that a larger number was appointed than will be
kept long in the employ of the Board of Health, and
that as soon as the superiority Of profession
over the other for this special work has made itself
manifest the retirements will be made from tine
ranks of the profession that gives the least satsfac
ton. Consequently the young doctors cannot SEE
how any one but physician, acquainted with lay.
genic laws, can properly decide on the sanitary
dition of tenement-house; and the young civil eR
gneers, in like manner, feel that since the mission
is in great degree one of statistics, tape measure
yard stick aud building plans, it appeals most ma
turally to their profession for execution.
All the men were at work at early hour yes
terday, and continued at their posts until late in
the afternoon. The heat, which during the middle
of the day was very oppressive to all who were
obliged to DO IN the streets, gave them little incon.
venience, since they were exposed to the sun only
when examining the roofs. OF when passing from
house to house. In addition to this protection they
received the full benefit of q slight breeze which,
though scarcely perceptible in the open streets,
rendered many a narrow hall and alley for the
time quite cool. number of the younger and
more active Of the inspectors expressed hopes
that their next work would be more
difficult. They met with few breaks in the
monotony of their labors, and they longed
for something more exciting. In fact, nearly all
conceded in the statement that they had not found
the houses in as bad u state they had expected.
DARK SPOTS IN BRIGHT PLACES
In the section between East Houston and First-
sts and First and Second-ayes, Mr.. Hennessy, tho
inspector. claimed to have found so far only one
house in really unhealthy condition. Here tho
abuses all arose from the original bad construction
of the house ITSELF and they could only be remeded
by the substitution of an entirely new building.
Two out of three rooms floor were entirely
dark having no ventilation whatever, and no opens
ngs for the entrance of light andsair. In addition
to the foul atmosphere the closets had no venlat-
ing shafts and were so placed as TO
discharge into the house steady flow
of polluted air. The stencil was UNI
bearable, and the inspector had sent 20 the Board
of Health for engineer TO come and see about
moving them immediately. He had found no dirty
cellars, and none in which people we're living. He
had seen very little sickness, aud pronounced
the children on the block to be- q rule, rosy
Iii
narrowness of the back-yards when there were rear
houses.
George W. Gay. @. E., whose inspection district
lay between Fifth and Sixth-sts,, and First and
second-aves. found nearly every house the block
tenement-house, but the majority in good or.
der. Most of the residents were Germans,
and he had found them. o race.
scrupulously neat and clean, both in their
houses aud In their own persons. There vera
however, startling exceptions The value Of
ventilatng shafts TO closets and sewers was seldom
understood, and In many houses there inner
rooms without windows, In one as many as
eight. At house on Flfth-st. he had found the
closets sunk in the ground below the level of tho
cellsr-Aoor, and here tho air was loaded with
horrible stenches that it seemed heavy with death.
One family was discovered living IN basement,
but Ii was not entirely below the level of the side-
walk and was spacious ana free Iroin noAlOus Ys~
pors. No sickness Of any kind had come 10 light
and the women Wed IN lauding the health of their
families and homes.
CRUEL LANDLORD.
As the reporter was passing up Flrst-ave. to view
another field Of operations he was sccosted by .
man who, seeing his notebook, mlstook HIM for the
Inspector. and loudly complained of many abuses
which he suffering at the hands of cruel lands
lord. Entering the house, which was good-lOck-
| .ng one uDon the outside. tho bed-rooEA which