New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-25


THE SICK POOR.
1t is busy hour at the office of the SAM
tary superintendent. No SOL Mottst., every Monday
morning. when the visiting ply sclans for the sick poor
rake their weekly returns. DIR. James receives the
ports and when advisable assigns districts 10 the
medical visitors. TRIBUNE reporter talked recently
with number OF the visitors and made the tour with
The cooler weather. showers and breezes Of the
last few days had fortunately decreased the amount Of
sickness.
DR.. j. A. Peters has uptown district-from Ninety
fifth to Onehundred and from Fifth-ave.
to East River said that the sanitary condition
Of part OF the city fair There tenement
houses both ends Of his district but the middle was
by squatters and goats and he had terribly
filthy Italian colony to for He found much less
sickness than expected throughout the district as II
open and had good breeze from the river
With Dr. F. b. Bennett OF No "A 5unolk-st., the re-
porter visited the district In the Thirteenth "srd
bounded by Houston. Columbia and Grand-sts and the
East River. This is considered fair average district
there are both better and worse ones.
There are great many of the old class OF enements
in nv district" said DR.. Bennett. " They not so
crowded as the class. 1 find in twenty houses
less than hundred families and although the older
ones are rotten with age, and often very unhealthy
they are better adapted for the purpose in many cases
than because IN the latter the idea pre-
walls of getting ali the money possible to the square
inch. The drainage is defective in both classes"
How would you divide the classes of tenement
houses 7"
"Well there are four or five different classes really
those which private dwellings of old New-Nork
those built for tenement purposes twenty or thirty years
ago. those from three five years DID, and the newer
ones built according requirements of the Board
OF Health have none of the last class in my district
Then there intermediate class, combining two or
more Of the other classes"
| WHAT WAS FOUND IN IEwIs-sT.
Passing through sloppy streets, lodging around garb
age barrels stepping dirty children sprawed upon
the narrow sidewalks and climbing up narrow and tor
uous stairways the of the district was made Tor
the dav Twenty four houses visited in the course
of two hours Many Of these had only two families on
floor or ten in the building The families sometimes
numbered as many each, with from five to eight
children. Others mad only two children, and others
again could boast OF no babies whatever
Several houses in Lews-st, from Nos II to 81 were
almost wholly given up cIgarmakIng The occupants
were largely German and the children tumbled about
hafclad and generally healthy Some OF the little
ones were preparing for sickness By sucking raw
Bologna sausage. Several OF these tenements were
notceably neat The hall floors were covered with oil
CLOTH and the walls OF the rooms adorned with pic
lures either the middle class of engravings, or the
cheaper and more snowy Autographs, or tea-store
chrOmos
These people average an income OF 800 or more
week" explained DR.. Bennett, " and they take more
pains with their quarters" The average NUMBER OF
| children TO family was five.
In The rear of the row in LeWsst. houses which
almost touched the walls OF buildings In Cannon-st
with foot or less Of space between them The occu
pants OF top acted the theory that this
space designed to receive garbage much OF which
clung TO the walls either side, and vated the air
poor widow four children, was found occupying
one are room and half-dark bedroom with small
window opening rear wall Her only means OF
livelihood was a sewing machine Sometimes the air
is so horrible from the alley that can't stand 1t, and
it's no wonder that the children SICK" said she.
DO you want to go the freeexcurson :" asked the
physician. should like to 90, but can't get away,
though know it would do the children good"
Tickets were given her with the injunction that she
must ud time, prescription for medicine was also
made out.
A har,l-worked German with six children was
found on the top floor of this house "Al we she said
We give them plenty Of fresh air. haven't time 10
20 on the free excursion. have to work so hard"
"But YOU must find time :" and the doctor made out
ticket for her and children who looked by means
vigorous.
You can go with Mrs. -" said the doctor In one
case.
NO We don't never associate with her." was the
answer in tone OF quiet dignity Inc natlOhaIltes
different.
Very well then, alone--it makes no difference"
In OF the only the children were found at
home In some cases where sick children were found
A
tickets was not always accepted few mothers seeming
70 fear contagious diseases till 1t was explained that
such cases were admitted aud Others IN the better class
of tenemens asserting that they preferred TO 20 on
their own excursions. though Miniature was shown.
FROM HKALTHFUL BUILDINGS TO DENS OF DISEASE
In many of the houses in the back yards
connected bv gates In stanton-s OF a OF
old tenement houses had wide wooden verandas and
folding doors for full width giving free crcula
ton OF air Where no houses existed the draft
good and the average health better. There are still
thousands of tenements standing" said the DOCTOR
whose rear walls are only two feet from those OF
houses on adjacent streets"
At 20 LeWis-st there was an abominable stencil from
a stable where men were engaged in cleaning ont pit
The odor penetrated the lower floors, where were
many children. In the rear OF No. 10 Lewisst were
tenements the first floors Of which were half under
ground In one such bouse an Old woman claimed
TO be the only family in the whole house, the other
floors were occupied by her arders No II Lewis-st
contained five floors with Two families on moor. The
rooms ana halls were neat Inc Stars ran across the
rear, making the rooms more pleasant In Kivngtoh-
81 were many German families. aud one Bohemian
family. newly landed, was found where not word OF
At g Rivington-arch" or No. 31G Rivingtonplace.
the occupants designated IT, is row OF ruined brick
The buildings have been condemned and, in act'see
ready 10 fall into the alley at any moment. They
were built fortyelght years ago Complaint Is made
that they are resorted 10 by persons OF the yest
character make OF them refuge at night. There
n;etelv ruined Both built at the time and
are owned by the same person who Is unknown long
row of sheds extends between tine and from them
the boards and the brick foundation DIS
placed making way OF escape for the refugees when
pursued by The police.
In the Goerck-st most OF the occupants we're
old people TIE houses apparently once private
res,dences The yards small but some 0f the ten
ants nd devoted half the space " garden IIe rooms
were close and the were lighter tan those IN
front There signs that the occupants preferred
the back porch roof TOR dormitOTy Ihey are Old ana
close and rotten" said venerable occupant OF one or
the houses In n OF five stories In height, IN
Goerckst. below Ri vingon. the upper halls were mar
row and almost total darkness prevailed though lhere
was a good yard. Very little sickness was reported
here. ,,, -, ~.
Am not ALWAYS fortunate" said DR.. Bennett.
Tn the hot smell about the last OF June found In two
blocks in one hour sick children The rain and the
breez-s we have had lately have greatly helped this
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