New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-09

a writer in an English journal draws dismal
sketch of the homes of English mechanics and
lahorers in cities and large manufacturing towns.
He pictures narrow. lOw-built cottage of two
stories in a facing upon dirty street. On the
ground floor there a sitting room and kitchen
and above two three little sleeping rooms. If
the occupants look frontward. they have the bare
prospect of another row like their own. If they
look back ward the view is STILL including the
back yards and their adjuncts of the whole block,
all dirty, pestental and a source Of disease and
quarres. There is neither health. comfort nor
education. no bath for the body. no larder for the
meat and fresde amusements 70 develop the
love of home. The walls thin that privacy
isimpossbe, and bad odors IRON the sewage fill the
air. At g in the morning the bread-wlpners are
away, winter and summer returning in the evening
when the work of cooking and household cleaning
is going on, and all comfort is destroyed. "All is
work and sleep. work and sleep, and the end of
lie of toll a small insurance, possibly, for burial"
This is gloomy sketch but bad as it is il is some
what better than truthful picture of workingmen's
homes in tenement houses would appear The
English laborer has bit of back yard attached to
his cottage, and some claim To the sidewalk in
front, and the four walls of his dwelling though
thin. encompass only his own family. In Phadel-
phla under system of cheap ground rents and CO.
operative building societies. and with higher rates
of wages than prevail IN England. the worlingman
Is much better housed and frequently owns his own
dwelling. However small his house may be- it will
have n bath-tub and a good cellar for storing fuel
and provisions. Still, the advantages for mental
and moral improvement are not much better than
in tho English factorytown. The house is a little
larger, and the street "A little wider and possibly
little cleaner, but that is all. The home is box to
sleep and eat in, separated by brick wall from
other boxes just like 1t either side and looking
ont front and rear of still other boxes, all
OF the same pattern.
The most successful effort to solve the problem of
atfording pleasant healthiul homes to working
people is unQuestionably that made by NJ. Godin, at
Guse, in France His FauiStere has been in opera
ton over twelve years, and pays per cent on the
money invested. 1t is "a palace in appearance.
standing in tho midst of parks and gardens and is
better than many palaces IN respect 10 health con-
ditions. The occupants work in NJ. Godin's factories
near by. They have much isolation in their
rooms as most people have who live in good CT ass
of apartment houses IN this city, and besides they
have schools and nurseries for their children swim
ming baths, n gymnasium, library, reading-rooms,
blllard-room theatre, restaurant, cooperative
store, laundry, and general kitchen where they
get their food cooked at the price if they
desire to the trouble OF cooking in their own
rooms 1t is strange that so advantageous and sue
cessiul institution is not initiated in England
and in this country. Perhaps capitalists think the
principle upon which it Is based too communistic:
but 1T is not communistic in any objectionable
sense. The earnings of capital and labor are fairly
apportoned and the spirit of industry and order is
greatly strengthened by the agreeable and economi-
cal way of living. The jewellers in the Fami6stere
not only pay their rents but they are accommodating
fund for buying the building. Besides, they make
ample provision FOR educating The young and PEN
sioning the old. They manage their own affairs by
their own elected agents. and have no trouble
among themselves or with their employer The
sum OF happiness they enjoy mast be much greater
than can be attained by an equal number of work
people living in tenement or rows"