New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
BETTERHOMES FORTHEPO1,

! PRACTICAL ST Us TOWARD TENEMENT Horrsv n.
FoRM-'Nwl BUILDINGS At FrRsrAvE Avn
sEyENrY-FiRsrAN and sFvHNTY sECoSD-srs
An acre of ground at First-ave. and Sevent,.
frs and Srventysrcond-s,s IS Deing covertd by ~
improved Dwellings AS MON with block Cory ta
"cnt houses impr'ved plan. TIE asspcia,,on Z.
composed OF numberOf wealthy men, who nave rs,so
for the ru'pose capital Of 100000, of which
about S250O0o will. be Invested In -.
enterprise. The lending sprus mea who havo h..
several years identified with various public ga
private efforts made TO the question of how IN
vide the poor classes with homes tuat shall at oucs ~
cheap AMI good end heal'hfu They do not caip bo !.
ever. hat philanthropy ai0a. their motive forth
say they expect 70 fad il the buildings profsbs -
vestment for their capital.
The improved Dwellings Association like the saaita
Reform Society, grew out Of the public moyeme.t =,
two years ago which had for is purpose the sceom
ps.ment of reforms tine tenement-house sys,o,o :.
the ety. The agitstion at that time eliminated IN .
meeting held at Cooper Uniun, over which Mayor Coa,
presided and whloh committee Of nine ,y.
appointed to devise means by which the desired Aim.
should be reached. That committee was composad :,
H. E. Pellew. w Bayard Cutting X. 7. Auchmu,v NJ
willis james, G. T. Daily. g. Vanderbilt. w. W. As,,,
James Gallatn and +. D.. Tappan 1t remained in ~,
istence three months, in the Of which tina !,
secured the passage by the Legislature OF an amend
ment 10 the Tenement-Iouse act OF 1867, and am,
geSted two plans concerning permanent Imurnva-
ment In aims and methods OF teneme,t.
house building. Finally it took permapsn.
shape as the New-YOrk Sanitary Reform Society
One OF IT'S plans for tSneruent-h0use building W..
framed on q purely benevolent basis--the Peabodv
scheme. it is administered in London this did not
receive sufficient support to justify an attemn.
to put it effect. The other plan had a
business basis, and offered money re,pr,
for the capital invested. This the committee
itself put into practical operation by ORGANIZING
the Improved Dwelngs Association. It proposes To
pay dividend not exceeding per cent its capital
stock aud apply the remaining profits the erection Of
other buildings on the same plan.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDINGS
The tenemeut-houses course Of erection and the
work ia pushed with much energy as tia
weather will permit The walls OF the frs,
story are nearly completed, and it is thought
that the buildings will be ready for occupancy BY
the early part OF next summer. They divided into
three blocks fronting in the avenue and each
OF the two named The latter alike in plan,
but tile former differs from them In several material
things principally in the situation OF the halls and stair
cases. which all approached from covered way en'
tered from archways IN ssvcnty-frst and Seventy.
second-sts The purpose Of this arrangement, as e1.
planned by Mr. vaux, the architect is that it preserves
the front of the whole block which the best the
light and air needed IN the living rooms, unoken
by and halls and enables the lanor better to
oversee the persons who enter the houses The als Of
tcnementhouses are liable TO be made lOungtGg places
by Objectionable people, and the present plan, by
compelling every person to enter through one
Of the two arches, helps the janitor
superintendent TO keep sharp oversight over ceIsI
The to the side blocks are IRON the street 10
the usual way. The ssalrways are an bull!
~ reproof from top To bottom and cOnsistO Of
slabs Of slate set in the brick walls, which are so IFS
posed that in of fire the 9tner walls might fa and
leave the siaiI.lOwers standing. The stalrWays are
broken into hiznts of five feet 80 as 10
make the ascent easy for women, the young and ths
weary The houses are divided into three classes win
relation he number Of rooms OF which they are com
posed, ami tie three blocks will contain 62 tTo-rOoa
apartments, log three-r0On apartments ana ~ oas'
room apartments every one with closets and food.
pantry bin the cellar ash chute and vita the lseota
lift Of the dumb walter pattern 10 nosI pIo'SoIs Sa
the ground floor to tile door or tie apartment. Btsioa
occupying the first floor of the ayenne DOCK. lag
ard between the side blocks anu IN tue reafM
the front block Is TO be called Lnden-s4uare; II VIII
be planted Ludentrees, ami II VIII he the reefeas
ton ground for al the CHILDREN OF Tue noSe'' 1eSsSs
and air for all the houses Every room in the three
The Courtyard The occupants of the upper three stoa
Will use tie ROOT for clOthes-drylng purposes
The SIDE BLOCKS.
The side blocks consists or three double houses
built on what the architect calls the dumb bell" PLAZA
The narrow portion in the middle correspond
ing with the handle of the dumbbel
contains the freproof stairway the closets,
ash.chutes and lifts. The front part Of
each house contains two apartments ON every fool,
one OF four rooms and other Of thrce the part
contains two dwellings OF two rooms each The plumb
ing IS TO be looked after with especial care. IL IA this
uestiou Of plumbing t. which the men engaged n the
ruerprise are dcyOuug tue most attention III tlelr ca
nacly a. members the sanitary Reform Society aud
they purpose profit by everything thtt seenee ana
experience have taught to make the system VI drainage
IN these blocks perfect rs possible. rev device
wi applied prevent the escape of gases from he
srWer.pipes into the rooms the pipes Will all be 50
placed they be readily got out; ana every pre-
caufion Will be taken to overcome the dcletereW
influences imperfect plumbing that have recently
preulcd 40 much attention In medical circles.
lanes Galatln, the active agent OF the sanitary
Reform iccty, talking about this feature az the new
tenement houses 10 TRIBUNE reporter recently SAD.
We are going to some legislation on the SUD
irct of defective plumbing this wter. Tne Whole com
muny was shocked the Otaer day because ten perous
were sntfocated u death 1t tenement-house fire ON
die every day III this city from the eHcctS Vi ue
There will be one steam laundry for every.
twelve families, and a liberal supply OF water
from tanks placed the roof which VIZ
ne fed by pumps. Tie ashes from tue various DWELLINGS
viii Do sent iito receptaces IN the basement through
chutes and will thence removed 10 the sidewalk by
the iaDitor the buildings will De OF common 6rics
trimmed with black and red pressed bIlck ana ntue
sIone The nonOtOny OF the front walls Will De some
,yhat relieved by extending the partition walls several
inrurs and surrounding the top OF the c0uuln tnb
formed with an ornamental cap IL is also designed TO
nriars for thc use the tenants In common The rents
of the dwellings will probably range IRON 20 10 81
month, according tn situation ana iaetles Inc OOes
is buding general contractors and under the super
lntendrnea OF Vaux x RadfOr architects. and tie lh
speclon Of Mr. Kruder who is appointed By the asSoce