New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-17
TENEMENT HOUSE REFORM.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR GROSS ABUSES
pyyrcTs IN PLUMBING AND DRAINAGE-A TER
RIBLE PICTURE OF TENEMENT HOUSE LIFE
ny. C. ROOIH

DEPICTS IN PLUMBING AND DRAlNAOh-A lhf-
RIBLE PICTURE OF TENEMENT HOUSE, LIFE
PAPER By GEORGE c. BOOTH.
AT the closing session of the National Association
of SANITARY and Rural Improvement, at Warwick
Woodlands, Greenwood Lake, on July ~, paper
was read on sanitary Reform In Iencnent Houses,
Nv George T.. Booth, of the OTk Association
for Improving the Condition OF the POOR MI Dooth
said:
The New-York Association for the Improvement OF the
Coniton of The Poor with which have the honor 10 be
connect DESTROYS augmeuilng ITS completeness ana
secta lew years ago 1I me nr
OF aseerainlng ana ehdesvo 10 dnPiooo omG 9u -,
roundlngs of the POOR NeaI YIty years ago ACTON ~
been practically carried out ana IT Is now glanylng 10
be able that The result VI s a"orS III inns tc
ton have been sgnay successful anu eneonaslng. a.
sequence to the experimental stage, 1t was seen that
the occupants Of tcnemenls OFTEN shei, tnIOugH no
fault Of their own, from sickness ana premature NOR
tality their abiny Tor sell maintenance becoming Ho
their social l@ois aud morals ucodsed ana
6nced IA therefore became obvious duty ON the
part of organization aiming to Improve the CONDITION
OF tle poor 10 practically DeIrend them by compelling
their landlords W respect the requirements OF Tue
remedy for almost eyeIS defect known TO tenement
house existence which Is opposed To heAiln' ceahes9
or decency. By system Of advertising, continued a.
intervals for some eighteen nOnths me association has
now sufficiently well known 10 lhe Grass IL
wishes 10 reach render further puOiGy unnecessary
for the present at eastcOpdlnts coming IL sponta-
leously from all parts OF the city. , T.. H.,
lar efforts abundant Ime Board OF heath Win lts ~
adequate sah apparently uInlsh no lhspe ,oIS Io
systematic house 10 mouse eAahih%'oh HaNlh6 an ts
foroe attenGIng 10 individual complaints JuuElhS from
new. and assuming thai t"e inspectors o. tne e - D
paItincut fully occupied. IL IOOws INA. very Ia sc
proportion OF cOmpal ats mus come from tDa caSs oI tHe
community VINO, Oeing III Independent CIRCUMSTANCES
ran act for themseiyeS COCOON. , .
there are IN New-YOrE iJy some $4,000 houses eaen
onaiuing four rJy tanihes,Dd perhaps oOOu
more containing two OF three families each, out hos
these have plumbing some kind WITHIN thelr walls
which, az tract NO A OF the Ciuzens oan,tAy DO
ciety OF Brooklyn should be examined once d
year" Detective plumbing ana ulalhasc among tne
houses OF the we-i0ao are me coul.non they
CAS-
alone among the Owls OF tue tenCneht sln Oh Wy
opinion 10000 haDatlOns OI inc poor should
be examined not less than three times yearly tls
would give TOTAL Of $4,000 annual inspections, mum
bel far greater IMAM tue existing Stan vi inc bOIu Vi
Rea.th can cope with.
dcut 10 describe nueh less TO exaSgerste' inc
hUndr ds vi tenengus winch are IN 90" nilsnf va"
condition. but VAL endnerate he detects or oehcch-
watch may exist IA sluele hoase-edy IOuI slO4y
building ntaHihs eiSh laHues. 4us , oe 'a' - ". -
MAJ be only places, or may Ue containing IoOt or
moro OF stagnant water Wmch perhaps IS ea'seu ~
ram by the ude, or more frequently by ieaAdse IA
wasle-plpc % sewer CONNECTION lIccaIl an msPVc!oH
the cellar OF cue middle showed s0A iOuutain at
nearly every joint Oh tue iOnT-iich Dram PIE "i
1ei~,'rs ,rbiu he ,,yeriioy hch display Ell SELF
i'll me fOrm sant pools. Proceeding upstairs We
may lind but two or three Danistcrs supporting w
landrl the sltr treds worn So that their ccnIra ol
disappeared; the walls II Is lound upon III
Quiry have moi been wnltewasned III IRON I'VE 70 zen
yeaTs the pIaster wnt ia some rooms there scIl OF
It, Is hanging a dangerous nanurr loose from the
latns. Gong 10 one Vi lie apartments consisting OF
PROBABLY three rooms, perhaps t"o me type o, All
throughout the mousse. We nnl sash ropes DioK,h,
WiuaOW-,rames, especially loose ana
railing win every wilma, gass gone dalnpness OoAns
Through the walls an bedroom without gut or ven
tiatiOn any KIND eGcep, euch as the doorway sup
Iles; tne door, among sdch i~4uuIVs - l'ii " So
Geccucy being CUeed al night upon thcu OF lOdI ho
tie Their room OF seven leet square Oy seven
feet inches nig. Aud here must 10 uicnUoned Inc
habit common with those whO nave large laihic' ana
tary aspect brings Thought the uuaTOidsot Zoe o
tho VI shame eIgeuuered ~ tne inulsc hnlhae
mixing tne Arriving AT tine .op hOOr II is I0dd
pa,r' M dsn ana IL nss leaked Tor pc maps year.
he mi
time humcniOriai, admitting the ram Vi euilh,4
mad the ana Dldug b. -stT VI WhteE
Where such door exists II may fOund ta JGeIe II no
Ventilation ia the 1901 10 cary on the eAiiu 'tOHs
creoIeu Dy line Door uucared-or beings through wnOm
the owner adds has wealth. Foul all does not come
frOm alone, HOWE Tor the owner eXcep Under
coJun. ON refuses To furnish TIE Appliances
to eNcluue partially least, TIE sc~enlng sc"er--aF
seen that Tie Md,te-plcS nave hvt
been carried up, Or, technically epeakn- ventilated
Dekoenulng II Is found that mol solitary SILK l.
trapped; the yard 10 Improperly graded retaining an
water IA puddes for Gays the ny niaht siA - ooAI'
an useless ana. what Is perhaps most common y. ali,
the horrible, shameful indeScIlDaDle condition Oi ihe
Wnal would be SAID were 1t publicly known that the
weatbest and most prominent cnurcD corporation ia
The city collects nom individual lanles nNlng III
houses possessing all OF neay all ine deiects JUS ue-
sci1Ded snd oi tne Wfelcbeo, Heseceu hoNels' "nVI
aIe properly, there are not Vhly one OF Two Jut
scores HoVeis they are-Dauy OF Ihehl-lh ever!
seIse, damp. decay IN structures, needing DoHu mere
dark cear Yet go far fOu prsclcihS that humanity
whlch It's ministers each, n 10 sAtsed only WIN count
ing It's millions ~ grinding an extra hty cents hohy
FROM Its bquald tenants, cOnDehS tiese poorest u
per the Let vi ay last It's ""Oie eAisence
seens 10 accommodating more prOpe " AMI me-
gectug that which II pOsscsses
serious III tne question OF tenement house re-
form winch, III common many other bUhanltiildns
has had under consideration iOT iehSh
oil time ana winch ldI Eii Indictment ~ enter
upOu TINS nc relation o1lstS Dct"cen lidVfd
nnd tenant lie LATER ssIs ~cn KNOWN Is "holly at
the mercy OF the io nel, &u IFes IN MANNER ule %
uncertainty and even terror tenant, iO
Instance, seldom dare 10 complain OI uelcct IN ns
Wfeched san Ouudngs Otter ~ lbs AndOfd or 10 the
Board u hea.I Decsuse ccrt%in eviction lOlo"s 40
t.e autDOrItes ~ every case can 81 'he
name the com llnSnt, phl 40 Ahun '""t oo"'ne
0lu endure any OI sanitary lnprONomeht Ia'her
tuau make hIs cOiIuIlOu known 10 lHe owner % cue
house the Board OF heaIth Our %sSo.latIVh la'
uuder.ken L. become tAe complainant ia 1Aese CASTS
lnOusiy anu haVn. made thorough CctlOh, report
ing 10 tDc Health Department the particular lem oom
planned frequently naming olhei ucH'.e"V'es
the unprae sIccd tenant Ialicu 20 pc Az 'S
manner Inc Oulnal comp it sLlciUcd from udIn
owner 10 cOInpeleI 70 put MS nodSe III O4t4
without sspcctug Was tnat through ouI Ait1;ui
demanded ana received that 10 "hch ne h"u
d ugLL Ia OToer 10 give " TIE tenant INC
right fearessly 10 complain 10 The autnciiH's
special legislation would DC required protecting MN
n We're rucn law ia cAlSLcnCc every zen
AMI would become "A sanitary DsitcOr unVuclAl ala
OF Board VI He4tD ana boHeiactOi " bisri anu
tue community. But supPOslnS such eSdl protection
existed aAO uDGcT present cOnltous lie lehcIheV
Louse occupant must b. Gadc acq H.cd "ltn his needs
no IAe la ulituGc Tho poor tAP 10 ny stciJ "a7.e
plpe yenulatOr a Continuance use.u Ohiy, Wbeh msh
Enough clothes line wlnc % st"c al ANS Ad
holes ne knows moaning Oi eAcrp py bo" say. nc
Las never Thought longevity induced " Dreaming
pure air. nor VI The uncOAscOu5ty Cheeiihs ana nc"i
wing Influences of sunlight lie kO"s tHo"S" an eA
Ira Dad smell Hbcu IL STects iJs uVsH'S' ""- '"' - Wv
general burden Ot his complaint. .-., 49,, |
No in i,i 10 admirable tracts beng puuSueu
w Che Citizens sanitary oOccty oi btOOAJ H. "V4
lggest thatiustIuci ion III sanitary sclccc %
n Iue .l JlIc SCHOOLS. IL Is engaging study ana "V
4 hinL f.lllu INT.