New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-28
IMPROVED BUILDINGS.
NEW APARTMENT AND TENEMENT HOUSES
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY THE HEALTH
BOARD OF THE CITY UNDER RECENT LAWS,

The apartment and tene Inent houses erected
IN this cyrecently have been many in number and Of
such improved character TO cause much comment
The law passed by the legislature In 1873 gave the
Board OF Health control Of this class of buildings and all
plans and specifications for these must he approved by
them The clerk in charge OF the applications for build
ing permits, and who also has control OF the spechca
tons for all the plumbing done in this city under
recent act of the legislature said to reporter Of THE
TRIBUNE recently: Since January A. 1879 every room In
every house built the city has been Il oroughy Lighted
and properly ventilated Before the enforcement OF the
tenementhOuse law, buildings were erected 81 n 10
cover entire lot There no special regnations
and the builders made many dark rooms as they
pleased. Architects regarded efficient accord
ing Ingenuity they displayed In getting the great
est number OF rooms into the least possible space Tue
buildings were not all erected facing on the street
Reached by covered alley and separated ny mario"
space, termed by courtesy court. from the tudng In
front large tenements were built The 'front.' strnc
ture served as prevent the filth and garbage
thrown from windows from being seen by passersby
Rear houses now have been substantially crowded out
Only four OF them have been built since the new law
went into effect In the few cases where permits nave
been given for them, the lots were exceptionally deep
running back 100 feet and there were open spaces he
tween the front and houses fully twenty feet In
width
1T was formerly customary To erect stables on the rear
Of an ordinary lot but this also has been done away
with II a had grocery on the corner he used TO
keep his horse and in his back yard The waste
sinks and closets we're constructed the cellar because
this was a damp, dark hole IN which nobody could be
induced to 1--we Sometimes these closets were built neat
70 the b, drooms and tue tenants while sleeping were
OK posed TO the fouest oors and most noKous cnana
tons Now all these have to be placed In
an extension especially constructed for the purpose
They are ventilated 10y special shaft. and have
ucction whatever with any room in the building
The work Of improving tenement and apartment
houses has been going quietly" continued the clerk.
without any display. aud with increased exactions.
experience aud investigation developed Their necessity
At first there wa' constant warfare, aud nobody WAS
willing % allow inch space tian hc actually
was competed ia by The Bonrd OF Health. No" the
builders have begun I" leAH that Eoud Rnt ana ycnu
aiion are improvements that made ~ their own IN
eies They found by actual experience thai hose
tary improvements have done the best n regards
renting their bindings Their rCut> higher, hut
n,n chcernlly paid and they secure netter clnss Of
tenants Because tncy i've in better ventilated ro"us
the tenants enjoy better health. They consequently
work Win greater regularity aud pay their rent
promptl, and with less hardship"
H. largest nnnbrr apartment houses have been
erected ia Harlcm West OF Ihri ave are 10 be found
kinds fair estimate Of the nhgVer butt IN th' ely IN
the last year of these upward ~ 20 per cent are apart
rnt or tenement hOu-c-. great - the dcnHud for
tenement and medium priced apartment h'n'eS tbat
builders hardly able 10 hn.h th'r WORK before they
ar, occupied Tne rcors 0f l" lar'au 81 vital Sttls
ties show tlat che nruDcr ol death. n the turmrnt
house, 81 improved construction hs1 b''h maternity
le-s than IN iie older nud hndJ built ho1~G-. .
TDr vutruullur-- and exercised mako the
plumbing and oturf couVcnieH'es 81 thr "'rhly h'ht
trneIucut- about ~ good ium sanitary point "i view
tacy ~cll can hc win td' pfr-'nt arrangement 'I
city lots. 10" pnmn"r "rl3it h,siHnlns any ~"rA Is
reuuirrd DIE Wiih the Boar e." Health plan dc-rrh
ny every dca'i Of Tue prop9'cd Jon. Nga,,t1r s''I
detective j. pointed out aud rcm'rd before h' l"hTd
will approve The plan. The sanitary engineer "i Tee
d-iic Keeps watch 81 the work. naHr- rpor- o. q adj
aud q any detail ~ thr -cihail"n- ], h"t my
complied WITH uotirc Of the violation O. served upon TIE
nmrty the defect ~ onccgr an Injunction WI "e ,eINe'
mon NM tby which he viii Dee rc-trtiurd from proceed
Ting selling he property untii th' i"lui - l,m'Vr
bet the law ir-t enforced. SKIN piiiineft, ~
on linrcr- nnI' Inspectors. when ordered 10 rNtud
ae pin; md tnroush tue ro'f or ihe -nse Of vrnt-
dol to run " into the uuighhouns partition ~ -one
handy chimney Hnd allow it To- md nrr' ihns ehdHnnr
ave few feet OF p,pc Both o@uer- AMI tenant arr
protected End benefited ~ the plumbing law on" Of IT.
,.' ,, oy s,i 49,, c ,i , ,.itb the MINI. canLI
IN i'lr lhc nous i' 'c ~ 'i 49," ~ 49,, b.,
suitable diameter cEtendsd at mn clhhr above ih"
tlicd ny q special veut pipe. THIS moi only insufcs
protection against the phonng Ut the trap and Tie rn
trance OF gas into the rooms hat also secures
thorough circulation o air nrois the entire system ~
pipes In the hon-r one Of the inspectors Who rty
The requirements u the Board a-crain'd. Dos using iho
thermometers. thnt in -o" conditions OF ir an"-phrtc
d. minute. Under thrv. rrguatip - aUd requirements
man can row move INTO n'" no"'' whether i,'irh
Tor only one fanny 9I more WIN I,Il''' '"nlu'''
that every thing H. in ht rate sanitary condition. 10
icast fu a. light. ventilation aud plumbing are con
Tue apartment and tenement hor-c- continued The
clerk. usually divided INTO three cLi,-o' 10y the
Board OF Health Tn pnHdinS ~ 'i"ii-"n .nN' ana
t1fty sccoud Il l. excellent example oi ne" rsi ri-
ho-ee ar. about - hy 20 feet and the tchcn- D.
by feet There two ci"tatprs, one tor carrying
Other Tor the grDccr- butchers and other tfadcsnch
There openings into the kitchens from th" latter
elevator aud milknhu rings the he'll and
,r Thc M, ine rooms are 10 6y 20 feet and tho
ms .
a6ft toP Inc bail, room the wnows OF which opcu upon
a large court, inSmrng the best OF ventilation. The /
trimmings all % hard woods. OF rare qualify and
polished tn elegant manner The manteis are Of 1
inad hard woods of the latest patterns, and the trsC0
ig r. artistic. The dining room, library and parors
lie thrown together into one room whem yer desired
The built In solid brick shafts. The whole
building IL heated by steam. and there are large cyy
iaing shafts ~ may b. desired Each suite III apart
mrnts haa private hail and In separated r"m tho other
snites "a completely a. u the rooms wrIr III dh"rrht
Tho servants rooms Gdjou the Kitchen and all
occupants OF the house suites 10 HOUSES q" ths class
are rented for from 5000 to $4,000 year. and tlic
demand for them Il active.
The second class Of the Board OF Health includes tho
houses where the suites rent for mOderato
eignths ST. between Third aud Fourth ates. This has
only elevator. hut ~ provided with 70 servants
outer air and ere Is a ample brick central court to
light and air into the halls The windows In each
lors nbrariea Sleeping room. ana Kitchens ~ ample
Dimensions. having all the modern improvements Tho
some but not ~ pensive Ia honaes Of the first
class These houses usually have frontage of about
nifty feet aud the suites rent at from $40 10 800
month each
The third Of the Board OF Health the most
important of ALL for they the tenccLs OF the labor
ing people. The suites Of IN the best Of these
rent at from SlJ yl5 month Mort Of the best
houses OF this class hut uf the KIM known
dou lie deckers In all ioube deckrrs there ARE four
families each Oor Ia the old houses all except
front and the extreme back dark. aud
The tenants In common In thc douhlc decker. each
suite rooms Of three large aud fully
a appointed hath room opening INTO the hail. having
window into tao open air and built INTO brick shaft
40 ~ TO be utterly disconnected from the other rooms
Tnc health OF the ocrupauts we'd true-