New-York tribune., 1884-02-19
TENEVEST HOUSE REFORM

There is one kind of tenement house reform
which is possible without any organization OF
legislation, if only philanthropy and patitncC
can be got to work hand in hand for littlC
while. 1t has been tried already in London,
and has succeeded, so that it is not a dubious
experiment. The idea was Miss Octayia Hills
She was enabled by friends to purchase several
of the worst tenement houses, in some of the
worst courts in that city. The houses were
filed with an almost hopeless class of people
thieves, vagrants INDECENT wretches, bad char
acters generally, interspersed with broken
down honest people. Filth. lawlessnoss lack
of money, were the characteristics of the ten
ants. Miss Hill was her own agent, and col
lected her own rents. She enforced punctual
payments from the first She made repairs de-
pendent on proper usage of the improvements.
| That is, the people earned better things for
themselves. Nothing was done in a hurry
She knew that if she had cleaned and painted
and repaired the houses all at once they would
have been as bad aS ever in another month. So
she tried to educate the dodgers 70 increased
cleanliness and sclf-rcspect and pride, and by
tact and patience she succeeded, and in a couple
of years she had made these foul and rocking
,lums clean and sweet and Well-kept lodging
houses. Several other courts were purchased
aftcrward, and the same methods redeemed
chem. And what has been done in London can
be dore in New York If the right spirit is here,
and OF That there can be no doubt. For the en-
couIagcment OF capitalists who are not enam-
Cured of even pHlanthrOpic schemes which iu-
yoYe loss OF money, It may be said that Miss
Hill has made all her sum property pay 5 per
cent per annum. Punchal payment of the rent
is a cardinal principle with her, and it is one OF
the most effective in giving moral tone to the
tenants.
Here is work, then, which could be under
taken by plenty of competent and energetic
people if the means for the initial Investment was
attainablc II is well known hat tenement house
propcrtyis very profitable, for the reason that
the poorest classes are made TO pay cX0rbitant
rents for the vlleSt accommodations. The general
refusal of landlords to make repairs or improve
mcnts of any kind Of course confirms the filthy
habits of the tenants, and prevents them from
improving. SO long as this class of houses is
permitted by law to exist, and is in the hands
of persons who care only for the money TO be
made out OF them, no reformation can take
place. But if even Il few OF the hOuses were
owned by men who would adopt Miss Hills
methods OF administration, an example would
be set and beginning made, capable of great
ultimate results. Simply regarded as an invest
ment the enterprise is Il good one, for punctual
payments would render it possible to reduce the
present rents and still make handsome profit
Oh the purchasemoney.
1t is only by some such slow and patient
method that the problem can be solved. Sud |
den changes are out of the question. The !
habits of years cannot be dropped at once. |
The denizens of the slums must learn by de-
grecs to live decently. But this they cannot do
under existing conditions, and either private
must help them, as indicated, OF
The State must come to the rescue. This, too,
las been done in England where the Govern
nent loaned $1,j00,000 to the Peabody Fund
Trustees, to erect more model lodging houses.
rs the undertaking pays there ought not to be
my difficulty in obtaining the capital here, but
he administration is quito as important a con
liberation.