New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-11
THE TFNEMENr-H USE QUESTION


AND PLUMBING.
Tho Tenement T. louise Commission held a session
yesterday at Police Headquarters. John ;. Berry,
Inspector of light and ventilation, in RESPONSE TO
questions fl o u the commissioners SAID Inc ngnt
wells m tenement houses should lie open at the top
and bot ON ana should connect with the outside
of the building ~ a. to admit pre- ar. Ceiiars
should he covered with some material that
will exclude the eXhaations from the
earth. The Board of Health has power TO
regulate the size of light aud arr shafts. In Il five
story building twenty superficial feet required
SUuarc shafts better than 0blong or round 0nes
aud one large one is ncttcr than number OF sinaii
cnes. The only way III which more ar can oc got
ten Into old tcnements is by cutting away por-
zion of the living rooms. it would cost 81 900 to
nut the shafts required by law ou each side OF the
hallway. Small AR shafts should be butt, even IL
there are open courts. | seldom fluid the windows
open IN the rooms adjoining the air shaft. Tenants
do not usually desre fresh AR, and the poorer he
/ think that shaft four. feet
square by thlrtv-ivc feet high will give all the air
necessary As they are constructed at present tie
ar is taken from the cellar, where the worst ar
usually is | fluid the shafts in old tenement
houses lined with filth, aud refuse is dumped INTO
Chief Inspector John &. Collins testified as fol-
lows: "In the doube-decker tenement houses the
light cylinders are not large enough. iron staiis
chm of pieces and sell them to tie junllnen. In
Old buildings the air IL fon IN the low
or halls. A constant circulation OF ar
il not desired, az there would be dii,
tcnlty in warming the buildings. Halls should
hc ev tended the entire length OF the houses instead
81 being as they are no y,and should have windows
In each end This would take of three feet from
the front and rear rooms. Air taken through pipes
from The eel ar Tenants will not open windows.
In fact, they nail them fast. buildings that nave
trrn mt IN, IN the last three years have been gen
crullv f,inr stories high, bnt the tendency rs 10
mako them higher and to make arrangements FOR
fnur families ON each floor. Builders Try 10 get
fipi fupitccn 10 sixteen rooms OH cach FOOT Oh II
double Hat. 49,. ,.....,.,....
The great diihruliy ~ the tcirincnt-nouS'
sss,t,n IL That there are no houses bull: upon scicii-
Tile ptinriplps with full tcpafl Tor spni'?iy cqn
H,t,t,,,s ,ut rnot people. Rents are tuU hirh Tor
u,Du e l,b hn a. ,u siiunUi, THEFT families ~ holnt
n ,at ani they air compelled by ciiettu'taiiee9 ~
Zee M snualii apartments, ei,iiUurd ht MN anu
Ynisptt. iutei,t a,t raa'nts r hliiq ~ i1iii ~
isuliii.n, h0nsts ath ~ siie ttsts ! nave idtuh
,e8tig Thq wuriq tnitt le tii,y 'lian elta ne
,a,n ~ liza ~ iiis uN tUNtt 10 u,rtph' nwitis
inN h,ili,Nt additions ~ tenement -liuists ~ W..
fail l&ieni ~ ihr iji; Al liins att ri bt N'li'nt
aiit NslN ihe i,aaFt anNI Helattt ~ "; " tnt
gst,tp MI ,,Hl pWi interest niHnil,it li't no cN
hps,s, aNi Nl usG = nat 70 hhheN 20 q stl'b''
sink, Whieh % an pAtpnhei NaIpf eieset
NIbnle 10 u iaIeg amount 81 skin niuNhI'iE Nnir'
! have had siA plAAlifls alieSiei aNt nave fFf'
| 370 untces tn valuations ~ ihe piulnhina laws;
mis- represents had Plumbing IN ah0lt 30ll
houses. There 10 great Ignorance a'n0ng pin'nhtis
about the sanitary eject oi The Traps, ahd 'ie
failure to put them ~ properly has caused the SICK
ness aud death OF many people. III Is AN expensive
Job 10 alter old plumbing arrangements, ana sohc
landlords have tnld me that could take thc mouse
for " hat il would cost To put III new punDllg.
After tins witness had concluded his testimony,
the boa rd went INTO executive scssl0n,th the result oI
WLicn coula not DC ascertancd.