The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-12-03
A Look at the ReaI Pari..


Not long go many visitors to Paris returned
home full Of enthusiasm for that beautiful
city, and anxious 70 know why London aud
New York and Philadelphia and other towns
could not be made like the French capital
Now gthe French themselves are criticising
the municipal administration OF Paris, and
from the account given Of il in a recent num-
Der of their leading Rerier, our people caa
get some useful hints. With population ap-
preaching assoc 600, less than third are
natives Of the city, for It is 4 central point
for skilled workmen and men OF all pursuits
from FAR and near. Il has shout 81, 600 houses,
vith over 1000, 900 separate apartments, Of
which two-thirds are used as dwellings and
one-third for business; and Of the former
three-fOurths rent for less than a 500 year,
housing ,00o, 900 Of its working population.
While London has more than 500 building as
sociations, with over 4 100000 members,
Paris owes its new houses mainly to large
speculative corporations, which lock more -
their own profit, e<ed out by long terms Of
exemption from taxation, than to the health
OF comfort Of the workinCmen. Even the in
pOrtant matter Of pubic conveyances is left to
great companies. and with their 5000 cabs
and zoo omuibuses and horse cars, and 49,
900 private carriages, there is still complaint
Of a want Of cheap and convenient means Of
transportation TO the growing suburbs. The
great omnibus company, in return Tor an e1-
elusive privilege lasting until 1912, and az
prices fred by law. pays TO the city half a
million Of dollars Annually. The gas and
water companies are also private corporations,
with long terms OF exclusive right 10 supplre'
irH the city; and they pay over five millions
Of dollars annually into the city treasury.
Water is scarce and gas is dear, as compared
with supply and prices IL other European
capitals, but in spite Of suits brought by the
city the companies hold to the letter Of their
contracts and refuse TO meet the growing
demand for . concession in the interest OF The
consumer. Paris has a police force counting
over ii 900 men 10 its service, and the annual
arrests made average 40 900, Of which num-
her 10000 are old offenders, and 5000 are
strangers. The fremeu number zoe men,
costing 100000 year. over 100000 per-
cons receive public assistance at a cost Of
nearly seven millions Of dollars, and 1850
poor are registered as entitled to aims, while
$4,000 beds in the hospitals supply care for
the sick and wounded. There are charity
"homes" for old men and women, with room
Cor 1000 inmates, while for children over
million Of dollars was spent IN fighting tue
dreadful mortality that cuts off the future
population in its infancy. Over five millions
Of dollars were spent in 1883 on education for
a hundred and seventy thousand children in
the public schools, while seventy thousand
were in private schools supported by sub
scnBliou and taught mostly by clergymen
and MEMBER Of different religious orders
Tie income and expenditures Of the city Of
Paris in 1858 were over fifty millions Of dol
lars, and Of its receipts nearly thirty millions
were nrniHned hv tho tax called Ocirgi-the