New-York tribune., 1885-01-17
TENEMENT-HOUsE IMPROVEMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF THE COMMISSION.


OF THE COMMISSION.
AInANY Jan. I6.-The Tencmcnt-llousc
Commission has made its report to the Legislature ana
submits a number of recommendations which 1t advises
he made part OF the law concerning tenement houses
In New-York city. IL recommends an act TO abolish All
vaults within the city limits on or before January 1881
upon all property contiguous 10 such streets or avenues
where sewers laid The report says that the Sanitary
Inspectors OF the Health Department generally agree
that vaults In Themselves menace to the pubhc
health that they dangerous when even twenty rect
distant windows, and they seldom, II ever can DC
placed that from the windows OF tcnInent
dwelling; that they always liable Ia leak Into cellars
and Areas create offensive Odors, and that they tend to
spread zymoc diseases Ground saturation FROM this
source produces masinatic poisoning Tue inspectors
generally agree that all vaults should be abolished when
the street severed Nearly all of the Inspectors know
where closets have been introduced In tenement houses
and they believe that properly situated and supervised
closets are practicable In the worst houses The
reuort proposc, that there shall be adequate water
supply for domestic purposes each story that Is III
habitcd or intended TO bc occupied by any family either
II, the Croton pressure 10y tanks the upper part OF
the building; that every house designed FOR eight
families shall have a anitor and that all cellars over
nlIed-in ground or sandy ground. or ground on
which there shall he covered with concrete not
less than three inches thick, to prevent evaporation
or dampues-.
The report suggests that all and hallway.
in tenement houses erected after pror 10 the laws of
1870 shall have direct sht aud communication with the
external air by such the Board Of Health may
direct Many the Railways and Inner rooms OF tcnc-
ment houses it states are wholly dark and without
proper means Of ventilation Whole families are some
times obliged live Ia such The absence Of fresh
air and sunlight bshts the health Of those who thus
suffer- especially the women and children. they being
more constantly At home than the men. This dmsulty
relates more especially houses built before tho enact
Ita, fur frl-
shafts should be put in where they do not already exist.
lights of sufficient size be- placed In the roof above
Railways where these means are not practicable some
other should taken Of the Board
of Health aud such 10 may deem suitable for The
igencies OF particular case ~ l. tcophnehdod that
imprisonment. or both be iinposcd on any person
al throwing nh into any sink or waste water
pipe that the Board Of Health be- required o make
house 10 house inspection tNl.r IN chch year OF an 'h'
mrni- anG lodging houses tuHt TIE sanitary police force
be increased Ia forty ai The sanitary nir,ois OF thc
sanitary police shdll hlhr u tNlp'u'hth Il"It upon
AL nr ors the Board of Health within specified nc
saw four weeks after Zach orders haze been -.urd. 10
ascertain whether tbr orders OF th' Atu ar, 'llI com
he'd with reference t0 cclhr-, lodging houses aud
son or owner having lhc '1htO %, OF iH,r-' ~ ahy
tenement house shall hle Ia the Health Del artm"ns
notice his her and address aud alsn dcscrI
ton OF the property h street hunner "t "lheT anu
also the number OF apartments In such houe. the num-
ber ~ Ia each apartment the nlmhcr OF persons
occupying each suite Ot hpdtmcnts' ana thc uAie' OF
occupations, carried on therein. aud all pcrs"ns claim
ing interest IN any tenement or lodging house
nly Tile their ana addresses In the Health Depart
ment 80, -,
the proposes that they hc posted in some
con piciou- place the huue and that copy Oi them
be- mailed the pcrson having charge nf TIE
Among other recommendations are ~" ful-
loving: That the Board oi Health shall appoint a
sucra stastican registrar whose duties shall bc q
prepare statistics the Board upon special subjects,
aud make -rmi-anuul reports upon tho tO the
state Board carh; that the Boari Of Health shall
required 10 make annual report of all Its work u
the Mayor that the Mayor aud 10 hc .el-cte
by the Departments oi Health Public Works Bureau OF
udings aud street Cleaning, bc uircd to meet annu
ally pewccu November - and 30 of each year. for the
purpose Of recommending such Improvements In the
laws the execution OF the laws, may ~ deemed
necessary and that the city establish free winter baths
throughout the trnemcn-hOusc districts Of the city
Chrap baths" the report states. "haye recently
been established IN the poorer quarters Of London with
great We already have free summer haths
which have proved blessing; during three months OF
1883 than @.OoO.puo baths were taken In those
establishments. Free winter baths would greatly en-
the cleanliness Oi the toncmenthOuse POI uaOn
would lessen the danger 0f nth dctscs. and would De
safr guard against the spread OF cpdcnics."
The Commission also that electric lights be
placed In the streets Of the tenement house districts
The report says: Such lights would add to the safety
the streets and 10 the convenience ~ the inhabitants
The effect OF light IN bani-hing crimo cannot 10 too
highly estimated The electric light has already been
placed In some OF the streets OF the wc,tcr resident
quarters Of the city, but the need and Will appreci-
ate its benefits even more than the rich"