New-York tribune., 1885-02-22
THE TENEMENT PROBLEM.
HOW NEW YORK MUST DEAL WITH 1T
PROMPT AND VIGOROUS ACTION NECESSARY
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.

PROMPT AND VIGOROUS ACTION NECESSARY
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
The facts which have been presented In :this
series of articles on tenement-house hio' ""'
believed, are not exaggerated 10 coh"en'o
into the limited space remaining to lie sta'e-
ment of the remedies for the evils oil the oeho-
ment system Is q difficult task SImpio cn""su'
would effect vast imprOy ement both III the heii'n
and morals of the poor. yet permanent pcheht can
only result from radical and farreachihg measures
/ shall content myself with briefly specifying a1cw
of these.
FIRST it is necessary to arouse the citizens OF New
York to the Importance of prompt ana vigorous
action to improve the homes of the masses IL Is
hard to present truthfuy the facts of the case
without creating impression that the evils are 80
vast and so deepseated as to be beyond remedy Inc
rcfOrmer must not Overstate matters OF lay 700
much stress upon conditions which are unayoidaple.
1t u.s. however plain that the physical suffering ana
the moral deterioration of the masses must be
largely charged to their surroundings and that by
improving these surroundings the poor can DE
elevated.
Colonization has been often proposed as n remedy
for oyercrOwding 1t has seemed desirable ana
practicable to transfer the population of our great
cities to the vast and fertile fields of the great West
and thus to lessen the competition for subsistence
and for life. In 1870 and again in 1878 colon za-
ton schemes were widely discussed and several
were set on foot. But despite the enthusiasm with
which colonization has been proposed it has rarely
succeeded. The Childrens Aid Society has CON
veyel thousands of boys and girls away from tine
metropolis and has placed them IN comfortable
bones ia the West. but attempts to transport aduts
10 form communities have usually failed. capt.
tai is required 10 buy land and to provide TOOLS
provisions and seed, and to sustain the enterprise
until it is self-snppOrting This cannot easily De
obtained unless from phanthropists, and to accept
money from such source wonld stamp the enter
prise as "a mere charitable venture.
Again. the people who seek to emlgrate are not the
industrious and thrifty who have saved money and
have capital to begin with. Such persons can
readily get along in the cities and do not care to
leave them. The poor. incapable and shIftess VINO
most need to escape the TRIALS and temptations OF
the metropolis would prove useless in n new settle
mcnt. such men and women have neither physicist
nor moral stamina and they would handicap their
associates in the race for existence. Ihey wou'd
soon get discouraged and bgin to find iant ana
breed disscnsons. There could be no cohesion
among such people. The successful colony must De
based upon char acter and honesty ana have the
school and the church as its corner-stones lhis
was the reason why the Purtans and the Jesn'ts
succeeded in their enterprises, and it is remarkable
United states has been carried on by the Catholics
m Minnesota.
The poor in cites lack training or skill to fit them
IN he nscful in new settlement. Men are wanted
who can use the hammer and trowel or the spade
and axe The unsklled worker IL OF no valne anu
would starve unless he could dug anu derive. oh
this account the clerk and hookkeeper with weak
muscles and accustomed to srdenary life s as little
10 bo sought for AZ the ragPicker or pedler BESIDES
people dread To emgrate 10 any distance, while
the cost of transportation ~ considerable iu'm'
There are cheap lands in abundance on Long Island,
where a colony could be planted as well as. II not
b.tter than in Dakota or Texas Lumber and other
buillIng material could b. had there 1T SINAI,
expense whIle market for farm pro lh ~ "oilu
be at hand. Here IL the trn" dliec,ion Iop
emigration rom New-York. aud the aptaiist VINO
will buill small houses and sell them at Tra~onaple
terms to the New York mechanic viii he true PM
lanthropist and "a wise investor .,
Whenever the suierngS OF the poor are ueSCIlpcu
il will be suggested that II is the duty OF the Hta"
70 interfere in their behalf. he best authorities,
assisting the poor except in seasons OF exceptiona
distress. There is too much risk OF pauRerit@lng @
then, and of establishing n bad precedent. IN" true
principle of state action /, TO en- orce strctrr aWs
regi atng the building. plumbing ana drainage OF
tonements. The benefits already gained oy sanitary
regulations justify extending their scope ana
enforcing them more rgidlv. IT, tor example. the
law now limits the number OF inmates ol lodgihg
houses according to the available cuolc ar space,
why should il not do the same with tenements ana
forbid the mlSsing of eighty or mere persons un,er
one roof. restrict the taxing OF iohgerS oy
f,milir. within reasonable bOuudsf Agitation ana
onprals To en- tened srlf-intereSt Will do mch 10
effect improvements. hut Il law which II sustained
by public approval and which compel, ianuIoru. 10
correct Existing defects is the best public educator.
Men who have tlcrcely denounced thc Sahi'atS
Code are the qucket to see lts advantages ana 10
nrolit bv them. Builders landlords and archtects
NAV protest and threaten. hut IN the end they
accent the situation and boast that their houses are
erected in accordance with the health rules.
liza IN SnHl lHt
protert itself by imposing checks on tue greed Oh
INSCRIPTIONS men who prey On the weak ana lgho.
rant In Ncwlork city, whll.our Iocal soaer,i,m, ,
i, defective. vet the administration OF more than
one city department demonstrates the dement's
which follow from good legislation. me ltealth
Department ha' acronpnInnet nt ,m"Itv seem to be
TO secure men of capacity. courage ana probltv rs
admin TRAITORS and also to Obtain conpeteht supor
dinateS IN the face or political ihhuehcc anu vi
rhe pnwrrs of the Board of Health are ample and
comprehrnsiye ats control over nuiSances." says
Dr. Stephen Smith. "eStends from the suppression
of n Growing cock which dsturbs the morning
sumbers of tho SICK to the removal o. me glSanlo
corporation of butchers numbering 90 establish
men,s" A strict enforce ement of the present
Sanitary Code would accomplish won1'rs' u"
sections requiring that roofs sha h.s 'A' 's r,lI.
shall he whiewashed twice year. II TO lu'en 10 o9
oh.ycd in all eases, would transform many oau
tencnen,s into decent ones. Our hea TN authorities
need more funds more inspectors and more shcSHr- @
| agcmcnt and stimulus from the pnOhc ana THESE
things will he done. ,...t
In visiting among the tenements have constantly
rntced that in many houses the evil conditions ara
| he result OF u number OF small ana petty deiscts
| which little expenditure wouI cure, ~ , or,ou
NAV only he necessary To repair broken stairway
.rop leaky roof. clean the halls cellars or vaults.
and in short use little care and outlay, o. cohvert
| - foni into "A decent building. IL is this which
makes the landlords neglect seem all tue more IN,
| rxrusabe and causes the visitor 10 take hopeiuI
| Wow of the situation. hundred dollars outiny
| bv each hoase-owner would effect wonders ana
| benefit the occupants incalcnlably. With the
rxnmple of the transformed Gotham Court, no one
nn dpnbt the practicability of such Improvement.
In the worst tenements the chief evil noted viii be
found 10 be damp cellars foul vaults and sewer gas
| cousrd by bad plumbing. All of these defects are
capable Of removal by providing additional sewers