Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-22
RooF-SLEEPERs.
Three Clnsses-Paia,tai. Comfortable. snd
a rperf,ea.


term, writes Joe Howard to the Boston
Globe. have very faint conception Of
ihe discomforts. annoyance, and posi-
i've suffering endured by scores Of
thousands Of people, TO whom q second
room would be al extravaganza and an
individual room a luxury. OF New
York 1000, 000a large estimate sends
29O,UOO out Of town, leaving at q
modest point l.500, 900 in the sitting
city. Ofthese. scores ofthousands can
not sleep at all at night. and other scores
OF thousands steal their forty winks at
3 time lying on the sidewalk, sitting on
the stoop, resting against garbage-boxes.
or utilizing wagons; but more unique
bed-chamber than any Of these are the
roofs Of houses, where, five can credit
the police for a general estimate and a
personal observation for Incidental dis
coyeres. not less than fifty thousand
men. women. and children seek the re-
pose that Is denied them in their over
heated and utterly uncomfortable apart
ments.
There are three kinds Of roof-sleep-
ers-the palatial. the comfortable. and
the wTetched. Certain sections of the
metropolis are occupied almost exclu-
sively by huge warehouses. which stand
solitary III their stupendous propo--
tons. their iron doors barred. their
non windows close-shut and locked.
and a silence so oppressive that It can
almost be felt. reigns from early IN the
evening until stirring hour on the fol-
lowing morning. These warehouses.
like the tremendous buildings devoted
TO Offices for hire. which are also silent
as the tomb al night, are guarded by
wstchmeut or janltors-well-pald. hon
est men. who. with their families. oc-
cupy the upper portions of the build
ings. These families are what may be
called the pslatial roOf-sleepers.
They may be seen IN the early eve
nlug, and, indeed. far into the middle Of
the night. sitting comfortably IN chairs
on the vast, TN covered roofs Of these
magnificent architectural successes.
smoking. drinking beer. chatting with
friends and neiehbors. chatting with
neighbors or adjacent roofs, the chill
dreR playing about in ntglge cos
tune. while on the very hottest Of hot
nights a healthful. invigorating. delight
/ ful breeze fans their feyered brows and
cools their heated blood. Extempora-
neous beds are prepared there-a sim
/ pie mattress. with covering sometimes
nothing but a pillow, and oftentimes
easily handled cots-but always IL ex-
cessivcly warm weather these people
are more comfortable than those who
own the buildings on the top Of which
they sleep.
be second class. the comfort
able" are SO only by comparison.
They are the occupants OF houses divided
into flats. here from five TO ten iaml-
lies occupy one building. Persons
living IN fats are familiar with the fact
that while the occupant Of the first
floor mas exclusive possession Of the
ward. the roof Is common property.
Sometimes the roof Is utilized f0r dry.
inc clothes. but the better grade o.
medium flats use pulley-ropes, Will,
the more expensive apartment houses
have regular drying-roOms attached
10 the laundry. Ii X obvious tina
eight or ten families. averaging tiy,
persons II a family. could very easily
kick mp o gay and festive disturbance
on a roof when every member Of eaci
family is disgruntied, uncomfortable
uneasy. and II torments for want O
sleep. So that rare diplomacy and per
feet good feeling are essentials 20 TIM
comfortable class Of rooi-sleepers.
Ouenumes ~ one Of these tat-house.
there will be- families who could NOT b,
persuaded TO 20 upon the roof undel
any circumstances. but there are tens
OF thousands Of people living IN tina
style Of house-thc house not being
originally intended for f!sts-who max,
common cause each with the other, ant
divide the roof equtably. so that al
can be comparatively comfortable. Tbs
police regard 1t as one Of the maryel
Of life that even IN this class Of per
iectly respectable and well-meanin.
citizens 80 few accidents occur by rca
son Of night exposure. At al event
there they are. each roof having iron
twenty TO thirty oil the forty or tllr
people in the house sleeping there nigh
after night. with the full moon shinln,
q their own light.
But the most interesting, the mos
complicated j. the third-the wretche
class Of roof-sleepers. The people 0c
cupy the lowest grade Of tenement
houses. where not only scores but hun
dreds are huddied together As shee
were formerly huddled on car an
wagons before Mr.. Bergh s interference
MADE such outrage 20 iOur-fOo;e
animals impossible. There are tene
ment-houses within quarter Of . mile
radius Of the City Hall whoseevery rO0r
Accommodate from one % three tan
lies: where men and women dIe an
children are born. where beds ar
huddied. meals are cooked, clothes ar
washed. dried. and roned. There In
sick toss upon their cots. the youn
play. the OLD drink and smoke, and ia
whole panorama of existence, from tn
first breath OF puny babyhood to tn
. final curgle Of dying old age, is III
yelled IL the presence Of InditIerer
spectators Of different ages. national
ties. and sexes.
These places are bad enough N I'll
winter. In the summer, leaving asid
all questions Of health. decency, an
morals. the utter wretchsducss physic,
is something utterly and absolutely D'
, vond description or conception TO tho-
who have not been an eyewitness % d
That these people should swarm upo
i the sidewalks. SIT upon the curbStsne'
or walk the street. b. not strange. NhC
then. can wonder that they multitud
p nously rush in hot haste for cholc
places on the roof. The roof Of ter
ement-house in which hundreds swarI
% is no larger and can hold no more pee
r. pie than the roof Of a house IN whic
5 one family decorously lives. or hall
q dozen comfortably reside.
. Nightly squabbies. fights, and di.
turbances occur. and why Il IS Oh