The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-12

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: In going
through tho tenement house districts ono can
scarcely fail to recognize the heavy odds against
the people living there: to see that the condi-
tions OF life are terribly adverse 10 health and
morality! Quito outside Of the home liie."
the facts are appalling.
| This is especially marked in various regions
| on the east side down town.
| Here tho narrow streets are filthy with
refuse tho houses are battered and worn
looking. so hidcously massed together in
| places as to be without yards, or huddled to-
| Eether likCs stiles among stables. factories and
| vile-smollinE outhouses.
| lam speaking nov of tho parts where the
| new, improved tenements" have not yct
| found standing room in place Of the old uGli-
| moss and disorder. where the length of the
block only rows OF dirty houses arc crowded
on tho narrow sidewalk, with tho still more
forlorn rear tenements crowdinG behind them
rear tenement is reached by n low tunnel
or aeyway. running through the front house
This tunnel is not much higher than ones
head, Is two to three feet wide. and is always
partially dark. Sometimes nasty water croeps
along the side Of it, 1t leads into the yard be-
in most Of the yards. There arc usually eiebi
and ten closets in them. from which tho smells
are sbir rEo on ho warn o DAY; ,
refuse, and tho odors from the cellars arc very
bad. Sometimes tho collars are ankle dean in
water or cniiKGnS ar9 Kept there or the place
Tho, sun slunts into the wards but for n
short time IN the day. If 1t comes at all. and
and llthy. Thowindows OF front and rearh",IsDs
open on them. The children play hsre when
close by the closets eating something. Ii WAS
used to the smells. There il a hydrant in .n"h
yard this is often tho only water supply OF tho
In tho old quarters tho closets are OF most
primitive construction. in the newer II method
foriushn% them from tho hydrant is used from
carotaRer OF the houses. The majority of tho
yards ar, ten to twenty feet wide. / have been
aud tho condition hero was frigiitfui. closet |
doors half of. and tho smells awful.
But one need not think 50 much Of tho ex-
tho children loddling in them. or the closets |
within lland touch OF the houses staring into
ne lac9S OF me people anu of tho walls ugly
The ar III mo streets Is iull Of tho stink of
the nasty garbage iSr ~. nnd waller in the cutters
around. Even the breozos blowing cannot
make much difference, There arc many GILL
dren PLAYING on tho sidewalks. and tiny big
the house wall. The children have three piay..
grounds. TIE yards, the cellars, and tho streets.
find three out Of tho four corners Of a street
illed with saIoohs which find a hold tho
length Of the block as we'll every other hou-o
In some places having ono on tho ground floor |
The gimpses INTO the awful monks aud drns
where work Is gong on arc horrifyiug Here
cellar IheYHre I!riigE over rags Gown there.
and tho lQosened fl'lI SO ill, the air that ms
wreirhed leinEs lending, over Inc heaps ar"
women iilling tho four-loOt sidewalk get much
Of tho choking dirt as well rs the rag pickers
Smells, Nth. degradation. and misery old and
young crowded together: evil. coarse and sui.
!sr!nG faces tatteied, faded. old clothes nasty