Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-20
HUNDREDS OFHUMES FOR WORKERS
Chance to Increase the Population of
PittSburg at an Unprecedentedly
Rapid Rate.
HOW oVERCROWDING CAUSES CRIME.
Men Who Know Talk About the Necessity for Modest
Dwelling Houses


for more than that these blessings should
exist in profusion within its borders.
These benefits it is held by prominent
citizens, will follow the carrying out Of the
idea advocated by prominent citizens, inter-
viewed by THE DISPATCH, of building
several hundred, or even thousands, of
small, neat dwellings in Pittsburg. 1t is
claimed that the capitalists who put their
money into such an investment will win the
gold; that the city will reap the glory by
the sudden increase of its population,
which will surely follow, and that happy
hearthstones will be indefinitely multiplied
when men with modest incomes are enabled
20 live in comfortable homes at reasonable
rental.
Chief Brown, OF the Department of Pub
lie Safety, both as a good citizen and by
virtue of his official position, is deeply
interested in every question pertaining to
the Advancement of the city, and is enthusi-
astic over the suggestion for the erection of
homes suitable for the habitation of Pitts
burg's bone and sinew. The chief said:
CRowDING LEADS TO CRIME.
''The question of housing the people of
Pittsburg is a grave one, and deserves seri-
ous consideration. Where people are forced
to live in cramped quarters, and especially
where they are crowded together in tene-
ments, an increase in minor crimnalities is
always noticed. The families become too
intimate are apt to get into the habit of
drinking, and if there happens to be one or
two tough characters in the house they are
very liable to contaminate others in the
building. Then, too, from a sanitary point
of view, this overcrowding is dangerous, not
only to the dweIlers in tenements, out to the
health of the city at large. Many diseases
refuse to be confined within the narrow
limits in which they are bred.
THE saddest feature of tenement house
life is that it so often results in the estrange-
ment of families. The father of family
who, after hard days work, returns to a
squalid home is very apt to become dissatis-
fed. He goes out on to the street and the
bright and cheerful saloons hold out induce
ments it is hard for him to resist, and in
many instances he does not struggle very
desperately against the temptation. On the
other hand, the children, owing to this fact
see but little of their father, and thus they
grow apart, and sad lack of filial affection
is the result
A PAYING INVESTMENT.
There is DO question that the building
and renting of small houses is good, if not
the best, investment for capitalists. East
ern cities, Philadelphia and Harrisburg
particularly, has anv number of small
dwellings. In the latter city they rent for
from $40 TO SIC month. The owners have
no more difficulty in collecting the rent of
these houses than from more pretentious
buildings. and the returns are vastly more
profitable.
There is a great need for such class of
dwellings here. Many men with families
make but $40 to S48 a month. How can
they afford to pay $50 to SIS month for
rent? Thev cannot do it, and consequently
they are forced to live in cramped quarters,
which stunt the growth of their families
physically, morally and intellectually"
Mr.. George L. Holiday, President of
Common Council, sees the necessity for more
cheap houses. He saws:
1.-The great need of Pittsburg at this time
is the erection of several hundred homes for
workingmen. There is now no part of the
old city which is not comparatively easy of
access. The one difficulty, however, which
confronts the capitalist who is willing to
make an investment of this character, is to
ind a purchasable location. To do the
thing properly, such houses should be built
together in blocks, in town, as it were.
The property on the best class of streets is
hall biph for e,t 4
it would not be wise TO sandwich in small
houses between them. Then, again, the
land would cost too much to allow of cheap
rent
LAND THAT CANNOT BE BOUGHT.
"There are some tracts of land in this
city especially suited to the erection in
large numbers of this class of dwellings, but
they are not all in the market There is
one large tract, very central and in every
way fitted for this purpose, running from
Heron Hill to Filth avenue at Oakland.
That is part of the Schenley estate and is
not Tor sale. There has been a row of ele-
CANT residences built on part of this prop
erty, but the land is merely leased, and that
for only 80 years. when it, with the build
ings, will revert to the Schenley heirs.
Doubtless there are other places in the city
where block of land could be purchased,
ana / am sure it would be paying invest
ment. We need a number OF houses which
would rent Tor about SIS MONTH and there
would be no difficulty in finding tenants for
them.
''On the Southside some building is be-
ing done on the hilltops, but not enough to
supply the demand. l have noticed one
peculiar thing, however. On West Carson
street, near Singers and Painters mills,
there are several rows of houses which are
located right in the blaze of the urnaces,
while the rsttling OF the heavy mill machIn-
cry is almost deafening. Yes, the location
is suggestive of the gates of the neither re-
gions. Well, L have known several fami-
lies who have moved out of these houses
into bright comfortable homes on the hill
tops and, although you would hardly be-
lieve it, those people were not satisfied until
they got back into the old houses amid the
glare and noise of the mills"
APPEALING TO PITTsBURG's PRIDE.
A real estate agent, who does moo care to
have his name used, because be does not
want the readers OF The DISPATCH to
imagine that he is seeking for advertising,
when, in fact, be is merely speaking for the
good of the community, takes a view of the
matter which directly appeals to the pride
of every citizen. He argues in this manner:
''The popuIation OF Pittsburg could be In
creased by IL, 900 almost Immediately if 1t
was possible to house them omlortably and
economically. / know by experience in nv
own business that 1000 houses to rent
from SIS to $40 month. could be erected by
Christmas, they would all be occupied by
the first of January. l do not mean that
these houses would be filled by families
moving out of other houses, but that there
are enough strangers canning here to seek