The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-30
The Housing of the Poor.

The Housing of the Poor.
New York is already tho most dcnsely
| populated city in the world, yet its popula
| ton is increasing rapidly. Nowhere else Ii
| the number of inhabitants to the squar,
| acre SO great as it Is in districts on Man
| haitian Island. This is because limited
| space compels tho erection OF high tene
ments. in which people live tier above tier
Accordingly, Mr.. MARCUS I. REYNOLDS
the author Of the prize essay Of the Ameri
can Economic Association on " Tho Housing
of the Poor in American Cities" devotes the
chief part Of his attention to the tenement.
house problem in this city. His discussion
is very elaborate, and it shows laudable
care and judgment in the gathering Of sta.
tistics and large and generally intelligent
grasp of his subject. By the poor he does
not mean tho victims OF dire poverty
specifically. for in New York assur-
eddy the teuement-house population
cannot be 30 described with any approach
to truth. More than four-fifths Of the in
habitants Of this city live in houses con-
tanning more than ten persons each, and
over two-thirds in houses containing moro
than twenty persons each. In general only
the families OF exceptional prosperity occu-
py houses by themselves. The great mass
Of the people in merely comfortable cir
cumstances. including the wage earn
es almost universally. occupy tene-
ments. The miserably poor may be con-
gregated in such houses also. but the
vast majority Of the jewellers in them are
self-respecting and self-supporting people.
hn nj hos Ill,
BILE consideration. They are poor only
relatively to the rich. Moreover. the lin
tied area Of Manhattan Island. with the
consequent high value Of land. has led to
the erection Of great numbers Of apartment
and flat houses. which really are only tene-
ment houses under another name. and
wherein many thousands Of people in
exceedingly comfortable circumstances find
their homes.
The powers Of the Health Department In
the regulation Of tenement houses are also
SO large that President BAYLEs opposed
any important addition to them as an en-
barrassment. The proportionate space OF
the lot to be occupied Is defined. The light
and ventilation are regulated precisely.
In the rooms 600 cubic feet of air must be
provided for each occupant. Fire escapes
must be furnished. Water must be on
every floor. and at least one closet for
every fifteen occupants. The plumbing
must be of the highest degree of perfection.
All tenements must be carefully inspected
twice year. and the Health Board has
power to vacate buildings which do not
conform to its regulations. violation Of
which also renders the offender liable to
arrest. The law therefore goes to an ex-
IRENE in guarding the welfare Of the tene-
ment-house population. incidentally impos-
Ing liability to expense on the owner OF
such property which tends in many cases
to prevent investments in it. Mr.. REY-
NOLDs enumerates as lone cause OF the
misery In our tenements," the carelessness
and absence OF the landlord, "a wealthy
gentleman or lady" the property being
usually managed entirely by an agent,
whose instructions are to "collect the rent
In advance. or. failing. eject the tenants"
but this harsh necessity makes such prop
erty undesired by wealthy ladies and gen.
tlemcn of human impulses. and tenement
houses. are likely to pass into other and
less delicate hands.
Mr.. REYNOLDS gives with commendable
fulness the history OF tho many expert
ments for the building of improved tene-
ment houses in this and other cities, with
the purpose OF inducing the Investment of
capital in them as paying enterprises, and
no expresses wonder that while millions
Of dollars are yearly given in America to
charities and educational institutions of
every kind" so little money can be OBJ
tanned for their erection. though "experi-
cnce has shown that higher rate OF inter-
est will be returned than il it were invested
in Government bonds" If such is the case.
the requisite capital will be forthcoming as
lime goes on. 1t will not come In response
10 appeals for charity. nor. as he truly
says. will the great mass of the tenement-
house population consent to make their |
homes In asylums 80 provided.
Mr.. REYNOLDS points out the evils OF |
crowded tenements. moral and physical,
showing sympathy for the poor which Is |
% the highest degree credltabe to him:
,ut he also calls attention to the remark |
lble fact shown by the Registrar OF Vital |
statistics In 1888 and again in 1891. that the |
ieath rate OF the tenement-house popu-
alton OF New York is slightly lower than
nat OF the remaining population OF the
'lty, or. In other words. is highest in the
iouses containing the fewest Inhabitants.
t seems that the death rate OF persons of
I've years OF age and over decreases with the
Increase In the number Of tenants. while the
leath rate OF children under Eve years In
reases until there are more than eighty
enants to house. after which it decreases.
The explanation OF Mr.. REYNOLDS is that
he tenants OF the larger houses are under
loser sanitary inspection. and also that the
emoval thence of the sick to hospitals
more frequent. He suggests. too. as a
ossibe reason for the lower death rate OF
the poorer classes" that "they pass
nuch OF their lives out OF doors, and whan