The sun., 1894-09-30
AN APPEAL TO PHILANrHRoPT.
Cheaper Rents Needed for the weiI-bred
Poor.

Poor.
To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: The un-
exampled depression in business Of the last year
has brought hundreds OF citizens to believe that
this great city has no adequate provision for the
home comfort Of its well-bred poor To families
struggling for honest livelihood with re-
stricted income. the matter OF rent Is OF the
greatest Importance. Though the business
situation has caused great reduction, and In
many instances complete withdrawal OF salaries,
though the small shopkeepers and tradesmen
have been obliged TO sell their wares at lowest
prices rents have been kept close to the figures
Of prosperous times. Though great and praise
worthy effort has been made all through the
year for bettering the condition OF the very poor,
though the rich have poured from their treasure
alsteady stream of benehcence and the Board OF
Health has worked so efficiently IL is announced
that the death rate OF the tenement districts Is
below that of the city at large, there remains
large class Of industrious hard pressed poor for
whom during all this unprecedented distress
This Class comprises small families who have
seen better times, middle-aged men and women
striving to prepare for swift-coming age, and
hundreds and hundreds Of women, married and
and very often disabled or aged friends. All
are useful citizens OF the community, and citi-
zens. whom the community could lily spare.
Clerks. bookkeepers, nurses, teachers, authors,
students, artists, typewriters, saleswomen, seam
stresses. and scores OF other WORKERS, together
struggling desperately 10 maintain homes based
on an Intelligent sense, OF refined and wholesome
living. To all these homemaktn ing in this fair
ti'h to the 's matter 1sSfS y high rents.
A canvass last spring Of the districts where
apartments are rented. ostensibly TO respectable
families. Is the basis of these statements; and
a somewhat less thorough canvass this fall
shows no Improvement on the springs prices.
Unless the hOmemaker whose work Is In the
par, rom 1 Gs fy ss TS Hd
nothing suitable to his finer needs that his in
come will compass II he select his home at
added TO the time taken by the morning and
evening travel in which he needs 20 rest but
must perforce stand and ache; make another
horn to the dilemma on which he bangles.
There II great number OF workers who must
reside down town. Trained nurses, for instance,
who need attractive, restfnl homes in the in
TERMS OF their arduOus and responsible service,
must Td those .cS" homes In the es sanTass yGHy
mentioned the colored janitor OF one
house announced at the door, Four rooms,
rooms SSS NO and ss9S' seSS sounded Promising; but R6
range. no bath turned the applicant away.
for SlT, but the bathroom was In the hall 10 be
shared by three families Again the home
rooms and her own bath TO four rooms and bath
In common. Al all other houses where rooms
We're well lighted ana hsa nSers 500 In shess
times few OF these workers are able 10 pay $40.
Wherever the rent came within the necessary
limit frOwEY heads hung from every window
above Mapping bedclothes; loud, coarse voices
and ceaseless tramping resOunded through the
halls and drinking places-if nothing worse
were In close proximity. refined nature seek
ing for COngenial surroundings shrtnks pitifully
from trying To make home on such premises
but the exigencies OF the landlord and purse too
often compel it right here In this great city.
One OF the daily papers in printing detailed
! family which expends only $50 a month"; But
/ there are today hundreds, probably thousands,
Of families who, though industrious ana econom-
1 ical have not the $50 al month to spend. What
are they 20 dor Rent Is first "a be considered; for
I The landlord Is the ineXOTable wolf at the door
| the first Of every month. These honest, self
| respecting men and women sCOrn to eat or wear
/ or dwell in any place not paid for. What they
] cannot pay for when purchased they heroiCally
/ go without. Table luxures, dress, Rmusements;
/ even sittings in churches another example OF
] rents-they deprive themselves OF patiently %
/ keep a home where light and air, b lOks and
/ afford rest 10 body and mind. In many
| cases the last year the piano often the gift
/ OF departed affection, always helper 20 the
/ inner life-h has been sacrificed with phngs sharp
I and lasting. valuable huOks have disappeared,
the light. airy rooms have been exchanged Tor
/ those dark and stuny and ClOSet-likc IN dimen-
/ sion. In some cases families have doubled up,
/ but considering the proyeTb. No house was
| ever built large enough for two families" to-
| gether with the restricted COnYeniences OF hats
! notably the number and size Of bedrooms II
/ is easily seen how much home feeling accom-
/ panies such arrangement. Yet, under no
/ circumstances will these rd-Working, self
i respecting men aud women apply To one Of the
/ many charitable organizations Ot the city.
| They AEe unknown except where. driven 70 ths