New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-22
AZ ATTEMPT TO GIVE JTSTICE
TEACHING TIE POOR TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
AGAINST LANDLORDS ANp BAD TENANTS
Dr. Arnold Eilyart. in The Charities Review.

TEACHING TIE POOR TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
AGAINST LANDLORDS AND BAD TENANTS.
DR. Arnold Enyart IN The Charities Review
The work Of teaching the poor 10 protect thcm-
selves and Of teaching union az mean. 10 thi1
end has already begun In the spring 81 last year
a number of young men AMI women. ~ whom a
dozen proved ~ Doc active ana constant WORKERS
banded themselves into what they ca.:eI me Ahtl-
FNth" section of the Tenth Ward Social Reform
cub. Originally Organized To- hFht art, ne sec
engaged IN crusade against every kind OF in
In considering the results obtained II H. TO he
noted that nearly an the members had the DIS
Of thrir Iahors AMI that all were noviccs without
special qualification for tn" gigantic Work thry
the sanitation OF houses. As a consequence Of
this resolution they found themselves forced INTO
systematic nvasions Of peoples homes, ana X was
with much difdrnce ana many misgivngS a. to
the reception they would meet thai thry began
Suspicious looks and curt answers greeted their
first appearance put no sooner tlI tney eAI'a1n
OF cleanliness than they were met win ths mari
simpIc. A circular was prepared setting forth the
sanitary duties Of landlord and tenant respectively
ana asking tenants 10 report all neglect Of such
no would the name OF the coinplana"t ne
divulgcd; such invitation meets Response from
many who would fear 10 address a complaint 10
the Board OF Health Armed with TINS circular
Two persons Of opposite sex visiting together. As
this is found an effective means Of disarmng sus
Icion. The number Of houses visited II Hhlliru
that each can be revisited as often as n,'esSry
and an essential characteristic or IN" WORK j. thht
constant efforts are made 10 find In "a"h house
one or tWD deputies who VIII observe ana report
on It's sanitary condition. \ new visitor - always
accompanied by one who has had experience ana
the result OF every visit j. recorded 80 tndt the
newcomer may take up the work an inc point
where IL was icft bv his predecessor, ana 50 thlt
the effect OF the whole work may b" readily seen.
No action Is taken any complaint until IL mas
been investigated by a visitor, who then signs A
report giving the result u his own personal Oh
servatiOn. II ne finds ground for action the nu-
sancc is reported In the first plac" usually 10 the
landlord and later, II necessary lana IL - gencI-
alv necessary, to the Board Of Health the Police
Fire building Public Works or street 'i"hhlhg
departments. Nearly all the nuisdnces reported
have been stopped. but Of those reported to the
police no notice has been taken; these are peihs
followed up. , A.,
The state OF the Tenth Ward may be imagined
from the fact that in one street, In whlch sixty
three houses have been visited. twenty-seven ser-
Gus nusances have been reported. besides Whch
| numerous minor defects have been rcmedled en-
passant Several thousand circulars calling Tor re-
ports OF nusances have been distributed through
ont tenement houses which could not be regularly
visited; but az a result OF this only rev or the
most nagrant evils have been reported MOST OF
| the complaints are made orally TO visitors. or
/ originate with them Cases OF want are reported
TO the East Side Relief Committee or 10 the charity
| Organization Society. No material hep Is gwen
bv the section a whole but in the Beginning
Of rs work adopted the plan OF giving away
flowers when visiting In the hope That recipients
might be Influenced to bring their rooms into mar
mOny with them.