New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-01
TRINITY As 4 LANDLORD.


tjon Of the defence Of the sanitary condition OF
its tenement houses. published SATURDAY no'
wjthstandins the fact that it is Il special plea.
A statistical expert starting out so 10 use "s"ic'
~ TO answer the figures Of opponents does not
command nnQucstonlng confidence IN me cor
RICHNESS Of hi: conclusions. 1h'rc are ~"
falscr proverbs than the one which declares 'hat
figures do not lie. as Mr. Hoffman,. the trinity
sta,ist.cian shows to his own satisfaction con-
corning those used by its critics, ana II IS no
impcachmcnt of the honesty or any man WHO
deals with figures 10 scrutiniZe with some Scei'-
tjcism the methods by which he mainematcalN
proves "A case Mr.. IIoffman's results VIII prop
ably he considered to be as unScienti1caiiy
reached by the statisticans Of the Board OF
Health rs he considers that theirs were. But
to thc non mathematical mind. whose conception
Of rates. averages and proportion Is limited 10
more simple applications of the rule OF three the
answer of Trinity Church will appear to be well
taken
II is manifesty unjust TO compare the death
rate Of eighty. three houses situated in Il crowded
part Of the town, and with consequent unheal'h
full surroundings, with the death rate OF the
whole city. even IL the figures compared are III
both cases accurate. This the statisticlan de-
clarcs Is not the case. The statement OF the
city death rate as 2401. he holds is too low
hccallsc based on an excessive estimate OF pop
ulation while the Trinity rate Is not properly
COMPARABLE with it on the simple ground OF us
MARTY Of numbers which makes an error or
deaths due TO some temporary or accidental oc-
c,lrrcncc affect the Trinity death rate Si3 times
os much As the same influences would affect the
CITY RATE Thus the one suicide which took place
ON Trinity property last year. II included would
affect the death rate by O43. while the 326 sui
cides in the whole city would affect its rate by
only OH. On the other hand it is TO be rcmem
bcrcI that the omission to record death in the
fcw houses reduces their rate disproportionately
10 that Of the city. Mr. Hoffman shows that the
ratio Of The Trinity tenement houses was in 1901
less by 60 than that Of all the tenement houses
IN District 4 OF the Eighth Ward. in which they
ore situa,cd. and by different statistical methods
shows that It was less than that OF other selected
houses containing substantially the same class
Of people In 1893 and 1894. less than that or the
Eighth Ward through a series OF years. and less
than that Of the city on the basis OF Inc Fed
cra census from 1885 to 1890.
Turning 10 another phase of the SUBJECT liz
examines into the nature Of the diseases when
caused the Trinity deaths and shows conpara
,ivelv few io have been due to typhoid ulph
therla and scarlet fever. while large number
have been due to consumption and pneumonia
From this II would not b. unnatural 10 'ohciuhe
tha; while Trlnliy's sewers might be good ana
It's water pure and It's buildings disnfccted' E'e
the condition ~ its rooms 50 far AS furnishing
comfortable lodging 10 tenants was poor. and
encouraged those diseases which are the pariicu
,or scr,rc. ~ the m housed and lll-cothcd poor
Mr. Hoffman dos not admit this. however. IL"
has ,,hul,ted the mortality from consumption
g., each nf the tenement houses for six years and
finds only tbr.. instances In which three deaths
,ro,r c,nsumnilon occurred during that time In
any one house
TIN, conclusion hat the mortality in Trinity
tenement houses is not in excess OF ne local
death raic.only about II per cent instead "'
-, pcr cent in excess ~ the city death lit"-ahu
tina, thc causes OF mortality attributable 10 MIN
and unsanltary conditions are less prevalent III
Trinity houses than in the city az large seems
fairly warranted 10y the figures presented. with
the posslblr exception that consumption Ihl%ht
mo CHARGED to unsanlfary conditions In The way
~ loose and draughlv buildings. The deeper
question. OF The duty ~ church corporation ~
4 landlord is however. untouched. On 'ha'
mint fhor. is. and is likely to continue" diner
cncc II opinion. Many hold that Trinity cor
poration Is purely business institution. Douhu
70 obey the Sanitary Code and other laws. ana
deal honestly by It's tenants. but Owing thein 10
philanihropic consideration. In no wise pouhd
10 raise It's tenement houses one lota above me
standard If other landlords Others beIlev" that
rs the secular arm Of a body profcSSediy devoted
10 the doing Of good. It's duty j. 70 SCI the 'N'
ample u making the dwellings Of III" poor more
comfortable and helping 10 surround them win
conditions making for their spiritual and physi-
cal health Men are urged ia build model iene-
ment houses Who should set the example as
landlord II not the Church? II X not reasonable
10 ask church 70 sacrifice lis property IN QWx-
otic efforts Of chnry l;ui il Is not improper
to ask II in lis secular capacity 10 deal win men
with something Ike ~ alrliiStic spirit