New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-26
"unpreiudiced' tomorrow night, and Mr. fiatt
should be respectfully requested to fill IT,
THE 7ENEMENTHOUSE BILL.

While attention has been fixed on other q'les-
tions of public concern. the cause or tenemehr
house reform has made gratifying progress
Those recommendations Of the committee WHICH,
though their importance is obvious and undis-
nutod are nevertheless in II sense suDoTuihate
and supplementary. have apparently overcome
all obstacles. one of them. indeed, the MuiDerry
Rcnd Park bill. is already a law, and the East
side Small. Parks bill and the SCHOOL, Ray
ground bill are in the Mayors hands. having
posscd the Legislature. These measures, giving
icbt and air to gloomy neighborhoods and OPP
porunities for exercise and diversion 10 Il iii'''
,udo 81 nersons. including tens Of thousands or
children will do incalcuablc good as the !e"i'
co on Tho expense of establishing such con
ditions In n great city, though large when iooA.'
NJ rs an entry in the municipal ledger Is ie'
tiycly insignificant. If the tenenehrho"sc "s'
tation were to have no other practical result !"
would well reward those whose time an" vi
crCy il has employed go
Rut we do not believe the advance VIII ne
checked mt this point. The main Dill prepareu
nv the committee is still to be acted upoh' p"'
its nosition is not unfavorabe, II Is s'rohsH
advocated hy men of weight IN the Legislature
il supported by public sentiment IN ms c'.''
and * convincingly recommended by us ihtrih-
81. norris In these circumstances us passage
/, rr,h,hlc and in the course OF the present
wool, wc hone To see it put beyond DOUBT OF
failure The perfect sincerity or the coiiiiH'''ee
of which Mr. Glider Is chairman has been SHOWN
IN tic management of the campaign for TINS
,,,oosurc The members have been anxious 10
rocovo fresh light upon the subject from what
ovor ouartcr il came, and to modify their pro-
posals 10 any reasonable extent, DelnS lh'eht
upon nothing except the absolute essentials oi
safety and health for the tcnemcnt-house popu-
lation and the consequent welfare or the COLI
munitv By wise concessions much OF the OPP
nosition which the bill originally encountered
has been overcome, and in its present form II
contains no provision. as 1t seems 10 Us, WHICH
the general well being does not demand no
irrational requirement To cause veXatlon anu
trouble disproportioncd to the Dement'S To De eA-
ncctrd from It's operation. 1t Will introduce
into buildings now In existence safeguards
AGAINST fire and disease which ought never 10
b,vn been lacking in any metropolitan haDltii-
tiou. and II will compel the adoption or adni-
tonal precautions in the construction OF tehe-
mcnts hereafter
These proposed restrictions are not whimsical
~ we have said. but it has been represented
that they would 80 largely increase the cost OF
construction ~ inevitably 10 cause an advance
in rents oppressive 10 the poor. ms oDJecuoh'
we think Is dictated rather by the imagined IN
forest Of builders and owners than by solicitude
for tenants The price Of materials USED IN
slow.burning construction and the cost OF put
ting them together have greatly declined anu
or. going lower but this fact and the effect OF
cnnpciltion are dsrcgardcd by opponents or
the hill In the ease If individuals the reduc-
ton II fire losses would probably offset the
SLIGHT increase ~ cost in building and the city ;
interest I'm diminishing the number or nres II
very great. The efficiency Of our Fire Department
is universally known and appreciated, Out IL Is
maintained at an enormous cost, absolutely anu
~ coulnarcd with the outlay OF other great
cities of'he world The fact that more thail
haIf the fires are IN tcnements, whereas tehe-
rpruts are less than third of all the cltyS
buildings is a fact which closely concerns all
the pcoplr Regard for the safety and comfort
- th,. tenement house population Is the hrst
consideration but It is fortunately consistent III
,his n,rticrilar with regard for the pockets OF
,,vnnycrs The doubtful and temporary interest
Of propriciors ought not To prevail against the
certain and permanent needs OF the community.
Unless this argument Is ignored by the Legs
I,ulrc the bill will be made law.