The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-24
THE SUPPRESSION OF UNHEALTHY
DWELLINGS.

A reader of the Journal in this city
asks If lit is true that any organized
effort has been made in any city to get
rid OF unwholesome and foul tenements."
In reply. it can be said that in all of
the older States in which there are large
cities, and in the more prominent coun-
tries Of Europe, there are laws, most OF
them of recent enactment, which are de-
signed to get rid of unwholesome tene-
ment In Boston, New York and other
cities city boards have authority to close
up any house which is regarded unfit for
hahitation, and large numbers of such
dangerous" houses nave been closed.
Doubtless novels unfit for human resi-
dence could be vacated under the laws
of Indiana. In New York city, during
construction and repair of houses. off,
Gals representing the sanitary depart
ment inspect the premises with a view
to securing ventilation and drainage.
Under the public health act of London
Of 1891 the sanitary authorities are re-
quired to hav frequent inspections made
OF the thickly populated parts of the city
to ascertain if in the buildings or the
premises there is anything dangerous
TO health, and these authorities have full
power to compel owners to order such
changes as will make the conditions
healthful. A similar law applies to all
the cities of France and Belgium. 3
1t is often the case in large cities, and
sanitarians in this city have found two
or three such localities. that the houses
or neighborhoods have become so ire
mediably bad that the only logical thing
to do is to wipe them out of existence.
During the summer of 1894 a spot was
reported in this city so saturated with
the poison which causes typhoid fever
that the larger part of the occupants of
the houses were ill with this disease.
Under the housing act of England the
authorities have the power to condemn
the houses and land. Under that act
several of the most unhealthy and
vicious localities nave been taken by the
authorities and made into small parks,
after paying for the property. What
has been don by the law in London has
been effected in Boston. Brooklyn and
other cities by corporations and individ-
uals, partly because they are humane
II partly to make money. Several of
the worst localities in Boston have been
redeemed by the purchase of the rock
cries which were rented and building on
the ground tenement houses. comfcrta-
bic n healthful. in which rooms are
rented for a less price than was exacted
by landlords whose houses have teen
condemned. After the building Of bet
ter houses. which are put under regula-
tons insuring family privacy and clean
Illness. localities having the worst re-
pute became respectable. The same ex-
periments have been tried in Brooklyn
n other cities with most satisfactory
results. In London, when the city au-
thorities have taken the dangerous
houses. they are required to find better
quarters for those who are forced to
leave those which have been condemned.
Intelligent and philanthropic public
sentiment has but recently been called
to the relations which exist between un-
healthy and crowded abodes and vice.
At present, however, sanitary science
has been so developed that instead of
vice being the cause of wretched abodes
and all sorts Of degradation, the filthy
and crowded abode is the cause of vice.
The Journals inquirer and others who
are seeking information on this impor-
tant subject should read the special re-
port of the United States COMMISSIONS
of Labor on The Housing Of the Work
ing People"