The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-03-24
CITY TENEmENTS.

The highest OF all human rights Is the
right to live, but distinction should be
drawn between living and existing
Among the highest gifts of Providence
to man may be classed light, air and
wa,er-giits intended for the use Of all ;
gifts of which the poor in the large cities
are so largely deprived; gifts so absolute
ly essential for their welfare. The only
way for the poor to receive these gifts is
10y tearing down the crowded buildings
where they are now housed. Ii there is
a library or public park or hospital it
ought to be in the city. The over-crowd-
ing of London is terrible. A single room
system for families is widely established,
families having been found living in
room l. feet 10y 9. and only feet hsh in
which seven persons slept, and two fami-
lies have been found in one room II by 8.
There is also very imperfect house drain
age, bad arrangements rs to ash pits and
du-t-hns and the water supply is I'M
certain. This is sometimes found kept
in filthy tubs and even in the sleeping
rooms. The gifts of Providence-light,
air, and water-where are they? Few
really appreciate the dismal dreariness of
life TO children in the tenements. There
is no opportunity for legitimate play nor
natural outlet for an excess of animal
spirits. At every step the child meets
with obstacles. The public will not al
low ball playing or any unusually active
game in the streets. How could it?
These poor children have no open field in
which to use their physical powers, so
they are dwarfed The lack of oppor-
tunity for healthiul exercise or proper
recreation causes the formation of gangs
for nocturnal marsuding, at first purely
mischevous, but ending very frequently
in criminality. Still the standard of mo-
rality among the inhabitants Of these
crowded quarters is higher than might
be expected, considering the surround.
inEs Ia which their lves are passed. The
death rate is exceedingly high, but not
81 llIhNli hili'hE 'liil'iIcbB bctdusc tiitN
are in the street great deal If their
parents attempt to keep them in the
house fever and sickness OF all kinds re-
suit. There is a great deal Of suffering
among the young from scrofula, which
does not, OF course, appear in the death
list. Anything which offers legitimate
satisfaction to the child's desire for
amusement is one of the surest methods
Of correcting the evil influences OF tene
ment life.
The most important of the recommen-
dations of the New York tenement honse
committee Of 1894 WAS that power be
given the board of health to institute
condemnation proceedings for the des
truction buildings which are so unsani
tary AS to be unfit for human habitation
with provision for reasonable tompensa.
ton to owners in case OF such destruc
ton. There is no more satisfactory way
of dealing with unsanitary premises than
to tear them down. This work is going
on every year, and more persons of in
flnence are becoming interested in it,
Mr.. Alfred I. White nearly twenty years
ago made a private investment and sue
ceeded so we'll that he induced other
members Of his own family to co operate
in the work. The result has b. en- the
erection of buildings accommodating
nearly 800 families.
Miss Hill is an active worker. She
holds that the inhabitants and their sur
roundings must be improved together.
In coming time We hope to have all these
bo,s on our civilization removed.
Sunnyside, WASH, March -.