The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-12
HAS NO SLUMS.
There are NoSections
Where Destitution
Reigns Supreme.
THE COST OF LIVING
Miss Witherspoon, of the
Associated Charities,
Tells of Her " ork.

Miss Witherspoon, secretary of the
Associated Charities of Worcester,
lectured yesterday afternoon before
the Ladies' Benevolent Society of the
First Unitarian Church The subject
was on How the poor live" and the
conditions of the other part Of US, the
really poor and destitute, We're careful
ly described. In substance, Miss With
erspoon said:
Probably The largest section where
cheap tenements can be obtained and
consequently where the quite poor
gather is the district known as the lis
land" lying between Millbury and
Southbridge streets and the streets ad-
jacent to this territory.
But in no part of Worcester will you
find any large portion given over to
restitution. There are no slums in
Worcester.
There are but few houses that
would not be willing to go inLo at any
time during the day or night. l never
have had an unpleasant experience.
The speaker then described a model
home here in Worcester and the pos
sibilities that are within the reach of
all, whose means are very limited. One
contrast was the poorest of the poor
est tenements in Boston, The latter
condition. said Miss WttherspOOn, will
not be found in this city,
Continuing, she said: Worcester
tenement houses, although bad enough
in many cases, cannot be compared
with those of larger cities. The worst
that can be said Of many of the build
ings is that they are old and in need
Of thorough repairing. In most cases
sunshine and fresh air have free ac-
cess.
The speaker regretted the large num-
Der of basement tenements in the city,
although, at the same time, they were
infinitely better from a sanitary point
of view at least than those in Boston.
The Worcester Easements are above
ground, have sunlight and are not
damp. with the accompanying bad
smell. Families are not crowded to-
gether, and the smallest tenements
usually consist of three rooms, a liV-
ing room and two bed rooms. Rents
vary with the location from $4 to 81
a month. The 81 rents are easements
attiCs or those in a very poor location.
A small family can find tenement in
a decent location for from SIS to SIC
per month. 1t has been proven by
statistics that people usually pay one
fourth of their income in rent, and
have been surprised TO find how true
the estimate is.
In reference to the sanitary cOndi-
ton, the speaker said she found it Was
fairly good 1t is seldom that there
are unpleasant OdOrs which can be ac'
counted for in no other way than by
the slovenly housekeeping. Of this
evil there is so much. However neglect
ed the house may be. the stove is
usually clean and shining. The creates
lack in the life Of the poor seems tc
be in economical marketing and good
wholesome cooking.
Bakers bread and tea form a large
part Of every meal. Oatmeal, potatoes
fried meats and bakers pies are tht
staple articles, and canned salmon is
looked upon as luxury.
1t is estimated by physicians that {
family should have on the average {
dollar apiece a week for food. To th'
poor people 50 a week means exactly
that amount 1t does not mean an av
erage of SO a week with the ready
money when needed to buy in larg'
quantities.
In speaking Of the lives Of the poor
I have in mind the very poor, the des
titute Among them the most seriou:
evils are first, intemperance, and close
" allied to il, ignorance.
a step above the destitute is elias!
Of people living in the same houses
paving the same rents, and Vet are self
supporting. These people it is a pleasure
to help in an emergency, for it is known
that with half a chance they will rally
their forces and come again upon theil
own feet.
Let US recapitulate the estimates thaf
have been made. Suppose a family Of
six people parents and four children
The father is just a labOrer, working