The times., 1899-06-28
TENEMENT HOUSE REFORM.
Reliefs Suggested for the Congested
Districts of New York

New York, June 27.-The tenement
house committee of the Charity organiza-
tion Society has prepared a series of ordin
ances relating to tenement house con-
struction, and presented them in a report
to the municipal building commission
The committee is composed of Felix Ad-
Ter, Constant a. Andrews, Robert w de
Forest, John Vinton Dahlgren. Edward T.
Devine, Ernest Flagg. Richard Watson
Glider, f. r. l.. Gould, F. w. Hollis,
George B. Post, Jacob A. Riis, l. N
Phelps Stokes, and Lawrence WELLER. 1t
is suggested that the ordinances be pre-
sented to the municipal assembly at an
early day. The committee has the follow
ing to say before taking up the sugges-
tions;
Before presenting to you suggestions in de-
tail, permit to remind that the condi-
ton of New York Citys tenement houses is a
disgrace to this city and to this State; that al
though nearly all of our respectable workingmen
and mechanics live in such buildings, dangerous
and unsanitary conditions are allowed 10 prevail
and are growing steadily worse from year TO year.
The first ordinance suggested is aimed
at ''the dark, narrow, and unventilated
airshaft, and the resulting damp. dark,
unventilated rooms that open upon it," and
provides that the shafts shall be not less
than six feet wide in any part and have
not less than $50 square feet in superficial
area. The second provides that no tene-
ment shall be more than six stories high;
the third that the living rooms shall have
each at least 900 cubic feet of air space;
the fourth that there shall be at least one
bathroom for every twenty families in ev-
cry tenement, to which all tenants shall
have access. OF this last, the report says:
1t is hardly necessary for us to call your atten-
H.
of working people do not wish TO be clean, and
would not take advantage of bathing facilities if
they had them, is one of the old-fashioned ideas
OF fifty years ago, based upon the most imperfect
knowledge of the character OF the people living
in tenement-houses. On the contrary. it is well
established that where bathing facilities pro-
vided in tenement house districts the demand for
their llse is overwhelming. 1t has been urged that
the best way to provide bathing facilities for
tenement house dweleTs is by the establishment of
public baths conducted by the municipality.
While such enterprises unquestionably very
much needed at the present time. we believe
that ii n hundred such public baths were to be
established in the near future they would not
begin to adequately supply the demands Of those
persons living in the 10000 tenements already
constructed.
An ordinance is suggested providing that
the walls of tenements shall be carried
three feet six inches above the roof, so
that the roof may be used as playground.
OF this ordinance, it is said in the report:
As you are it is the practice at present for
the children in tenement houses to play on roofs
during the day time, and at night in summer
many people sleep there because of the intolerabe
condition of their hot, small, unventilated
rooms. The necessity for public play
grounds for young children and for boys is a
most pressing one, and we hope that the munich
pality will recognize this at an early date. In
the mean time we earnestly ask that this small
measure of relief to the children OF the tenements
be granted.
Ordinances are suggested to provide
against fire. and for escape in case of fire,
and to provide for light halls and rooms;
and to increase the difficulty of evading
the law The committee expresses the
hope that the municipal assembly will act
on the suggestions.