The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-11
BROOKLYN TENEMENT EVILS.
Some Unpleasant Disclosures TX
pectea ia BE Made Soon.

pectea tn BE Made Soon.
NEW YORK. Aug. lot is believed
that some unpleasant disclosures will be
made when the State Tenement House
Commission gets 10 work in Brooklyn.
which will be very soon. A COMMITTEES
from the commission has already been
across the bridge investigating Affairs
there. but no official importance can be
attached to this visit. it is said. 1t was
merely an informal trip; Just to get the
lay OF the land. The tenement houses
looked over or that occasion were OF the
better sort. and no startling discoveries
were made. In fact, the Investigators
found many things that called forth ia
vorable comment. But since then one or
two members of the commission, who have
more or less extended acquaintance with
Brocklyns tenement districts, have point
ed ort that there are some evils to be
remedied Of an even more aggravated ma
ture than those in this borough Taking
IL all In all. Brooklyn has much the better
OF the matter, for 1t is not naturally a
tenement city, AMI the crowding is not
nearly so great as here. There is also a
vast difference in the conditions governing
the housing of the poor in the two bor-
oughs. But men who have the subject in
hand say that the sanitary conditions in
some OF Brooklyn's tenements are intol-
cradle; more SO than in some districts
here.
The trouble seems to hinge on the fact
that before consolidation Brooklyn did not
have the benefit of the building laws which
she got under the charter commission.
Many old private houses were converted
into tenemsIts without restriction and
no more repairs made than were abso-
lutely necessary. Under the present build
ing laws enjoyed by Brooklyn, before a
private dwelling can be turned into ten
ement. plans and specifications of the
building must be filed with the building
department. That has helped matters a
great deal
There are few tenement houses in
Brooklyn where there is no free access to
light or air. In that Brooklyn is ahead Of
Manhattan, with its dark rear tenements.
TO many Of which the light seldom pene-
trates the year round. And. over in Brook
iyn. the children of the poor get more
chance to play and romp in the streets
Brooklyn has more natural pay
grounds. said member of the Tenement
House Commission yesterday, "as 1t is not
go crowded; there are more open spaces
and lots for the boys TO exercise in. Ur-
doubtedly its ethical and moral conditions
are better than here, where the good in a
ho- Is of'en suppressed by bad environ
ments. But the matter CT sanitation is a
serious problem
The commissioner. who can he regarde
as an authority on the matter. thsn said:
Rat Brooklyn needs~is more POKER for
Its health department. Deputy Commits
sioner Black is a capable. man, hut his
hands are tied by lack OF funds and means
which should be at his disposal. | under
stand he has cniy two inspectors That Is
not nearly enough for a city of 1.0c000
people. and they can't be expected to do
justice TO it. 1t should be the duty OF the
municipal assembly 10 see that the to-
ough gets sufficient appropriation for thu
health department
Then, too. DIR. Black should be- made a
full commissioner instead OF d putty.
There should be a commissioner for every
borough with full power to work independ-
emily and make suggestions for the i'm
provement of conditions in the s.riets
under his care. He could have full sNay
then and freedom to act without the ham,
leap OF being under the orders of some ON
else Inc several commissioners could
then constitute an advisory board and ia
that way settle on what is bfst to b. dcns
for the improvement OF affairs in every dis
trict- That would be better than the ar
1
The speaker said the Tenement Fos,s,
Commission would probably get to wo n
Brooklyn in about three weeks. and that
he thought aboi;. the same time would be
consumed in going over the field
The commission is net looking so much
after violations of the law he said, .as
1t is trying to determine how the eondi-
tons in the tenement house districts meet
the requirements. You have to consider
bstff IN III
of cases. for the money that is in it. The
part of it is lost sight Of
Paul d. Cravath Vice Chairman of the
commission, when asked ii the conditions
among the Brooklyn teneufenfs compared
unfsyorably with those IN Manhattan,
said:
There is no basis yet for comparison
The work We are to do will Dc simply to
collect data which will be tabulated in tire ,
fail. and the report of what has been done
VIII not be made un,1 after January 1
next. The Investigations are 10 be under 2
the supervision of experts, who viii MAKE
reports to the commission along certain
lines Personally. | have no views at all
relative 10 conditions in Brooklyn. but
some of the members may nave formed
oTinions."
Deputy Commissioner Black was cut
conducting a crusade at Coney Island yes
teTday One OF his associates said.
Brooklyn has a squad CT twenty-five
standing policemen who. under the law.
make house-to-house canvass Of tts city
twice a year II anybody has any complaint
to make about the condition Of house. all
he has to do is to notify us and it will be
promptly attended to. But we have re-
ceived no complaints of that sort lately"
Ii was admitted. however, that Brooklyn
had only two plumbing inspectors who di-
Vfded he city between them
Superintendent Miniter, of the depart
ment OF buildings in Brooklyn. said he be-
lieved there were very few tenements in
the borough which had been converted into
such from dwellings. and added:
Il do not think the sanitary vc1dii ions
in Brooklyn are as bad as they are said
TO be. If that is the case. the health de-
partment INSPECTORS would have condemned
the buildings where the trouble was.