The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-29
HOUSING L0ND0N'S POOR.
Efforts to Proside Homes for the
Working Classes

Efforts to Proside Homes for The
Working Glasses.
NEW YORK, April G9.-The authorities
of London have expended millions OF
| pounds up 10 date in an endeavor to al
| leVIate the wretched conditions of thu
| poor Ia the tenseiy- crowded tenement dis
| tricts, but they have just adopted a plan
which calls for the building of a city for
| the housing Of the poor. at the expense
/ when completed. of millions more. 1t Is
a scheme of gigantic proportions. the like
| of which has never been undertaken by
| any other municipality in the world.
| An old estate, within six miles of Lon
don. at Tottenham, consisting of 225 acres
! has been purchased at 5000 per acre. or
! S450.oo0 for the bare land The tract OF
! land is divided into two portions, the
| larger containing 17S acres. the other be
| ing some little distance away. Both will
/ be utilized for the housing scheme, and
| accommodations will be provided for
| about 80 900 persons when 1t is completed.
| On the larger portion a city with room
| for housing more than 10000 people viii
| be constructed with all possible haste.
| 1t has been estimated that this NUM-
| cipaI project VIII require the erection Of
/ 5,779 two-story cottages, go stores
| churches, a free library, public buildings
/ various public utilities. the first cost Of
which will be, it is said. 1851. 290. This
| sum does not include the construction
| Of the water, gas, and electric lighting
/ plants. which are provided for in the gen
! eraI scheme The library has already been
| donated, and VIII cost the London County
/ Council nothing.
| The laying out of the city will be in
conformity with modern ideas, the gen
| eraI plan of Paris being the model The
| public schools, the free library, and other
public buildings, besides the stores, viii
be located in the centre, from which the
avenues viii Fadiate in various directions.
/ The avenues viii be fifty feet wide and
the streets forty.
Unlike many similar schemes. carried
out in this country and elsewhere on a
more limited scale, large variety of
cottages viii be constructed, two stories
in height, many of which viii be semi
detached, while others will be close to-
gether in a row in city style Every e
fort is to be made to break up the uni
/ formity and monctony in appearance
Each cottage viii have a yard in front
and small plot of gr6rnd in the rear for
a garden The rooms over the stores are
to be fitted up for the use Of the bachelor
members Of the community, to the ez-
tent of 1900 in number
Owing to the fact that the River Mos
sele winds through a central portion of
the larger tract Of land, the park which
is to be provided viii be one of its most
striking features. The foundation, 50 To
speak, of the park system will be under
taken at the expense of the London au-
thorities, but the addition of swings, pa
vilions, sand pits, band stands, and the
ike, for the recreation Of men, women.
and children. are 20 he donated by vari-
Gus persons, some of whom have already
put up the cash for the purpose The
beauty Of the streets viii be greatly en-
HANGED by single rows Of trees, which are
to be planted on either side of all ave-
nues and streets.
The paveInents viii be Of Belgian block,
wood, and macadam, but before the pave
ments are laid a complete system of sani-
tary sewers viii be constructed. the sew
age Of which viii be purified by mod
ern publication plant before it is turned
into the river. There is TO be included
also, in the general outfit of this mode!
housing scheme. a destrGctor plant, which
viii not only dispose of the city's waste 1
in a sanitary manner, but also provide /
sufficient power to operate the lighting |
plant to light the streets Provision is to (
be made for lighting certain houses with (
electricity for which an extra rental VIII !
ne charged Every modern device for I
economizing the administration of civic /
affairs viii be brought into reduisition in 4
the conduct OF this city. and at the same /
time nothing viii be spared in the way Of I
expense to make the conditions surround
ing the lives OF the people comfortable +
and healthfuI.
The next largest scheme ever under /
taken by a municipality for the better /
housing OF the laboTing classes was that
which was completed only a few months i
= nv he
Green Here fifteen acres of sIuns were /
cleared, at a cost of S1-411.3l5. There were /
3-lS people unhoused, and the new build /
ings constructed on the old site provided /
accommodations for ): $50.
In place of the old, ttmeworn, unsani- I
tary tenements there are modern build +
ingS, fitted with sanitary plumbing
throughout Besides this small garden 5
raised in terraces. occupies the centre of I
the area, and wide, handsome streets !
Tadlate from this central point The area (
contains two schools, and for general /
use baths and lauudries in a separate /
building have been provided Shops have
been erected on the principal street and /!
IN the rear OF some of the blocks work (
shops have been erected No better houses /
can De found anywhere IN London as re
SaFdS construction. than these artisans J
dwellings The buildings 90 beyond The /
requirements of the present building~act
ana anticipate improvements and coDdf-
amendments.
These schemes. although the largest
ever undertaken by any municipality and
costing millions of dollars are only a
drop in the bucket, when compared with +
the work Yet to be done, for the amount (
of suffering and the number Of crime and {
dISease-breeding districts in London are /
not diminished TO any appreciate extent ]
But the county council does not DroDosp
TO stop short OF the achievements of a (
complete renovation Of every disease and (
cTlme-lnfested portion in this CITY until
the physical condition, at least viii not /
De directly chargeable with the cause of /
a large per cent of the crimes commits ed !
annually and the heavy annual death
rate While the first plan is the largest /
scheme which has been developed sui
EGleutly. to permit of public announce
ment- the county council has other and
larger projects for the same benevolent
purpose in embryo, which viii be given
out later II is confidently expected. ac-
cord1ng to a recent statement of Lord
AEebUry. that within the next decade the
diseased slums Of London viii be effect
uaily wiped out.
CURRENT HUMOR.
Afraid of Revenge.