Evening star., 1901-11-09
SANITARY TENEMENTS.

Good Dwellings BeneAt Health and
Morals of the Poor.
From Municipal Affairs. -t "
There Is no agency In the world that ha
greater influence upon the welfare Of the
people than one which directly affects their
health and social environment. Experi-
ence shows that improvements in the dwell
lngs of the poor have had decided influ-
ence upon the character of the inmates.
Under existing conditions, providing better
habitations for the poorer working classes
seems to be a proper subject for the con-
sideration of state and municipal govern
ments. The first and most important step
is the enactment of proper sanitary and
Dulldlng laws and the inauguration of a
thorough system of tenement house in
spection. Second in Importance is the ex-
preparation of property in the crowded dis
trlcts. Another step, which is common in
European countries, is the encouragement
OF model tenement enterprises by granting
them special favors, such as reducing the
tax rates, ceding land, granting subsidies
and making loans at a low rate of interest
Lastly, when private and philanthropic en-
terpr1ses refuse to provide proper housing
facilities, it becomes the duty of the local
authorities to do so.
New York has the best sanitary code and
the best organized corps Of sanitary in
spectors of any American or European city
Philadelphia and Chicago have in recent
years made improvements in their sanitary
laws and ordinances relating to tenement
houses. Existing regulations in Boston and
Brooklyn are fairly comprehensive and
their health departments are well equipped.
New York is the only large American city
that has done anything toward the expro-
pr1ation of crowded and insanitary districts
for park purposes, and that only since 1895.
For many years European cities have turn
ed their attention in the direction of MAX
ing parks, play grounds and other breath
ing spaces where they are most needed
This is especially true of the large cities
of Great Britain-London, Edinburgh, Glas-
gcw, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham,
Newcastle-on Tyne and Dundee
Nothing has been done by public authori-
ties in American cities In the way of en-
cept negatively, by the enactment of sani-
tary and building regulations. In England
the public authorities have gone farther,
In the United States no steps have been
the other hand, in London, Manchester,
Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham and Hud-
dersf1eld dwelling houses have been con-
structed and are being managed by the
municipal corporations
While in exceptional instances municipali-
ties may be justified in providing healthy
homes for the poorer working classes the
great work of furnishing homes for these
anthropic enterprises. Philanthropy has
done much in European cities toward ac-
complishing this end, but it alone can do
but very small proportion of the work
needed in all large cities. The great prob
lem with respect to model tenement houses
is how to secure the investment of capital
on paying basis in such enterprises
During the last twenty years large tene-
ment enterprises have been successfully
organized and operated in many cities in
America, Great Britain, France Germany,
Holland and Sweden. Some of these insti-
tutions are organized OIL a purely CONNER
cial basis and distribute all their net earn
ings as dividends. being limited usually to
or per cent of the actual invested capt.
tai and the balance Of the net income be-
ing devoted to improvements, extension,
etc. Still others are purely philanthropic
the entire profits being applied to the ex-
tension of the enterprise. In few German
cities working people have created COOP
erative building funds for the construction
of model tenements, shareholders being. as
a rule, the occupants The success of a
model tenement enterprise Is dependent
upon the efficiency Of the management and
upon its adaptation to the requirements of
desired tenements in respect to location,
health, comfort and safety. While
such enterprises do not usually realize i'm
mense profits to the investors it has been
established beyond doubt, both in Amer
lea and in Europe that they insure a safe
and fair return on the money invested.