New-York tribune., 1901-07-25
THE MODEL TENEMENT.
aPHILANTHROPIC BUSINESS COMBINA
TON THAT RAISES THE STAND
ARD OF LIVING.

The influence and practicability of mode! tene
neut houses the topic treafed yesterday at the
Summer School CT Philosophy, in the United Chart
ties Building Lawrence Weller, secretary Of the
Tenement House Commission and chairman Of the
tenement house committee of the Charity Organ
ization Society, and DR.. Z. R L. Gould were the
speakers.
DR.. Gould spoke of the model tenement house in
fits twofold aspect Of phanthropic enterprise and
4 business proposition, and said that experience
had proved its value in both ways
TO erect q row OF model tenement houses in
every block he asserted. would effect quicker
revolution than any number OF tenement laws
Nothing is such incentive TO progress in busi-
ness competition, and when model tenement
house row IS erected the owners of adjacent prop
erty hasten TO improve II as much its construc
ion will allow. OF course, the old. hopelessly
sanitary houses cannot be radically improved. but
II assert that all future building in that
neighborhood is on a higher scale OF convenience
and sanitation.
The first consideration in building model ten
erneut house is location II is better select the
ground in section not already crowded, since
important part OF It's mission is influence future
building, and also because land IS cheaper the
outskirts Of thickly settled districts than in the
heart. On the lower East and West sides, for in
stance land IS so expensive that the standard Of
the buildings would have TO be lowered in order 10
make the investment profitable. This would change
the whole character OF the enterprise, and reduce
i 70 the level Of the ordinary tenement house II
q beginning IS made where the pressure is least a
stratum Of people viii be reached that wants
something better than the poorest housing. but
ind nothing within its means. Such people gladly
remove 10 the model tenement house in less con-
gested locality and leave roQm for others 10 rise
step"
In answer TO a question to whether the poorer
classes would observe the rules of neatness and
sanitation Dr. Gould said that his experience and
investigation had shown that there are always a
few OF finer quality whose example acts as an in
centve 10 the others. mo woman likes TO feel ttat
her neighbor is better than she She notices little
habits OF neatness small refnements that she feel
she has acquired, and unconsclously jInItLtes
IEem It becomes a matter or prloe ana oeNeIoPs
II was stated by the speaker that it has been
demonstrated that tenements OF four rooms with
hath, steam heat and gas range, not water uPp!g,
drying room in basement, and more lght ana ar
than found in many hlgh class houses, cait De
rented at a profit of nearly per cent Tor - a
week Tenements of two or three rooms, IN the
same houses. with the same advantages eACepIiHS
that one bathroom is used in common by three or
four tenants although each has private toliet
room, rented at from II 20 10 Sz % q week. ~
pays said the doctor Ito have steam heat, good
1anitorship and to keep well IN repair. lot iIle
tenants feel that il gives them certain pre5tle
live in such houses, and IL lifts their whole
standard Of living. in addition 70 insurng the popue
larity Of the house so that there Is no dahser OF
vacant rooms. Actual experience has proved the
economic value Of modern improvements in the
model tenement"
1t was asked IL families without children were
preferred in such houses, and Dr. Gould repled
e4at the contrary, preference was given; In the
de added that in some Of the newer expressions OF
this practical philanthropy business combination,
payrooms provided in the basement for the
children, so that on rainy or not Gays lley haVe
fering with their neighbors.
DR.. Gould advocated the building OF model teIe-
Inents for the colored population VINO are now com
PEELED, he said, go into districts occupied by
the lowest whites and 10 pay 81 or g a month
more ior their rooms than Their "hite prede-