New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-10-06

the city whether 1t go into the real estate
business and become landlord for the large number
OF people who must be housed within the city limits
and yet who cannot afford to pay at the rate of a
per cent investment upon a decent tenement
house.
The problem is not yet acute In Boston IT
is in NewYork. The Boston Board OF Health
under power given by the legislature. keeps its
duty OF condemning poor houses and having them
demolished Already this season it has caused
forty or fifty houses to be torn down. 1t keeps
within the law far that il has never paid any
damages, for it has taken only the cases of those
dilapidated buildings which so far out OF re-
pair that it would cost than they were worth
10 prlng them up 10 the legal standard of health
1t has not been worth the owners trouble and
risk to bring sit and the board has paid the cost
OF destruction. But 1t is said at the Twentieth
Century Club that II the legal standard were en-
forced great many buildings occupied would
have to be destroyed
The Boston Cooperative Building Company IS
engaged In pioneer work new tenement houses
winch promises to help in the solution of the prob
lem OF housing the poor. 1t has made over some
old houses in Phlips-st, in the African quarter in
the west End II has some tenement houses al
Thatcher AMI Endcott SITS and in Clark-st at the
North End. 1t has later ones at East Canton-st
and Harrison-ave. at the South End and now IL
is putting up new ones. three stories high at Mas
sachusetts-ave. and Abany-st, which are being
watched with interest by the phanthroplsts who
realize the Importance OF having the poor people
housed in heathfuI manner
The building law OF 1897 which gave the city
Board OF Health power to destroy unsanitary tene-
ments. as well as to order them TO be vacated and
made healthful urged upon the legislature
by the Twentieth Century Club and under that
law the board has destroyed over two hundred
houses in ALL without paying for damages.
in repeated instances the value OF the building has
been more than made good to the owner by the ad-
vance in the value OF his property adjoining due to
the destruction of the worst building and has thus
proved that II is a good real estate investment to
destroy unsantsry buildings The benefit goes 10
the entire neighborhood well directly to the
owner of the adjoining property. The law of 1897
mas peen amended so as TO exempt buildings of
less than fifty feet In height which would cover the
case OF the average four story tenement house.
These houses not required be absolutely
freproof taller buildings be. though it is
provided that the plasterng must be laid on fire.
proof material.
Under this relaxation OF law have sprung up
many tenement houses In the North and West ends.
They are rather attractive being built of yellow
entering the real estate business in considerable
cheapy possible and come just within the re-
strtction of the law. But their attractveness
less profitable investments The law says that not
rst oy shall be occped q b me h io n6Gve n inc
Guiding in the measurement the land the middle
of the street. This is for the sake of large sup
ply Of fresh air and light. In one case illustrating
now d Inc he lSnn owners gure The percentage
build these tenement houses them not only
class rent for from SIG to $50 month But great t
this and they constitute the class which raises
the problem of municipal ownership BY the de-
struction the cheapest buildings by order of the
city Board of Health, they forced of their
more than 81 so week or $40 a month. There is
he rented for thai sum. and net the investors 81"
Proht This ;; class of population at the North and
that there were about nine thousand more of them
In these localities than there were in 1896 Most of
foreigners.
to the suburbs. even ii they can and most OF them
Of daily to and from work This Rs ha been
proved by the Investigations of workers in the De-
The questions to be answered are whether it IS
be built so as to rent below SIG month and yield
vest for and 3 per cent dividends as a matter of
charity or whether enough OF the crowded popn.
congestion and unhealthfulness permanently 1t Is
answered favorabiy, the CITY must enter upon
system of municipal ownership Of tenemenis TINS
of the large cities I'm England. where there is
Years London has spent 10000 600 in pro,,
ydng houses for forty ad or nifty It ga
per cent ON the investment Glasgow has had
better p houses than they possbly could Under he
system of private landoriism question which
is raised by this practice, officer Of the Tween
trance s1 OF ahs mGnicDaiity into this field will
tSfe amy herefore whether the city may
be compelled to go further on the road upon which
Boston is easily the second city in the the United d
esh wiSes YORK Of course the
oSt of @ So dr 1t
% dey Of r Bos
water ars fsr to as nd 80 the e' problem IS
serious here Under the existing condition OF t f1y
win do anything at present in ths foMar
So IT for eI baH eS and the Studies
the Twentieth Century olnp are Tss .ms Hos p