The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-19
MUNICIPAL SOCIALISM
IN GREAT BRITAIN

IS 2 heritage OF former social and eco
nomic conditions, as well as of feudal
land laws. and OF the past Indifference
both of the municipalities and of Parlia-
ment, as well as of the public generally
even, IL may be said, of philanthTopists.
But heroic efforts are now being made in
many OF the large cities, and Liverpool is
in the front rank in the efforts to remedy
this deplOrable condition of affairs Many
difficulties have been confronted and over
come which at first were thought to be
insuTmountable-and these in addition to
the perplexing moral and social questions
involved
One great difficulty is that of compensa-
ton to the owners of unsanitary property.
IN England the doctrine of vested rights
is generally held very tenaciously. London
has spent nearly SIS, loot, 900 in clearing
away unsanitaTy property In some dis
tricts of London 1t has cost from 81 500 to
$500 for every family turned out These
large sums refer only to the clearances of
the sluns and TO the compensation of the
. landlords, and do not include the amounts
spent on the construction of new mu-
niclpal houses Al agitation IS being
raised against the past generous com
pensation of owners Of unsanitary prop
eTty, and 1t is claimed that under the
present act of Parliament these owners
can be prosecuted for allowing their
property to become unsanitary.
Another great difficulty has been the
question Of providing IN adequate number
of suitable municipal dwellings ready for
occupancy at the same time that the IN
fortunate dwellers of the slum houses are
dispossessed Of their tenancy. Indttention
TO this necessity has called forth indig-
nant protests IN the large cities of Great
Britain where the municipal scheme has
been adopted as a solution of the sIum
problem Glasgow, for instance. is said
to have had at one time 10000 people
turned out of their homes by the corpor-
4 alton tOf course, not all together) while
it only provided housing accommodation
for 1000 IN the initial stages Of the
municipal housing scheme in Liverpool
the same difficulty presented itself. but
the housing committee of the corpora
ton have recently pledged themselves
that they have provided adequate ae-
commodatiOn elsewhere for the dispos-
sessed tenants. Under the present act.
municipalities are compelled to provide
substitute accommodation for at least 50
per cent Of the dispossessed occupiers of
slum property. The act under which
municipalities demolish unsanitary areas
and erect dwelling houses seems to be
OF most comprehensive character It
not only authorizes q municipality 10
construct a house, but 1t may include
a garden OF not more than half an acre.
provided that the estimated annual value
OF such garden shall not exceed So
tsay SI9J- And the municipality if II
builds cottage, can FIT up, furnish. and
supply the same with ali requisite furni-
ture, fittings, and conveniences-"
DemOlishing Old Houses.
There are two principal Stun areas in
Liverpool-one in the north end of about
SS3 acres and another at the south end
of the city OF about loo acres Most OF
the houses in these two districts are
structuralIy unsanitary There are rows
OF them built back 10 back" These are
other districts where houses have been
made unsaFitary by overcrowdfng and the
habits Of the people. The original num-
Der Of structurally unsanitary houses
when the corporation commenced OPERA
items, is estimated to have been about
2z,000 OF this number. the corporati ton
has demolished about 5000 and private
owners and builders have demolished
about 1000 more. There are still about
IO'OVO unsanitaTy houses to be dealt with
ne average number of persons in these
unsanItary houses is FIVE per house. SIum
houses IN Liverpool are generally Of three
rooms, one ADORE another, although. as a
rule, the third or upper room (reaUv q
garrett is seldom used
Under an act applicable to Liverpool.
passed in 1864 compensation is Maid IN
:
moiished, such property having been con
oemned On presentmene Of the grand
jury upon report of the medical officer
OF health The corporation is also using
the powers conferred upon It by a general
act passed in 1890 providing for the 'shous-
ing Of the working classes" This acf
provides Tor compensation as a rule. but
stili, under certain provision Of the act
mere can be closing order" against
any house which is in a state SO danger
Gus or injurious to health as to render II
unit for human habitation. II, on recent |
OF z closing order, the owner makes the /
house ht for human habitation. nothing /
more is done; but should there be any de- /
fault on his part. an order for demolition |
may issue without any claim for Compcn- /
sation, IN case the premises are a danger /
to the health Of the neighborhood. Under
both the local act Of 1854 and the general /
act Of 1880. where the owner does not |
eject 70 retain the site, the corporation /
must OF necessity acquire both land and /
buildings In some cases. the land thiYs
acquired is sold by the corporation to prf- /
yate individuals on which to build houses 1
subject to certain restrictions, so as 10 /
secure improved sanitary conditions In /
other easeH, the corporation itself has /
built blocks Of dwellings Already. near /
~ 500 tenements (Or suites Of rooms) have
been erected, and 1901 additional tene-
ments Cor suites OF rooms) are in course 4
OF building, or contemplated
The Liverpool municipal dwellings are 1
mostly IN the form Of blocks OF tenement /!
houses or flats, three CT four stories Z
high. The local government board "a bu- /
reau directly under the control Of Parlia-
ment) insists upon certain provisions to 4
meet the necessity of dispossessed ten /
ants before sanctioning demolition opera !
items. Until 1893 there had been a con- 1
spicuous failure to meet this obligation
but since then the wants of dispossessed /
persons have been carefully foreseen and /
net. The present policy is to have blocks /
Of dwellings ready within convenient dis !
lance, into which dispossessed tenants can
go Immediately they remove from the
condemned property. Most of these ten
ants are dock laborers or a like class II !
Is claimed that Liverpool alone among the /
municipalities of England and Scotland /
has been successful in supplying a type Of /
building within the financial means of the /
poorest Of the poor A single room can /
be had for as low IS IS cents week The /
rent Of two rooms ranges from SO to 50 /
cents; that OF three rooms, from 81 to
s1-I0; that OF four rooms 1.-THE largest /
suites provi led), from SIPS to $3.50 The
fixtures are simple. but superior TO those /
supplied IN like dwellings by private land
lords.
Gas On the Slot Principle.
In a few dwellings hot water is sup
piled. Others have gas, paid for on the
slot" principle Two cents worth is suf-
Ieient for four OF FIVE hours consumption