Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-15
JACOB R||S ON 4 TOUR
tcontlnued from First pase9

rev Of tenement houses in proximity to the
western market in Georgetown. Mr.. Riis
took a deep interest in the conditions he
found here. He left the vehicle. az did the
rest of the party. and they all went on q
brief tour of inspection. Mr.. Weller acfmg
as guide and explaining what had been
found to exist by the representatives of the
Associated Charities on their rounds.
Through covered alley perhaps three
feet wide. surely not wider, the party was
piloted to court which was surrounded by
brick tenements four or five stories high
Visit to Georgetown.
From here the party went to that part
Of Georgetown. near the canal, that is cali
ed by the inhabitants Boston" Factory
Hill was also visited. Here was pointed
out frame structure Of q couple OF stories
that was visited by Senators GaIlinger and
Mcmillan last year when they were look
Ing for information that would be the basis
of proposed legislation.
There was no water connection In the
house. The clubhouse was what Is known
as the "open-box" kind. Of which. accord
ing to the latest figures obtainable, there
are 1900 In the District OF Columbia. and
approximately 1900 IN the city. Mr.. Weller
explained that when Senators Gallinger and
Mcmillan made their visit last year there
were living in one room q man and his wife
and Ave children, among the latter being
a baby two weeks old. The room was only
10 by Il feet.
The party visited other places in George
town where insauitary conditions were
manifest to almost a startling degree. From
there the carriage was driven to an alley
near 4th and N streets. Here was shown a
brick building containing twenty-three
apartments, and In which nearly twice that
number Of families live. according to In
formation obtained by the Associated Char
tiles.
There is one thing that impresses me- -
said Mr.. Riis. land that Is this: Your IN
sanitary conditions in Washington are hid
den away. Many of them are surrounded
by the best of residences. the inhabitants
Of which do not know that there are dis
ase-breedng places so near to them. You
want to get rid of the one-room fiat. 1t is
menace. We haven't 1t in New York:
there is no reason why you should suffer 1t
to exist IN Washington
Three Things Sought.
There are three things that we seek to
get by the agitation of this question" said
Commissioner mcfarland First. legisla-
ton that will enable US to condemn insani-
*tary buildings and have them removed. of
course reimbursing the owner: second. leg
islation that will facilitate the conversion
Of alleys into minor streets; third. to en-
large the powers Of the Commissioners for
the abatement Of nuiSances. We also want
legislation that will enable us to get at nom
resident property owners.
from tne CONVERSATION tnat was pdftict-
pated in by Mr.. RiiS, Commissioner Macfar-
land and Mr.. Weller, it was developed that
these insanitary houses visited. or many
of them. give to their owners as much as
Is and twenty per cent on the money In
vested
You are certainly in need OF legislation
that will permit you to deal with the own
ers Of such property" said Mr.. Riis. They
should be compelled to moke all modern
improvements and they would then be re-
ceiving a good rate Of interest on their in
vestments."
President Roosevelt, although deeply in
terested in the work of purifying the ma
tional capital. will not be able to attend
the lecture of his friend. Mr.. Riis. this
evening. Commissioner Mcfarland will
preside, and Messrs. John Joy Edison. 8. w.
Woodward and Weller will speak briefly
concerning local philanthropic work.
Mr.. Riis, accompanied by Mr.. Macfarland
and Mr.. Weller. made a tour of other parts
of the city this afternoon.