New-York tribune., 1903-03-11
THE NEW TENEMENT HOUSE BILL.

The new Tenement House bill which has
been prepared by Commissioner De Forest and
was yesterday introduced in the legislature IS
as much strengthening of the present law as
it is a concession to the builders who have
been demanding a removal of existing restric-
tions Mr. De Forest has from the first been
ready to adjust the law to conditions In Brook
lyn so as to encourage the construction of a
desirable class Of small tenement houses, but
the builders at first were not content with Fea-
sonable provision Of this Sort They wanted to
escape entirely from the jurisdiction of the Tene-
ment House Department, and demanded that
three and six family houses should no longer
be defined as tenements. AS some OF the worst
rookeries in the city are just such small build
ings, public opinion refused emphatically to
sanction backward step of that kind Some
time ago it became evident that the enemies of
the Tenement House law could accomplish
nothing radical. but must be content with what
its friends were willing to concede, as a result
of experience, to be advisable. In some
spects requirements had been found to be un-
necessary: in some others they did not go far
enough. The present bill seeks to remedy both
defects.
No class Of buildings now defined as tene-
ments is removed from the operation OF the
law. The plea that the three story fat was
really combination house, and should not be
called tenement, is rightly disregarded Old
tenement houses will not escape the necessity
of conforming to the new sanitary requirements
sem-freproof construction Of halls In four
story houses for two families on a floor is per-
mitted, instead Of the full freproof require
ment of the existing law, but at the same time
this sem-freproof construction is prescribed
for three story houses IN place of the entirely
unprotected halls and stairs allowed by last
years amendment, which undoubtedly went
too far in the way Of concession. This change
will decrease the cost of the four story houses
about $1,000, and will not add materially to
the cost of the three story houses. Better pro-
vision for ventilation Of interior courts by air
intakes is made. Three story wooden tene-
ment houses for three families are permitted
outside the fire limits. The present law per-
mits two story wooden tenement for four
families, and the other kind is believed to be
in all respects less objectionable. It attracts a
better class of occupants, and II there is any
danger from it owing to congestion or other
wise anywhere outside the present fire limits
that can be overcome by extending the limits
ITO that place before any considerable number
OF wooden buildings are erected.
The one important concession made by the
Tenement House Department concerns the
courts in the small tenement houses of the
Brooklyn type, and IS In line with the sugges-
ton made several weeks ago by The Tribune
as feasible compromise. The present law
allows three story six family house to occupy
20 per cent Of the lot and calls for a court for
each set OF apartments by il feet Thus
each court, except the end ones of row OF
houses is IL by Il feet. The new law will
allow these three story buildings, on condition
that they are made less deep 50 as to cover only
IS per cent OF the lot, to have double courts 8
by 1215 feet Thus larger rooms can be pro-
vided and the interior hats win still have as
much light as the end ones, which are now, and
VIII continue to be, built with courts only eight
feet wide against blank walls. It may be that
this concession, carefully guarded as it is, goes
TOO far. II years experience shows that
tenement houses built in accordance with it do
not have proper light the law ought promptly
TO De changed back again. But this three story
house is, on the whole, 80 worthy OF encourage
ment' and oners such promise Of diffusing con-
eested population over the cheap lands OF the
outlying boroughs In homes that are fncompa-
rahiy better than those provided by the big tene-
ment houses for the same rental, that the ex-
pertinent Is well worth trying. II would not
have been safe to give the builders free hand
Oh this style OF building as they demanded, but
with the careful restriction and supervision FRO
vided 1t is wen to make investment in such
properties az attractive az safety viii permit.
The new bill also proposes to allow four story
buildings toR eisht families 70 have end courts