The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-25

death rate ~ children under : years was
1----tust g. the death Tat, ia the par
tirular ward was the highest - any
ward in the city In 1856. and, next 70 the
Fourteenth Ward. had the highest infant
..TEe death rat. in the particular block
in question. which ] have suggested as
tho site 81 the proposed partk. was. IN
1881 gT-8 per thousand. while the city death
rate was 2i.52 Another cons deTation
which should hsve weight Is that the pro
pUssd site Is within two blocks % rve
different public schools
The financial q1estious involved are not
for the TeUemcnJ-House Department 70
consider. but that a new park and play
ground is needed In this part uf the CITY,
that IL should Jc ot sufficient Sze 70 really
form a breathing place. and that an op-
dime 20 abolish the most objectionable
slum district would seem 10 me very
pain
long RECORD OF CRIMES.
At police headquarters are records Of
numerous crimes with which this neigh
borhooI has had to deal. The men who
patrol the district never know what mo-
ment they will be called upon 10 enter
battle with their lives at stake. Police
men have been done 10 death and the PER
pet-ators have escaped. The people are
clannIsh, their poverty and their fierce
struggles 10 exist making their fight
The men and boys OF the criminal class.
when not CuEtEed In waylayiDg an I'M
steady pedestrian. train for future eIps-
t!tiUus By batting among themselves II
D. swiftly done and too common 10 cause
any comment. With the arrival or the
h!uecuuts feet patter swiftly over the un-
even Tavemeuts. and, Ike rats running
from a dog they are scudding through
dark halls gnd TO the protection OF some
loft or cellar. where they lie until night
The saloons Of the ueIEhhorhood sell
only the vilest spirits. And not seldom the
revenue officers will fiat suugly hidden
a small stil which supplies much - the
raw material. In the back rooms and al
cCves Of these saloons the most desperate
criminals N New York cgnEregate- Wh-n
the police want man badly. here they
10 "a find him. or trace that will lead
them to his hiding place.
While Cherry street Is only 4 small
avenue in the great East Side Il has had
its quota of n0tnriety. The type Oi Grim
inal. represented by the Monk East
mans. j. found here IN large numbers.
When his haunts in the Lung Block
are no more he viii perhaps md quar-
tiers just as shady. but certainly the police
WUl have less difficulty In reaching him
critics that the police and Health Board
hop" TO obtain sanitation Ia the tene-
AMID AWFUL sQUALOR-
Lung Block" furnishes an example OF
the most disgusting manner OF living.
Aside from It's gross immortality and its
birth Of criminals. menace from disease
is always imminent. And why not2 The
babf5y and children who are old and
strong enough To run about md their
, payEruund In the streets. These are some
times riuSCd and swept. hut the eject OF
"a visit OF the Street Cleaning Department
Is quickly obliterated once the sun brings
from the tsnemrnts the denizens who will
begin their battles for bread anew.
or course. only the poverty stricken
comes the garbage lot. and nearly al OF
she refuse Is thrown there. IL Is almost
an impossibility TO Keep these streets
clean The conditions are much better
than they We're ten years ago, but that Is
How can \ child born Of parents. both
Of whom are afflicted with tubercu'sr dis
ease. hope TO escape the dreaded silment;
absorbing as Il does the s;aEnant airs and
foul gases that arise from decdycd SUB
stances both In she house and upon the
.freafzg In the mud and fifth when the
Esys are barren OF sunlight and In the
dust and dirt when q day may be fair
these unfortunate children sprawl upon
the p8yemputs and sidewalks.
Glance AT the diagram which tells or the
number Of cases of tuberculosis which
have harR found in this block IN i've years
The figures are simp.y appaillnS-
There IS hardly a tenement that mas
les than half "a dozen. What treatment
u
they This state of affairs must make
men desperate and women forget that
oven within their hardened lives there IS
soua hoTe OF getting away from such sur
rourIings. When the weather Is such
that these psop,e may move TO the parks
or to the banks OF the rivers. they IND
sJme relief. hut how often are they free
DISEASE Is INHERITED.
Mammals gone" little girl will pratt
tie In the street Pale and trembling. the
husband looks through bloodshot orbs at
the departure cf her who had been his
mate. Tine sunkon checks and the rals'sd
limus sVrIk ~ only a short rtspit. Tor the
man. There Is consumption written in
every line % his feature lhe hllf dozen
children who sprawl Al his feet show cvi-
it, They must have air. fresh air. and
lots % it. They cannot get Il here. Where
can they go for it,
| q Their. was a better breathing space,
| with the measures now taken 20 stamp
out tuberculosis. there might be less mis-
Z Crv During tho hot summer months a
great majority Of the hahitues sleep in
I the open. From this ueighhorhOod they
must 20 many blocks to Ind a SPOT free
I from the tainted air of the ill-swept
streets.
| Life is bearabIc under the stars and
/ where the sun may bring cher But IN
;he homes OF these people, The boards
! cr,ak under the feet AZ one enters the
/ narrow door that leads 10 the darkened
. staircase There Is no Ventilation. Hali
way UP TO the first landing a girl OF Z sits
| almost naked. grooming a 5-monihs-old
baby to sleep. You cannot So" tho lines
| of her spare figure She is young, but a
I woman in the discharge OF that obligation
I which settles upon the children of the
| poor. 4 curse from a hesotted indivldu-
l nj on the same landing locates another
human being in the darkness And yet
l the sun is shining without To the right
/ Is a GOJr. Were one 10 examine this door
/ closely a thick coating Of greasc would
I De disccTulble.
PREMATURELY AGED
At the door stands a woman She might
I have been fair once. Not over twenty
Eve years. she looks fifty. Her calico dress
| IL tattered Her hair hangs In a mass OF
Z snarls. Her face has not been washed
I this day. She lives In this room with four
I children. Her husband earns about 81 a
! week when he can work, and that Is not
often.
IL needs no question 10 learn that she Is
afflicted with consumption She has not
LONG TO live. as the hacking cough testi-