The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-24

fsionally against this continued increase
OF the rent. and boycotts. and even riotss
have occurred: n but all this does not
;avail,fttl price OF rooms still rises and.
icrowding becomes worse and worse.
The tenant who does not pay promptly
liz speedily cptctcd, and there are always
plenty or others who will take the place
the moment Is vacated.
Rooms Not Always Available.
4 Even rooms. such as hey are, are not
always available. When you crowd
over. "a million. people IN a narrow circle
and force them to be- near their work;
when you pour into this already tenn
Ing population tens OF thousands OF new
arrivals; when the demand for rooms.
Sfncreases faster Than The supply, It be-
comes Impossible, sooner or later. to find
places for the newcomers; the new
houses do not accommod late tho new
people, and rooms In the old houses
3dingy and dirty and unhealthy as they
may be, are not always available. Not
seldom 1t has happened III hat working h
men, holding Jobs and with money in
their pockets, have actual y been unable
TO secure any sort Of rooms for their
families. and have been obliged to apply
TO the warehouses;. Even rooms which
arc secured after much effort are aun-3
worthy OF the name. Damp. grimys cell
lars reeking with an accnmulation8of.
filth, dirty. tumble own IS hanties in the
rear OF other dirty houses. at the back
OF blind alleys; old and rickety dwell \
iings strung together In II crooked y lanes \;
and women and with hordes OF little
children, are a comnonp place sight in3
this wealthy city. The stranger Id Lon
don mil hit walk mi les and miles through
streets OF dark, low. forbidding houses,
with smoked covered. I black ned MA wa lis
filled to overflowingaWith human beings
who are taxed to their tmost paying
power for the privilege of living In these
horrible novels.
For a Minimum Wage.
4 When one compares the average wage
OF the orttingma y In Lone1onSwith the
prices OF. rooms. the latter seem extreme,
wi rbitant. Rent OF rooms seems ito
average from 50 cents to 400 and
more per week: and this rent often rises
10 one fourth, and not infrequently TO
,one.third. Of the !, income of the work.
men. T here Is a movement now on foot
to cplnpel a minimum wa ge Of 5s.S (ors
1925 per week. since belo " that sum
~ Is pra ctically possible for a work
ingman to live with his family in any
decent comfort in London.
Many a ttempts have been made dur
Ing the last generation to improve the
housing conditions Of the n poor of the
metropolis Laws have been pa ssed re-
quiring better, safer and more perrnA-
ncnt dwelling places and insisting upon
improved sanitary conditions generally
The railroads have; been compelled to
run number of workingmen's trains
at reduced fares. SO as to permit the
wage Garner to live at II a distance; but
the service Of many Of the lines still
leaves much to be wished for Tho real
underlying cause Of the fearful fconges-
ton OF many London districts is the lack
OF a complete system OF cheap and rapid
The omnibuses and
.tramways are very slow. and Z do not
provide anything like the facilities Of &
fered by American / electric railways.
There are several underground railways
which take the people out. q and the SER
vice of the Great Eastern Railway Is
said to IS be entirely almira bic. Very
much, however, remains to be done be-
fore the working popula ton OF London
car be released from the over-cro wdinES
and congestion. under which It gov spf-5
fers. "a III s lS5 + 5j;s
Improvement in Conditions. q
Fortunately some inlprov ement Is be-
ing made in the conditions. under which
the London poor live. BY public-spirited
citizens and by the city government
There are several foundations for esta b.
fishing model tenements and model cot
tfges, and these residences show d vast
in the conditions Of living.
/ saw sonle Of these, tenements. which
appeared to be clean and well-appointed,
and notced that in many 6 tho wins
n r,,, which
that the residents take an interest and al
plea sure In their surroundings, These
model dwellings are organi zed on what
Is lied a four per cent phllanthropic5
basis; they seem TO have done much
good, although, by reason OF the high
rents. they do not reach the very poor