The Washington times., 1904-08-14
Men of Wealth Solving
Rent Problem for
Working Class.
Providing ModernHomes
and Also Earning
Dividends.

- DIVING the rent problem for the
working Classifying them de-
~ cent housing facilities for their
families, with congeniaI environment,
without rent being the greatest factor
Of expenditure. is the work Of the SAM
tary Improvement Company Of Wash
ington, and It's youngest offspring, the
Sanitary Housing Company, chartered
by Congress this year.
Through the seven years labors OF the
first named company over two hundred
white families are housed comfortably
and neatly, for a cost not below $3.50
per month and not over SIS. Many fami-
lies are thus enabled 20 live and lay up
money on a salary of $50 or $40 per
month. when previously, in order TO have
their children properly surrounded. they
paid out at least one-third and often
more. Of their monthly incomes
The work Of the Sanitary Housing
Company IS planned 10 pay a less per
cent on the money invested. and deals
with the picturesque alley classes which
mark Washington slums az different
from those of any other city In the
world. The last row of flats by this
company IS just now being constructed
r. Southwest Washington. on Van
Street, in a section known as Bloodheld,
and opposite the old one-story wooden
shacks put up during the civil war as
temporary shelter for soldiers.
Afford Poor Shelter.
Since then, over forty years ago. these
mere shells have summer and winter
sheltered in their two rooms from two
10 seven human souls who pay from s.
10 s. per month for the privilege Of their
discomfort.
lust what the Van Streeters think Of
the new Sanitary Housing Companys
eats and what they intend 10 do with
them. vet remains 20 be seen. The street
railway stable in that vici2ity is about
the only building with more than half
ffs window glass left intact. and there Is
q vague suspicion that the old story Of
q bath tub in this class OF tenemenJs
may still hold good. That, where an
agent for a philanthropic landlord found
on his trip Of inspection, four Of the
bath tubs used for storing fuel, two for
washing clothes, another for soiled
clothes hamper, and another filled with
bed clothes. furnishing the lodging place
by night for two small plckaninnies-
"and so nice kase yo' see dey can't roll
out" as their mother explained with
pride
This Is one picture, sketched from
WashingtOn's great sore spot, now be-
ing healed by the work Of the new COM
pauy. The other picture is more promis
ing There we're formerly nearly so
people consigned TO pay twice as much
rent as they could afford, or live in mar
row streets and often alleys, who ART
now housed by the company.
Organized Seven Years Ago.
The Sanitary Improvement Company
Was organized IN Washington about sew
en- years ago. after an Investigation COW
ering many months, and all Of the tene'
ment districts Of Washington, by z
few philanthropists OF the city. The
first intention was 10 provide homes FOL
the alley residents, thereby removing
the criminals from their old haunts, and
placing the gutter gods in a different
environment by providing them with
convenient. sanitary apartments at th'
same or less rental than they paid FOL
the condemned shells in which the,
existed. as a menace to public decencl
and health
At that time il was found that thu
plan OF purchasing alley property, an'
placing upon It sanitary fats, was no
feasible one, as IL entails q vast out
lay OF money, with years wasted In try