The Washington times., 1905-04-09
ARE WORSE THAN
EAST SIDE S[UMS
Thus DR.. Curtis Speaks OF
Shacks Here.
CLEAN THEM OUT, He SAYS
Washington Does Not Spend as Much
on Fairgrounds as Other
Cities.

The only thing to do with such un-
slightly and unsaniTary shacks as are
TO be found in certain sections of the
southwestern part of Washington is to
tear them down and convert the land
upon which they stand into recreation
grounds for the poor, both adalts and
children, said Dr. Henry S. Curtis TO
a reporter for The Times last night.
This is the opinion formed by DR.. Cur
tbs after tour of the tenement sections
of Washington Yesterday
DR.. Curtis came TO Washington from
New York to assume supervision over
the devs-npment of the Fairgrounds OF
tae CITY at the request OF the playground
committee. He will leave for New L orl,
tonight. but will return again on Friday
next 10 remain in the city ten days. He
VIII come again in May and probably
Will make two or three visits to the
city during the summer months.
Slums Worse Than In Gotham.
II had heard before 1 came here that
Washington had no slums." continued
DIR. Curtis, 'but l saw conditions yes
anything on the East Side of New York
| One place in particular was in Van
street southwest. where saw a colured
woman, two young colored men. and q
| small child living in two rooms, in
which there was neither bed nor a
table Their only sleeping places that
could see Were piles of rags on the
! floor. The lack OF sanitation was ap-
/ paliing.
Such shacks as those in Van street
/ do no good on earth. They are not
only unhealthy but unsightly as we'll
Little children in such localities have
4 no place to play, and there is no rea-
| son why they should not Clean ths
shacks off the face of the earth ane
make Fairgrounds In place of them, ant
the tone OF the dwellers in the neigh
| borhood WIN be raised. In Van street .
park could be made with shade tree.
for the elder persons TO sit under ant
a playground at one end for the chill
dTen."
Washington Far Behind.
What impression did you get of tn
interest taken in the playground move
ment by the people OF Washington q
, DR.. Curtis was asked.
Il The playground committee ! found t
be earnest and enthusiastic and movini
} in the right direction" was the reply
But Washington is far behind othe
cities in the money IL spends on play
r grounds. Chicago, Tor instence. spen
100000 for Fairgrounds alone las
, year, while New York and Boston hav
I spent more than hundred times a
Y much as Washington. More money /
5 wanted In Washington for this pun
pose and / would like to see Washing
tonians wake up to the necessity c
Fairgrounds.
The negro problem as / saw it tt
day is. new to me. There ought to
some way to keep SO many idlers {
that race out OF Washington
: In his tour today DR.. Curtis wa
: taken through Willow Tree Alley ar
e other localities which are inhabite
$ almost entirely by colored persons.
: We will look to the press of Wasl
ington to help u.s. said DIR. Curtis.
i conclusion. IF it had not been II
t the sympathy and aid of the New Yol
e papers we would never ave done ;
5 much as we have. I.Should like to 81
t the papers take hold Of the playgrouT
movement and work actively with II
=, committee.