Evening journal., 1906-08-17
ITALIAN QUARTER
is UNSANITARY
Health Officials Are After
Residents Who Make Street
a Dump Heap
HOUSES THROWN TOGETHER

One Of the most troublesome sec
tions Of the city for the Board of
Health officials has been what known
as the Italian quarters-the section
bounded on the north by Ninth, the
east by Scott, the south by Sixth and
the west by Lincoln. Conditions there
almost beggar description and Health
officer Lang is now finding IL his un-
pleasant duty to order cellars 'cleansed,
cutters cleaned land alleys shoveled
clear Of filth.
North Scott street is the dumping
ground in that section for the trash
from the various houses. Seventh
street is a network of gullies between
Lincoln and Scott in which lie wash
water, rotten tomatoes, garbage and
offal thrown into the street by the
occupants of the houses on Seventh
street.
The tracks Of the Peoples Railway
are paved 60 so loosely between the
rails that there are puddles between
almost every stone in which this sur
face drainage finds a resting place to
stew and steam and stink in the Au-
gust sun.
Most of the houses in this region
have been built by Nicholas Fidance,
italian boss and wealthy man.. He
finds tenants for them long before they
are finished and the result is that in
whole rows families are now living in
houses which are not yet complete as
TO sanitary arrangements. No porches,
no steps. no cellar windows, no finished
rooms in some instances and poor
chances for them to be finished so long
as present conditions exist.
The lack of complete sanitary equip
ment gives rise to the lack OF care on
the part Of the tenants and the interior
OF one Of these dwellings which was
visited by an Evening Journal repre-
sentative warrants the statement that
the Board of Health officials should in
spect row after row and backyard after
backyard OF these homes Of Italians.
on Eighth street between Lincoln
and Scott streets, on the south side, is
great vacant lot, filled with a four
foot growth of rag-weed Dogs can
be seen roofing among the rubbish for
which the weeds form a convenient hid
ing place for offal. The lot Is marked
for sale by the Wilmington Trust
Company.
1t alone affords as much temptation,
with its great growth Of weeds and
convenient access TO the Italian quar-
ters, for the violation of all sanitary
laws and requirements as almost any
spot in town.
on the northwest corner of Scott and
Eighth streets is another weed grown
lot Immediately at the bak door OF
the house occupied by a colored family
The Board Of Health should be pres
ent when the weeds on these two lots
are cut.
An excellent opportunity for Building
/ Inspector Connolly to do some con-
demning Of faulty construction is to be
/ found In this section where Fidance
IS constantly building new houses OF
altering old ones.
A glimpse into the cellar OF one Of
the houses was had and the sight re.
vealed would do the heart Of strici
Inspector good. Brick chimneys are
built on frame foundations, in som,
/ Instances cellars are being dug after
house has been erected and all man.
ner and form Of evasion of the laws
is indulged in for the sake Of erecting
houses TO meet the demand of the con.
stantly growing Italian colony fol
homes.
Both the Board Of Health and thl
building Inspector win find plenty o.
opportunity 70 keep them busy in thi
one section alone, The street and
Sewer Department should lend its ai'
and compel the railway company t
pave its norton cf the street as re
Quired BY law ir order that the sur
1 face water may no longer lie IN tn
akreot.