Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
HOUSING OF TIE POOR
VITAL IMPORTANCE OF SECUR-
ING BETTER CONDITIONS.
What Washington Has Done aid is
Doing to Lessen the Causes Of
Disease and Death.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
1t appears to me that no question con-
corning the development and future well
fare of the national capital is more i'm
portant than that which relates to the
housing of the poorer classes of the popu-
lation. 1t is a well established fact that
the death rate of a city depends to a con-
siderable extent upon housing conditions;
and the standard of morals. as shown by
statistics of crime, is largely influenced by
overcrowding and insanitary surroundings.
The reduced mortality which results from
the enforcement of sanitary measures is
mainly shown in p falling off in the num-
Der of deaths from fevers and from con-
sumption. This il we'll shown by the NOR
tally satisfies CT England, where re-
duction of 40 per cent has occurred sinnce
the year 1850 in the mortality from 'Zy-
mot C diseases GeVerS), and Teduct on OF
A per cent in the mortality from cansainp-
tor. These figures are taken from the
work of DR.. Rabagliati of Bradford, Eng
land, entitled Air, Food and Exercises.
The author says III explanation OF us re-
duction in the mortality rates:
"1hese changes are the result OF the
sanitary efforts OF the last genera ton ana
of the present. We have expended vast
sums in improving sometimes even cielt-
ng) drainage, aboiishing cellar-dwei inss,
diminishing oveIcrowding, opening up ana
widening narrow streets, opening pubic
parks and recreation grounds and general
ly in efforts to i --rify the air and abite
nusances; and We have obtained vas bene
fits measured by the figures just stated.
Insanitary Housing Conditions.
Notwithstanding the great gain shown by
the general sanitary statistics of England
and Wales, "tl,e mother country is still a
long way from having attained perfection in
this regard, and we may learn useful les
n iaN-ay r,oy,tS
in sanitation but from the published reports
of insanitary conditions still existing. The
following quotations from THE Housing
Handbook by Mr.. VIM. Thompson 1888,
will serve to illustrate the results of ldsan-
itary housing conditions
Mr.. Thompson says: Mot only in the
united kingdom, but in most of the great
cities of the world the people are over
crowded on areas as well as in rooms
This arises in two ways. In the first place,
especially in England. an Inadequate
amount of open ground space is left around
each building; and in the second pace. by
means of piling up rooms severa! stories
high. light is oostructed and the air pol
luted much more quickly than it can be
removed purified.
1T is not to be wondered at that we find
districts with a large percentage of these
dwellings, have a high mortality from lung
diseases phthisis Zymotic diseases, es-
pecialiy where the streets are narrow and
the houses closely packed. In some cases
the general death rate for large groups of
population living in them amounts to from
30 to 81 per thousand-that is, double. or
even triple, what might be called a reason
able death rate.
at is not to be wondered at. therefore,
that some of these towns were among
those having the highest death rates in
the country. varying from 225 per thou
sand for the whole Of Sunderland to SO
per thousand for the Sums of that town;
similarly for Liverpool from $50 to even 60
thousand Manchester
to 1872 per thousand
The Death Rate in Washington.
The reath rate of Washington in 1905 was
10 20 per thousand, a decided improvement
having occurred during the past five years.
This improvement, however, has been prin-
cipally in the death rate for whites d5.16).
The colored death rate is still excessive
(23sD although considerably below that of
the SlumS of Liverpool and Manchester. OF
course the death rate is influenced by other
factors besides housing conditions. The
most important of these are, the birth rate
where many children are born the death
rate is higher; intemperance, insufficient
food, etc. There is no doubt that very
great reduction would result if our over
crowded and insanitary alley houses could
be replaced by sanitary houses having
sewer connections, bath rooms, plenty of
light and good ventilation.
Two of the greatest agencies for improv-
ing the health and morals of a people are
sewers and an abundant supply of pure
water. Notwithstanding the vast sums of
money which have been appropriated by
Congress to provide the city of Washington
with these two essentials, considerable
proportion of the population is Still living
in houses, in the alleys of the city, not pro-
vided with sewer connections even with
an Independent water supply. We may
however, look for a great Improvement in
this regard now that we have law for
,.lay,, Of ,1ca hn
District officials composing the board con-
stituted for carrying out the provisions of
this law are already actively engaged in the
important work of inspection and con-
demnation. But, it may be asked where are
the people to go who are obliged 10 vacate
the condemned houses? They cannot, as a
rule, afford to go into better houses, at a
higher rent even if these We're available,
and small houses, fit to live in, at rentals
within the reach of unskilled iaborers are
extremely scarce.
The writer from whom 1 have already
quoted-Mr. Thompson, author Of the
Housing Handbook
MANY persons advocate demolition Of in
sanitary areas and closing of unhealthy
premises as the first and proper steps to
be taken. They would be- however, de-
cdedly injurious to the welfare of the poor
and detrimental to continued action in the
same direction until some proper provs-
ion is made for rehousing the persons
thus displaced Demolition is costly and
1t is now notorious that the closing or
demolition of houses under sections 81 to
80 of part IL of the Housing of the Work
| ing Glasses Act, 1890, and the clearance
of insanitary areas under part l Of the
same act by restricting still more the al
ready inadequate accommodations, have
tended to increase overcrowding in other
houses, to force up rents, and to scatter up
and down among the dwellings Of the in
dustrious poor elsewhere all the bad ele-
ments, habits and diseases, moral and
physical, that are generated and fostered
| in the worst Sums"
The Construction of Sanitary Houses
| 1t is apparent that the construction Of
sanitary houses is quite as important for
/ the sanitary regeneration of city's slums
as the demolition of those condemned as
unfit for human habtation.'' 1t does
| not follow that those who vacate the Stun
houses will at once move into the new model
/ tenements when these are completed. On
| the contrary, preference should be given
| to industrious and respectable applicants
who will vacate houses less desirable but
| not unfit for occupation, and these will be
| eagerly taken by persons somewhat lower
| In the social scale.
| The question is often asked whether pri.
vate enterprise may not be relied upon to