The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-27

1 = ttS SdSt sstto AEaNlAS1 " tl1C
Attorney General after all efforts to per-
suade the owners to comply with the law
had failed. When the cases came to
| trial the owners, advised by their law
| yers, were willing to compromise by
erecting the fire escapes, but the Attor-
ney-General ruled that as the cases had
been taken into court there could be no
settlement other than a compliance with
the law and the payment Of the minimum
penalty imposed by law. $25 in each
case
The board reports that there We're up
ward of 800 complaints received during
the year, all relating to unsanitary con-
ditions in existing tenements. In addi-
ton there We're many complaints of vio-
lation of the requirements for the filing
of plans before the construction or alter
alton Of tenement-house shall be
started The former complaints came
mainly from tenants in the buildings,
while the latter were lodged by builders
or architects who had been compelled to
| change their plans to conform to the
law. and who were anxious to see that
others We're required TO do likewise.
Scarcely a third Of the tenement-houses
begun during the year escaped cor E9laint
from other owners or architects. but the
board reports that in the greater number
of cases the plans for the buildings were
| in the offices of the department before
! the complaints were received. Nearly all
the complaints received from tenants
We're anonymous. the eomplainants de-
clining to give their names lest the tyn-
els put them out for bringing the mat
ters complained of TO the attention Of
the board. 1t is rule of the depart
ment that no information shall be given
as to the identity of the complainant, the
purpose being to protect the complaining
parties from the vengeance of owners or
agents.
In dealing with the existing tenements
the board reports that it has been ham
great amount of new buildings started
during the year and the necessity for al
most constant supervision Of the work of
erection has kept nearly all the fource of
inspectors busy in that direction, so that
threr We're but two or at best, three, in
spectors at work on the improvement of
the existing buildings.
Notwithstanding this drawback in the
work the board reports a great amount
of good accomplished in this direction.
Inspections have been made of upward
of 5000 existing tenements, and the card
reports on file in the department. offices
show the condition of the houses from
roof to cellar. giving every point of de
parture, from the requirements of the
law.
The work in old buildings is shown in
table that tells of TO cellars cleaned
and rubbish removed. the walls and cell
ings of the cellars being whitewashed
under the direction of the inspectors;
heaps of decaying vegetable matter and
refuse We're removed from $50 back
yards; the inspectors forced the cleaning
of 1,155 water closet compartments
! which were found to be in a filthy con-
dition. an dalso brought about the thor
ough cleaning and repairing of 1925
halls and stairs which We're in bad or
dangerous condition; the walls and cell
ings of / 1873 halls and stairs were paint
ed or whitewashed at the direction of the
department
One of the worst featuSes Of the ex-
listing tenement houses in the larger
cities. according to the report of the de-
PuA thcHt, II lHS poShsdNU PAAftr W ffuits,
which in many instances were found to
be very foul The law requires that all
privy vaults and similar receptacles
shall be completely removed and proper
sanitary means of disposal installed.
During the year the department has
caused to be removed 110 of the worst
vaults to be found in the State and has
had sanitary closets installed. one for
each two families occupying the houses
which were formerly dependent on the
vaults. In addition there have been 382
extra closets installed in places where
there were insufficient accommodations
for the tenants.
In the effort to improve the condition
Of tenement-house existence the depart
ment has caused the removal of the
woodwork from under and around .3.0TQ
kitchen sinks, thus doing away with the
+ little, dark closets almost invariably used
blythe tenants for the storage of garbage
pals. dirty cloths and other disease
hroal;,.r eaa,y,,sn, Ia 49, r. 1,,s.st o,-o,-