Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-02
LECTURE BY JACNB RIlS. )

HatNN MIS- lNuu MNNm lNtlf - no
more interesting talker. attracted an au
dience to hear his Battle of the Slums'
yesterday that taxed the seating capacity
OF Friends Meeting House. Fourth aud
West streets. Applause greeted him when
hc was introduced by Principal Norris,
when he finished and broke ont during
the telling of many stories and incidents.
Beginning Mr.. l,iis asked the popula-
tion of Delaware When told 100000 he
said that the slum districts of Now York
contain 10 times that many people. Then
he uniolded his story of the work of pro-
curing cheap tenements which provide
sunlight and privacy. Among New
Aork's $4,000 tenement houses miracles
ns great as the biblical ones have been
performed and literally mountains
moved. Forty years ago movement
having arisen 20 abolish the dark rooms
in those tenoments 10000 windows were
cut in walls. A yast amount of legisla-
tion had Co De secured before the great
reforms could be accomplished such as
tearing down rear tcncntnts and doing
away with miserable alleys One of these
alleys was shown. ia which Mr. Riis had
seen 900 people at one time it extend
ed between two tenoments and was "as
wide as drunken man is long" An or.
binary tenement block holds about 1900
people while in some there are 1000 or
5000 inhabitants
The pictures shown on the screen We're
n series of conbasis-the miserable,
filthy. dark tenements and the modern,
we'll aired and lighted and private apart
mcnt, both costing the same rent. the
dark, narrow alleys swarmng with chill
dren and the spacious Fairgrounds. The
conscience tcnements yield their own
ers on 7 per cent interest, while "the
tenements for revenue only paid as
much as % or 80 per cent The former
are attractive and healthy, the hitter
foul and death dealing.
The notorious Mulberry Bend and Pow
crty Barrel where crime only fourished
and even policemen penetrated by pairs
have become part of history On the
same ground there are now Fairgrounds
with gymnastic apparatus, kndorgar-
tens, grass plots and % beautiful Italian
villa, a recreation building for mothers
and children H. required 10 years Of
work and writing TO accomplish this
transformation and an appropriation of
odOoOOOO from the city made 10 possible
10 buy buildings and tear them down.
Tho children being the great hope I'm
this work have everything possible done
TO make of them good citizens. The
most artistic and beautiful schoolhouscs
IN New York have been built IN this dis
trict. The law provides for am outdoor
playground, and II this cannot be ON the
ground level it is made upon the roof
Tho first floor is equipped for an indoor
play place and from such a school as this
Mr.. Riis says there Is no playing of
"hoolSy." Manual training for boys and
cooking for girls are among the practical
things taught. S5OO00O00 has been spent
for schools during tho last 10 years.
Boys clubs are among the cnfghteniug
influences one boys club being equal TO
100 policemcns clubs, says Mr. Riis
Tho roof Fairgrounds are kept open
during the summer and the city provides
n band to play during the evening.
| "When you see about 1000 children dane.
/ ing ont there said the lecturer, that's
n sight worth while.' Gardening and
swimming arc taught during the summer
40 public expense.
Along the river front are recreation
/ piers well equipped with comforts and
| pleasure for those who cannot pay for
them.
81 am my brothers keeper is tho key
note Of this work of importing ideals into
the slums; it is helping ones neighhor
and working for the home and the State.
The pictures of the fine Mills Houses
where comfortable. clean lodging may be
obtained for 20 cents a night and cheaper,
and the old station house lodging dens
where men were huddlod together in filth
brought out the story of Mr.. Ris' own
| experience in one of these places. Com
ing from Denmark poor and friendlcss
boy, he spent many nights in the streets
with n homeless dog which he found. On
a cold and rainy night he was forced 10
take shelter in a station house, but had
10 leave his dog outside. The next morn
ing he discovered that n little gold
trinket had been stolen from him. A
complaint TO the officer in charge elected
the reply that ne was thief himself
and the officer proceeded TO eject him
from the building The little dog waited
at tho door, 20 protect his master bit the
officer, who In revenge and wrath picked
up the little animal and dashed out his
brains against tho WALL That nights
and mornings experiences made Jacob
ltiis resolve that he would do his utmost
to abolish such places and he has.
Mr. Riis made plea for the foreigner
who comes 10 our shore and for his kind
treatment Tie says the foreigner may
more keenly appreciate our liberty for
having once lived without t. Certainly
"my city, as he calls New York. may
be grateful for one foreigner who landed
ON its wharyes
Perhaps Jacob Riis in his lecture told
little more than can be read IN his books.
but the effect win be farther reaching. so
strong is his personality and so convino-
ing and forceiul his manner of speaking.
He is plain, straightforward talkcr.
with slight Danish accent. and can tell
more than most people can put into
words in an hour His optimism IS of
the most cheerful variety and his humor
keen. Mr.. Riis is a cousin of Mr.. Henry
j. krehs of this city.
The last og this course of lectures will
be given on February 2lst, recital of
James Whitcomb Riley's poems by Prof.
| Rnnrlnu of Surnff hn,aV. T,,ll...,