New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-11
GROWTH OF BERLIN.
Problem of Housing Serious IN That
We'll GoUerned City.
Berlin. February 2s.


tai will be the second largest city IN Europe and
the third largest in the world. 1t win then have
more than three million inhabitants. and viii
outrank Paris by about quarter OF a million.
At present il has about 100000 inhabitants.
half million less than the French capital, and
is the third city Of Europe and the fourth In tia
world. Whether il will ever rise above the raulz
promised by the creation OF Greater BerlInp
may be doubted. 1t does not saem reasonable
70 expect any city in the world to surpass Lon
don. which now has great q majority over
any other and is growing as rapidly. Neither
does it seem likely that Berlin wiz again sur
pass New York, although it did so as recently
as twenty years ago. That however. was be-
fore the consolidation Of New York and its
suburbs. At present Berlin somewhat exceeds
the Borough or Manhattan. and probably almost
equals in population the old city OF New York
as Its boundaries stood in 1880.
European cities are not expected 20 grow so
rapidly as those in America. even those in the
older parts of America yet the rate Of BerIIu'a
progress has been by no means slow, although
It has not. until in recent years. approximated
that OF New York. Thus at the beginning OF
the last century Berlin had about $4,000 IN
habitants to New Yorl's 10000. BY the middle
Of that century Berlin had little more than
doubled. having over 100000. while New York
had increased more than eightfold, to $4,000
so that the American metropolis was more than
one-fourth larger than the Prussian, instead OF
being only one-third its size. Since then. how
ever. Berlin's progress has been moro rapid. AZ
the foundation OF the German Empire, in 1871
It had no fewer than $4,000 people, or mora
than 100000 exclusive Of the military garrison
while New York had only about $4,000 Ths
growth Of Berlin then became proportionateIy
stiH more rapid, SO that by 1880 it had reached
I Of %
nine years-whHe New York was barely ahead
Of it with 1906. 299. Five years later Berlin had
a population OF 1.3152S7. or a few thousands
more than New York. and IN 1890 it had L 56O-
Geo to New YorI1's 15153O1 Then, however
came New YorNs. annexation OF BROOKLYN and
other suburbs. which put it far ahead OF Berr,
and even Of Paris and all cities except London
STILL as I have said. the old city of Berlin holds
It's own pretty we'll by the side of the old city
OF New York. and if by consolidation It Is not
able to rival the American capital that Is be-
cause it has no suburbs comparable in magnl-
tUde with those Of New York
Comparison between Berlin and New YorH,
Is more fair than between Berlin and Paris or
London, because Berlin IS not the metropolis
OF Germany in any such degree as they are re-
speetlvely OF France and England. but sus-
tains relation to the rest OF the empire and
the other cities more like that OF New York to
the rest OF the states Hamburg, Munich and
Dresden are close rivals OF Berlin In many re-
spects. While. therefore. the growth Of Ber-
lin has chiefly taken place since the orsaniza-
ton Of the empire. it has not been because OF
the empire. or, at least. not directly So It has
been because of the general constitutional
changes which occurred in Prussia itself at
that time. For before 1871 Berlin was one OF
the worst governed cities in the world and since
then IT has been one Of the best governed Be
fore 1871 il fortress first and only Incl
dentally a city. Everything was sacrificed 10
military needs. Fortfcations and camps occu-
pied large part OF its area and divided the
central portion Of the city from the suburbs.
There were no modern improvements" All
the sewage was poured into the narrow. shallow.
sluggish River Spree, which in consequence
rivalled Cologne in the number. variety and
pungeucy OF its stenches. The water was sup
Piled by private companies. and was scanty in
quantity but vile in quality that nobody
wished the supply 70 be more plentiful Peo-
PIE preferred 10 get along with Just as little Of
# as possible. The gas supply was also in
private hands. and was very poor. All the
schools were either private or church concerns.
The transportation system was grotesquely bad
Indeed. Berlin was. on the whole probably the
worst equipped and worst administered large
city in Europe The one TedeeHling trait OF
the situation was that It governed despott-
Cally by the royal government and the citizens
themselves were therefore not at all responsible.
Now all that is changed The city has been
made governing. The old walls and forlt-
hcations have been abolished. giving place for
many new streets and buildings and permitting
free communication among all parts Of the city.
An excellent system OF transportation has been
developed comprising surface lines, elevated
railroads and subways. An excellent municipal
water supply has been secured Tho Spree has
been disinfected. dredsed walled along Its
banks and made navigable. Not a drop OF sew
age now flows into the river. but it is all con-
veyed to great sewage farms. which are the site
of market gardens Of fabulous productiveness
and profit. and also OF q number OF sanatoriums
The Idea that q sewage farm IS an III smelling
and unwhoIesome place is completely disproveG,
for those of Berlin are conspicuoUsly sweet
attractive and saIubrious. There are mu-
nicipaI slaughter houses to assure good meat
and there are also municipal savings banks
lodging houses and what not. There are fine
public schools, hospitals. parks and. indeed. al
the appurtenances Of thoroughly up to date
city
There Is however, a seamy side 10 Berlin,
and this is one that most directly affects tns
welfare Of the people in this domestic lie. The
question Of housing has not been well solved.
but, instead, has been wretchedly muddIed, with
the result that the poor people and people o.
moderate means are housed worse IN Berhn
than in almost any other modern city. This IS
largely, perhaps chiefly. due 10 q well meant
but i'll advised law which was enacted in 1887.
strictly forbidding the erection OF dwelling
houses more than five stories. or seventy-two
feet, high. The idea ives to prevent the cree
ton OF exaggerated "skyscrapers'' and the con-