New-York tribune., 1907-03-17
IN OLD GREENWICH.

Tenement house reform has no better field
than Greenwich Village. for many OF those rot
ting houses decayed remnants of an older day
spell death. AS Mrs. Smkhovitch. head worker
Of Greenwich House. points out in her last re-
port. the 9th is Of the only two wards in
New York City showing an increasing death
rate from tuberculosis At the same time the
population is increasing. The census Of 1905
gives for the district Just south OF Greenwich
House an increase in five years Of IL 746. or 25
per cent of the whole Which - remarked one
student of conditions there makes high rents
inevitable perhaps. but there can be no argu-
lnent mere that a demand for reasonable i'm
provements is unjust To the landlord"
Cherry street. on the East Side. as Greenwich
Village. on the West Side is one OF the spOts
where reminders Of old New York still Iineer
Cherry street was the Fifth avenue Of the days
When washington was President and Washing
ton himself lived at the southern END of H. as a
tablet on one of the piers of BROOKLYN bridge or,
the place where his mansion stood attests In
ana out or those old houses. many Of which still
endure tripped the bellies Of those times in their
quaint bOnnets and CIingfne hehowerad stirts
Now those houses are tenements: their fronts 70
panied 10 simulate brick but the dark wooden
doors on some Of which the ancient knockers
sum remain and the staircases with their
carved balustrades battered and broken but
massive massive still betray their Colonial origin When
merry street degenerated TO tenement house
uses II remained exclusive for a time A ten
ant IN one of the oldest houses told the writer
that when she moved there which vas tvran+y
years ago she was required 70 bring a reference
Irom her dominic testifying 10 her good char
dSter but nothing is refused admittance to
CherFE street now Least of all tuberculosis
germs portion OF it bounds on one side the
notorious lung block from whose sunless
rooms have been carried more victims Of tbs
dreaded white plague" than from anv other
h0ck or the same size in the city
let retcrm is reaching Cherry street Tba
"rlter went there with tenement house in
spector, which is the best way of finding ont
Wnat Is being done, The inspector pointed out
NHeEe' IN one place some old rOokeries had lust
FOR some new law tcnenents'' The owner ect
tlred or being told by the department 10 make
aterltlons. ard concluded he might as we'll
lear doWn and rebuild. Here" he added a liz
tie Iater is a new law tenement house stao1-
ing on the site Of OF the most rarrsboeLr,
tioh 70 the features of the rooms the lar,
llght windows the separate water sunni qTI
tol'"t 'or each apartment. The halls and stair
WAYS were wide and bright and clean cent
- - utce the Inspector said with relish
- IL nice. now-for poor peorlee''
,v, aS elsewhere, the rents show "a steady,
,HIl'HST. IN tWo-room apartment in one OIL
house lives an Italian family fatber ,,,br
't''U thTee cAHdren. The man was frr,ir ,-s-
mrT- out the bitter cold kept him home tLe+ dav
ne woman. lean and dark sat with her s1-9b-s
SENS "1Hl or her work, pile Of coats she v-,s
-'-''9iit..9' ttoW much did they pay fNr the
rooms. teu dollars q month NOW .bs r~o.,
said; 81 two years ago. when tba,- frst ,or,,
J ne woman looked w here pointed 70 har cEas.
TShe was coughing badly-aud then stooDad ~,
her St'tchlnS again. How many stitches r,rs+
she take now many bananas must the man sell
10 iuee' 'Ial aGded 81 a month, They must
rave palu several times over for the alre-o t;r-s
which had been made there seeing thar tbaso
consisted OF one window cut through into tba
dark rear room. and one small sink