The Washington times., 1907-05-06
investigator Reynolds
Report Will Be
Analysed.

President Roosevelt and fifteen Of the
men and women whom he selected as
| best fitted to deal with instigating action
for the betterment of the housing con-
dtions of the poor in Washington, will
/ hold a conference at the White House
within the next few days, 10 map out
the general lines along which the work
Will be prosecuted.
Acting on the report and recommen-
dations OF James Bronson Reynolds,
whom he appointed TO investigate hous-
ing conditions among the poor in this
city, the President has appointed the
Presidents Homes Commission" TO look
into the housing situation and recon-
mend reforms, either by legislation or
ordinance, needed 10 better conditions.
on the commission are Gen. George NJ.
Sternberg, DR.. George NJ. Kober, VIII
liam II. Baldwin, Frederick l. Siddons.
Prof. George w. Cook, Whitefield Nc
Kinley, Miss Boardman, Mrs. Arnold
Hague, James Bronson Reynolds. S. W.
Woodward. John 3. Sleman, jr., I. S.
Parsons, Emmett l.. Adams, p. J. Bren-
nan, and William +. Downey.
II is expected that General Sternberg
will be chosen chairman OF the commits
sion. This bcdy's members are 10 serve
without salary, and their expenses are
TO be paid by themselves, or by volun-
tary contributions from people inter
ested in philanthroplc work.
Must Discuss Three Subject-.
According TO Mr.. Reynolds. there are
three great subjects 20 which the COM
mission will have 20 address itself with
special energy. They are small houses.
alley shacks and alley houses. and inside
alleys.
Mr.. Reynolds attacks the inside alleys
with the sweeping and unqualified as
sertion that they should be wiped from
the plan Of the city.
After stating that he visited between
$50 and 400 shaclSs, small houses and ten
ements in this city 10 obtain the data
he desired and consulted with all classes
interested in or affected by the proposed
reforms, Mr. Reynolds says in his re-
port:
There are some, perhaps many. good
houses for wage-earners in Washing
ton. but the laws and ordinances In re-
latiOn 70 their construction are defec-
tive and incomplete. and need thorough
revision.
No Restriction Of Number.
For instance, one ordinance requires
that every sleeping room in a tenement
or lodging house must have at least 4OO
cubic feet Of space for each occupant
above ten years of age. but fails 10 place
any Limitation upon the number Of oc-
cupants under ten years who may sleep
in such room. Hence, while but four
adults might occupy room containing
only 1000 cubic feet OF space. any num-
Der of children under ten might occupy
the same room without violating ihe
ordinance.
Wretched Condition of Shacks.
Il found nearly all the alley wooden
shacks and small brick houses that
visited in a wretched condition. The
wooden shacks. as a rule might properly
be condemned on structural grounds.
Their yards were apparently storage
places for refuse and filth. their water
supply inadequate and badly placed, ana
the prtvteS frequently only open boxes
ana in many Instances without covers,
although the latter are required by the
health ordinance I am glad to state
that during the past year many Of these
box privies have been removed.
Inside Alleys Menacing.
"A particularly undesirable and men
acjnB feature of the poor quarters Of
W dShlngtOn is the inside alleys. These
alleys are centers Of disorder and crime.
and they make possible the continuance
OF small communities uncontrolled by
ordinary police inspection and unaffect-
ed by public observation and criticism.
In my opinion, all inside alleys. with the
exception of service alleys. should be
abolished, and definite scheme for the
accomplishment of this object should be
adopted.
Demolish 1874 Houses.
while I must record these conditions
as I witnessed them, I am glad 10 bear
testimony to the work done since the
passage of the act for the condemna-
ton of insanitary buildings. The board
for the condemnation Of insanitary
buildings was formed under this act
July 1, 1906. Since that date sixty-one
houses in alleys and seventy-three
houses on streets have been demolished,