New-York tribune., 1908-03-13
BREEDS TUBERCULOSIS
CONGESTION DISCUSSED.
DR.. Jacob addresses Conference at
Natural History Museum.

Congestion in cities was held responsible by Or.
Abraham 3acobi for the causes and TRANSMISSION
CONTAGIOUS diseases. in an address delivered ny
him a: the close of the conference congestion o.
population in the American Museum OF Natural
History yesterday. The only Improvement posi-
hle. he insisted. would be in the expenditure OIL
r.anr millions a sweeping renodeing OF tene-
nnent houses.
Whoever spread a contagious disease was guilty
If crime. said, II was possible TO head OF
coniaeion under ordinary conditions But ne eN-
onerated the people in tho tenement districts 10
certain extent The checking of epidemics or pre-
ve,stior he said vas impossible there until plan
ef seclrsion made possible The sweatshois
and crowded tenements he held responsible espe-
eiail- FOR the spread of tuberculosis
Ventilation. and more ventilation. was me SUD
iett Of Dr. Jacobs insistence. He said that
the adult consumed between hfteeh ana
twenty cubic feet OF fresh air minute a
sas 5et consumed I.eso l5ee cubic feet OF iresh
air in day. and a kerosene lamp much more
In many instances. he declared. a single case
Of tuberculosis in of the i'll Ventiia>e ed iehe-
rnenzs was followed by another within year
Lawson Purdy. president of the Board OF Faxes
and Assessments speaking Of tie effect Of taxa
ton upon the distribution Of population. said; ii
you want something. don't tax il too much; u
net. tax heavily lie believed that our tax
system WAS about the best in the world not
meaning thereby that it was not open to i'm
.royernent one of his remedies for relieving
congestion opportunities. and he COM
pared the English system which permitted large
areas Of land time to remain in the heart
Of London practically untaxed. the assessment
being levied upon Ehe income and not upon iand
value.
Some wealthy men are looking for opporiuni-
ties &c be phiianthrepio,- Mr.. Purdy remarked,
and he called attention TO the consested East
Side where. he said the greatest opportunity
for giving. with fair return Of interest. lay in
the razinR Of old tenement houses, remodelltnS
of houses and opening of small parks He re-
called complaint Of the farmers OF Queens
Borough because of their tax rate, but could
hold out little promise of relief TO them The
tax rate there would act as relief here in that
1t would compel the Improvement of the prop
erty in the building of more dwelling houses
The Rev. Stephen s. Wise said that the duty of
The churches the congested districts stay
there. They should not move away because the
property too valuable to be used house
of God He wondered why the churches left the
slums, whether il fear. and believed that
church and synagogue felt sense of impotence 10
relieve the conditions.
The Church preached of the golden streets the
New Jerusalem, but Dr. Wise said it might aid in
obtaining clean streets in the biggest jerusalem in
the world downtown. He declared that the owners
of the tenements that not kept in hyGienic
condition were responsible for the crime, the deaths
from flth-bred diseases, and closed by saying that
church and synagogue must be spiritualzed.
Photographic and Economic Causes for the
Growth of Cities the subject of the address
of Professor jeremiah ". jerks. of Cornell Uni
locations Of great cities. and laid emphasis the
advantages gained through the gathering of large
numbers OF people such schools churches and
shops but said that the conditions should be made
more Iivable in every way.
Charles Muford Robinson. OF Rochester. called
attention TO the grouping OF Fairgrounds with
wider streets approaches to bridges and q an
auxiliary 10 park systems Mr. Robinson gave at
tention 10 the work OF the Play Association
81 America, which is urging the cities 70 make an
inventory Of all possible available and suitable
sites and outline FOR each community q svs-
N tam comprehensive q location This was said
10 he one Of The great wedges that may eventually
spill the oongesred districts into open breathing
places for the people.
The transit problem touched on. M Robin
saying: The two main ways in which there
- secured enlargement Of the hsbitable area
available fer the least paid workers are by i'm
pToTemen1 IN the city-s of circulation and
by The removal of the factories the suburbs
lie said that While the lowest paid Of the workers
"oilld not avail themselves Of cheap transit fac-
lies those in tie scale above might do and
thug lessen the congestion The diagonal street to
sisnrten dista from the workshops dwell
ings. was also mentioned q Of lessening
overcrowdins 4 word said the
removal of The factories TO The suburbs as an ad-
vantage TO the workers and an economy of
production. AS another relief for congestion the
English system mentioned, that OF esa ablishing
manufacturing communities. which is called the
garden cities movement
Professor Bailey. Of Cornell University. discussed
farming situation in this state declaring that
farmers should work from n basis Of knowledge of
earth values, giving statements showing the se-
suits OF common and scientific methods in all
states. c. W. I.arnon, of the bureau of labor.
statistics q the sanitary improvements made
farms in this state, especially among the dairy
farms.