New-York tribune., 1909-02-25
FOUR TENEMENTS FOR
POOR CONSUMPTIVES
MRS. W. X. VANDERBILT IO
GIVE Il MILLION.
Houses To Be Under Supervision Of
Tuberculosis Clinic of Presby-
terian Hospital.


terian Hospital, Mrs W. X. Vanderbilt IS to de-
vote $1.OOoOOO to the erection of four model ten
ement houses in East nth and 18th stTeets-
where tubercuIOus patients and their families
will be able 10 live under conditions similar 10
those provided at the most up-tO-date sana-
toria While no definite decision on the rents 10
be charged has yet been reached. Dr. Henry L
ShiveIy head of the clinic which has led 70 Mrs
VanderbiIts action said yesterday that they
would compare favOrabIy with those charged IN
the poorest and cheapest East Side tenements-
The tenements. when erected. are to be known
as the Shivey Sanitary Tenements the novel
architectural features that will distinguish them
having been worked out by DR.. Shively in con-
junction with Henry Atterbury Smith. the archi-
tect They will consist of four units, viii be able
to house from SO 70 400 families. and viii oc-
cupy eighteen full city lots. There will be
frontage of 22J feet on both 18th and tsth
streets. between Avenue A and Avenue B. The
location for tuberculOus patients Is wellnlgn
IDEAL for on one side the west. the buildings Will
be next to the playground of Public School 17S.
and on the other side is John jay Park The
site is vacant at present, 5ut ground VIII oe
broken within a month, title 10 the land having
been acquired ten days ago. and the buildings
will probably be finished within eight months'
according to Mr. Smith
The buildings will be only about ten blocks
from the new site OF the Presbyterian Hospital.
and will be operated under the supervision OF
it's tuberculosis clinic which is regarded
distinct advantage.
INSIDE STAIRwAYs ELIMINATED
DR.. shively and Mr.. Smith regard four feat
ures of the new tenements as particularly In
pOrtant First of these is the complete elTnina-
ton of inside stairways. Each tenement VIII
surround a central court and between the backs
of two units. in nth and 18th streets. respec-
lively will run a narrow passageway or alley
At each Of the corners of each court will be a
stairway, entirely III the open air, giving access
to the apartments that side Of the house
Thus the common, dirty and dark stair or nall
wav of the present tenement house. in which.
even if built under the new law, doctors have
said much Of the disease breeding goes on. will
he done away with There will be Railways
on the floors OF the buildings, direct entrance
being afforded to each apartment from the stair
way This is made possible by the use Of four
stairways. and the economy Of space obtained
makes up 70 some extent for the space required
by the central court
The second important feature is the use OF
Durchhausen. The Durchhaus Is much used IN
Vienna according to DR.. Shively. and. IN Its ap-
plication to the Shiyely houses, consists OF spe-
ciaIIy arranged entrances to the courts The
entrance from East 18th street is an arched
passageway two stories in height At the other
side of the court is a similar passageway, and
directly opposite in the rear Of the corresponding
East 18th street unit is another. faced again by
the arched passageway leading into East lSth
street Thus an open passage for air drafts is
assured between the two streets. supplying both
courts with constantly changing fresh air
The other features have TO do with the apart
rnents themselves All the rooms are outside
rooms. having light and air. and balconies are
provided. with windows extending from ioo- 10
ceiling Sleeping practically in the open air is
thus made possible
IMPORTANCE OF HOME TREATMENT
DR.. shfveIy, in explaining Mrs Vanderbilts
project yesterday. dweIt on the importance OF
providing proper treatment for cOnsumptives at
home. SantaOria, he said. were useful to those
who could stay in them long enough and return
to proper home conditions. but worse than use
less to a patient who could be kept there only
long enough TO see how he could be cured and
was then forced to return to hOpelessly unsani-
tary conditions in tenement home
1T has been borne in on u.s." said Dr. Shtvely,
that il is in the home that we must fight con-
sumption Mrs Vanderbilt has learned this by
five years OF quiet and magnificent work in con-
nection with the clinic OF the Presbyterian Hos
pitaI and now the time has come 20 put what
we have learned into operation That IS the
reason for these tenements.
Il want TO emphasize the practicabinty Of the
plan This is not necessarily charity Mrs
vanderbilt can make the property pay reason
ably on the investment and still keep rents way
down There is no reason why investors should
not initiate this plan. They do not need 20 be
philanthropists as Mrs. Vanderbilt is in this lRs
stance That is the great point
Dr. Shively said that Mrs Nanderbilts bene-
faction was not a hasty or in the nature OF
the Indulgence of a hobby She has made the
expansion of the work of our visiting nurses pos
st5Ie" ne said. 'She has had many a con-
sumptive moved from basement tenement to
one where he could have light ard air. and has
maid the difference in the rent She has pro-
vided better food for many Now she sees the
wav to give real and permanent relief and TO Go
something really worth while in the fight against
tuberculosis
The task of finding tenants for the buildings
is not regarded as a difficult one by Dr. Shively-
The Presbyterian Hospital clinic alone, he said.
has something like a thousand tuberculous fam
lilies in its care, and he expects the apartments
to be seized at once Care will be taken 70 keep
those able 10 afford better than tenement house
quarters from crowding out really poor persons.
and if necessary. other hospitals and clinics
than the Presbyterian viii be asked TO provide
tuberculOus tenants
Considerable use will be made OF the roofs OF
these buildings. They will be elaborately fitted
up with shrubbery and flowers and comfortabls
chairs and sun parlors. fncosed in glass. viii be
provided The construction will be Of reinforced
concrete, steel and terra Gotta. absolutely fire.
proof.