Evening star., 1909-05-25
LECTURES ON CITY PLANNING
FIRST OF SERIES OF TALKS BY
B. C. MARSH AT RALEIGH.

The first OF a series Of six lectures on
city planning was delivered in the ban
quet hall of the Raleigh Hotel last night
by B. c. Marsh, who is in charge Of the
exhibit now on view there. A large au-
dience heard the lecture. Mr.. Marsh took
for his subjects dock improvement and
tenements. After description of the
manner in which the docks New York
city had been improved Mr.. Marsh gave
some interesting figures and facts on ten
ements. This question, he said, was not
one which merely involved the provision
of room and cheap rent. In New York
he declared. there were innumerable
cases where the tenement dwellers yio-
lated the law by overcrowding in tene-
ments that were built in full accordance
with the law and gave plenty of room
and air for those who occupied them II
they kept to the legal number. It was not
the fault of the landlord, but of the
tenant, that these conditions existed
Mr.. Marsh favored the enactment OF
police regulation on tenement inspection
along the lines of those employed in
Vienna and Berlin. There the police
or night, and if they find them over
crowded summon the offenders into court
Immigrants from foreign cities to Amer
lea. in the opinion of Mr.. Marsh, would
accustomed TO 1t in Europe.
Exhibit Open to Public.
The conference on city planning was
brought to a close here Saturday night
but the exhibit at the Raleigh will be
open all this week.
1t portrays in most significant manner
the fact that sickness is a tremendous
expense to the community. and that the
endeavor to secure good housing condi-
tions for the entire citizenship of a city
Is not fad nor an ism, but a good busi-
ness proposition. Bad housing means
sickness, sickness means lack of employ
ment; that means that a poor family
has to be supported by some one.
A striking map. 1Ox14 feet, of Liverpool
but in each ward the death rate, the
birth rate, the density of population pei
acre, the birth rate and the infantile
death rate; showing clearly and locating
directly some of the responsibility for the
high death rates which have alarmed Liv.
erpOof and forced it's municipal govern
ment into its progressive and sane method
of housing. Adjoining this map are pho
tographs showing the houses being erect
ed for the accommodation of the working
people.
Tenement House Laws.
Diagrams showing the present tenemen,
house laws In various CITIES emphasize
that they are robbing the poor of sun.
light Not only New York city, but
Cleveland, Chicago, st. Louis and most
large American cities have very bad tene.
ment house laws. The exhibit also con.
tains a striking series of placards show
ing the result of certain features of con.
gestion.
This deserves the study and reflection OF
every citizen of Washington and of every
| representative who is naturally creating
sentiment in his own community. From
beginning to end the city planning exhibit
shows that congestion with all it's attend.
ant evils is, gradually developing in al
large American cities, and that these
cities are laying up fearful cost fol
themselves because the city must pay the
bill for the evil OF sickness and many OF
the deaths resulting from congestion.
City planning is essential to prevent
these evils and to insure normal living
| conditions for the entire population.