New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-22
Notes and Comment

! The debate is still on as to whether
| Rochester will or will not have model tene-
nent houses. George Eastman thought the
erection Of four such buildings would be
| good way to invest some money more or
less enthusiastically i'm his home town. and
/ he asked the City and Suburban Homes
! Company. which owns and manages large
groups Of model tenement houses In New
! York City, to develop his idea. Plans were
drawn for four buildings, four stories In
| height Each was 10 have two stairways'
| ike the six story model houses in New
( York.
MANY persons in Rochester objected TO
the idea Of model tenement houses at ALL
on the ground that separate homes were
more ideal, and they undertook TO defeat
Mr. Eastman's project. They seized upon
the lack OF exterior fire escapes as a rea-
son for controversy.
The Rochester building regulations permit
wooden stairs, surrounded by lath ana
plaster walls. with no freproohng what
ever. In fact there are many such tehe-
! nent houses in Rochester. The plan ioi
| the proposed model buildings provides thaI
the first story be entirely freproot anu
that the stairs and the public haH"ays DC
/ 1reproof throughout, with self-closing ''e
nroof doors entering each apartment anu
| e,rouar doors on the dumbwaiter. 1he
IuiId,ng is 10 be only four stories ana III
case Of fire the tenant who escaped by wa
~ the roof would have chance 10 Bet
ao,r, apa'n by airy one Of eight hreprooi
| stairways.
ON fine part Of the City and SUBURBAN
Homes COMPANY the question comes finally
10 a matter Of rent
1--WE can easily add the fire escapes, s"' :
DR. f.. r. L. Could, the president ou' W
gro convinced that the tenants are ail'p'y
nrctect6d without them. SO their auul'io'
becomes q luxury and must be paid iol
ultimately I'm the rent We are uyihe ~
got rents low enough for really poor Peo'
pie. ,,o nIans is
tho number of cubic feet In room lot e'0
admit DIR. Gould explained that ne dlu DO.
,urnose TO give less space a person. W.,
maj the apartments were DIVIDED 20 '''''
sor,e rooms fell below the Rochester re-
,.,,,rauent. which he said called TOT ~
,,,,,cb suace i'm bedrooms FOR each auu''
th.t under the Rochester law there "ei'
Gu, anartments where two persons lesaHS
oo,td sleep i'm the same room
The third reason advanced against the
model tenement houses Is that Rochester
ought 10 be kept a city OF separate MONIES
and any tendency to put up apartments
should be discouraged.
Rochester has already ceased TO be made
IN ~ small houses only. 1t has tenement
houses. some bad and many that are over.
crowded. It's poorer element cannot afford
IN nav the price OF anything but an apart
rnent and the persons who most violently
nrotest against the erection of the mode
tenement houses are unable 10 suggest q
better solution OF the housing problem
There is one thing to be said In defence
~ the multiple dwelling that Is frequently
overlooked I'm such discussions. and that Il
the amount Of labor saved. The separate
house means separate heating and disposa
~ garbage. and In these days, when every
ablebodicd member of the poorer families
NAV be obliged to go out TO work, thi'
is no small consideration, While 1t is tru,