Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-04
Housing Reform
La Various States,

A number of reform organizations have
been actively at work in the city OF
Pittsburgh to improve conditions there.
banded together under the name OF
Housing Conference. Conditions in the
Sums there have been greatly improved
since the conference has succeeded in
bringing about stronger laws and getting
them enforced. Better types of houses
have been planned. waste spaces pressed
into use to relieve congestion, and capt.
tai interested in erecting improved dwe.-
lings.
In the Pacific Coast cities have been
built a number of types of tenement
buildings. There is one unwholesome
style of apartment of fiat" which covers
the entire lot, with no adequate provis-
ion for ventilation and light. The sani-
tary appliances, however, are said to be
much better than in the slums of many
Eastern cities. Rents in places like san
Francisco and Los Angeles have ruled
higher than for corresponding accommo-
dat!ens in New York and Chicago tene-
ments.
One Of the trying phases of the North
ern slum problem has no exact counter
part in the South, where the working
people still reside almost entirely in
small houses, and the question of light
and ventilation rarely assumes such seri-
GUS proportions as in the congested cit
les north of Mason and Dixon's line
The city of Savannah, Georgia, is said
to be among the best in the United States
as far as concerns work towards ciiminat-
ing bad sanitary conditions. Even the lit
tie houses inhabited by the poorest negro
families have city water and other mod
ern improvements. There is an efficient
Board of Health. which, through con-
sistent system of inspection. tends 10
raise the housing standards. One of Their
achievements has been an effective agi-
tation for a good code of building laws
A trouble often met with in Southern
cities is the pollution of the drinking
water due to Inadequate methods OF
sanitation. The same difficulty is en-
countered in the North where surface
wells are still sanctioned A story is
told of a woman in Richmond, Va, who
not long ago, was seen to draw water
from a we'll in one of the tenement dis
tricts that had not been severed, and
was asked the question: How does the
water taste?' 1.-The way asafetida
smells" she answered. Richmond has
been working earnestly to improve her
sluns, and, as she has considerable
prestige throughout the South, her ex-
ample is likely to be initiated in near
by states.
A great deal has been done to improve
conditions among the tenement jewellers
In Texas. In Dallas, thanks to a cam
4 lxrt no oil ctr
housing committee has been organized
among the business men of the city, and
II has been doing good work in the way
of initiating needed reforms. Getting the
leading citizens interested in the way to
begin improvements, but more Important
still is to keep them from losing their
enthusiasm
Steady progress has been made as
result of the investigation instituted by
the Chamber of Commerce in Cleveland
into the conditions existing in the no
torious ''Haymarket" slums, where rents
are higher than in less congested dis
tricts. Steps are to be taken this win
ter for thoroughgoing housing improve
ment plans. Cleveland possesses num-
her of attractive working-mcn's colonies,
chief of which are those in which the
Italians and Bohemians reside. Each
family has a dwelling by itself, and
there is a garden in front of the house.
with flowers and shrubs
or late. good work has been done In
baltimore in the way of introducing an
improved form of two-family dwelling.
adequately lighted and ventilated and
with all sanitary conveniences.
Philadelphia's interest in slum better
ment first took definite form in the or
ganization several years ago of the
Octavia Hill Association. The method
of this society has been to buy up old
houses and put them in decent shape
and then sell or rent them to working
men and women. Good as this system
is, its scope is limited, and something
bigger is needed to make over the slums
of city like Philadelphia.
In recent years more than go cities
have begun to atudX how 70 IMPROVE