Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-05
Old WAR VETERAN
LIVES I'LL AND ALONE
IN DAMP BASEMENT
Summing Party Finds Unbear-
able Conditions in Sibletown
Homes and Shops
MANY PL ACES IMPROVED
Landlords Are to Blame in Many
Instances; Rentals Sur
prisingly High
MANY PLACES IMPROVED

Sick and alone in a gloomy, damp
basement of an old house at all
Mulberry street. BARLEY weitzel, a
Civil War veteran more than so years
old, was discovered yesterday by a
party inspecting housing conditions in
the city.
DR.. J. NJ. ]. Raunick was making
his second trip through the city's
''slums" when he came across the sick
old man.
Harrisburg hospital week ago.
Since then the old man has been lying
in the bed in the cherries room in
the basement of his former boarding
house, getting his meals at intervals
through the kindness of a fellow
boarder. He has a bad cough and
breathes with difficulty.
To-day one of the nurses from the
Visiting Nurses Association called to
see the man, and he will be given
medical attention. Efforts will be
made to have members of Post 5S,
G. A. r., of which Weitzel is a mem
Der call to see him and have him re-
moved to another room.
.'Too Damp" He Says
The old man is dissatisfied with his
condition, and asked DIR. J. NJ. ].
Raunick to move him from the base
ment.
TITS too damp in here sometimes"
he whispered in a husky voice. He
says he pays $3.50 a week for his
room and the meals that are brought
to him.
His pension is taken care of for him
by Alderman Caveny. Each month
the old man receives s22.5O and saws
he takes 1t to the alderman for safe
keeping.
The old soldier was just one in
stance of many bad conditions found
by the Summing party yesterday. DR..
Raunick learned, however, that many
of the places visited in his first in
spection have been improved.
The man who lived in a cellar In
South street has moved his things to
the second floor, and he says ''hfs
rheumatism is better"
Sibletown was invaded by the prob
ers and many filthy conditions were
uncovered. Hovels In which it seemed
impossible that humans could exist
were everywhere in some sections.
Landlords to Blame
In many instances the landlords are
to blame for the conditions. Houses
are seldom repaired, no attempt to
Improve sanitary conditions is made.
and yet the rentals are surprisingly
high For siX-room house in North
Seventh street where plaster was fall
ing from the walls, and the roof was
about like sieve SO a month was
paid. In narrow alley the house
kept by an old colored aunty was
scrupulously clean and was badly in
need of a new roof, but "aunty' had
to pay Sc month.
Orders to clean up were left by
DR.. Raunick at some of the places. AT
eli Walnut street in the house owned
by Mrs. Dora Frank, a twenty-four
hour notice was served. Five minutes
after the order, brooms, hose and dust
cloths were flying in the hands of
Mrs. Frank and Mrs. Mary Miller, the
tenant. In this place, "delicatessen
shop" was conducted on the first floor
and on the other two floors were
lodging rooms, with little furniture
and much dirt and foul smells. Out
side of this house, a board shack
had been put up along the wall. A
tiny dirty room, four feet wide and
ten feet long was the home for
man. A bed, an old stove, covered
with filthy cooking utensils and a
chair were the furnishings. A door
and two windows, in which old clothes
took the place of glass did more to
keep out light and air than to let it
in. This place was ordered vacated.