Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-07

the subcommittee of the Senate Dis
trict committee in charge of the alley
Improvement bills now pending by
officials and citizens of the District.
Headed by Commissioner Siddons,
the witnesses before the committee
urged that Congress take speedy action
to do away with the alley dwellings.
Some of the Witnesses advocated gov
ernment aid in the erection of dwellings
for the poor people who Will be driver
from the alleys by the proposed legisla-
matters could he handled through pri,
yate means.
Cites Presidents Interest.
During the course of his testimony
Commissioner Siddons referred to the fac
that President and Mrs. Wilson have
taken keen interest in the solution o.
| the allcy-dwelins problem in Washington
'One of the most distinguished persons
in public life" said MIR. Siddons. lis tax
ing keen interest III this legislation.
think it is no betrayal of confidence when
say that this is the President of the
United States. Both he and Mrs. Wilson
have been keenly interested since they
came to Washington in the bettering OF
conditions in the alleys.
Mr.. Siddons added that he did not
understand that the President was
committed particularly to the bill in
troduced in Congress at the recon-
mendation of the Commissioners.
Committeeman Attitude Friendly.
The subcommittee, which has before
it half dozen alley improvement bills,
including the Commissioners bill. CON
sists of Senator Smith of Maryland
chairman. and Senators Pomerene. Hol-
lis. Dillingham; and Jones. They gave
and indicated by their questions their
friendly attitude toward legislation for
the improvement of the alley condi-
tions.
Rev. DR.. John Van Schaick. jr.. repre-
sentng the committee of fifty for the
Improvement of housing and alley con-
ditions in the District. introduced the
speakers who included Commissioner
Siddons, DIR. W. c. Woodward, the Dis
trict health officer: Mrs. Ernest P. Bick--
nell. Mrs. L. Z. Woods and Philip
Henry. Others attending the nearing to-
day were Mrs. John Mclaughlin. vice
chairman of the Washington section of
the womans department of the National
Civic Federation: Miss Clara Farrar
smith, Mrs. II. s. Graves. Mrs. Lincoln
Brown Mrs W. s Woodward and Mrs.
Philip Henry.
Commissioner Siddons Heard First.
Commissioner Siddons was the first per-
son heard. He told the committee that
ten years ago his attention had been
called to the evil conditions in the al
leys of Washington. At that time there
was population of more than 25.OOU
living in the alleys, principally in the
older part of the city said Mr.. Siddons.
These people were wretchedly housed and
these alleys We're disease spots in the
city, he said. Crime as well as disease
was found to large degree in these
alleys.
MIR. Siddons said there We're several laws
placed on the statute books which helped
the situation. one providing a board
OF condemnation of inSanitary houses:
another that permits the inspector OF
buildings 10 condemn those structurally
unsafe and a third which authorizes the
health officer to take action.
Our aim is to end the living of human
beings in the alleys and courts of the
National Capital. said Mr.. Siddons.
We believe that living in alleys is pro-
ductive of evil in living conditions.
| Mr.. Siddous said that according to the
last police census the population living
I III alleys and courts had been reduced
I to something over ll.nst. These persons
{ 1--we in rs alleys and courts. lie said
! In some instances only three or four per
{ $.
Would Bar All Alley Homes.
! Isn't tha, getting rid Of these alley
dwellings quickly" asked Senator Smith.
Yes" replied Mr.. Siddons But we
/ believe that no persons should be allowed
/ 10 i've in these interior courts and alleys
| eyen 4 In some Instances the alleys and
/ bIiloings ar. fairly sanitary
1 senator Smith asked who owned these
alley dwellings. MIR. SiddoEs replied
! that almost never Were they owned
! by the inhabitants. but by persons who
/ bought these houses as investments.
/ The return high rates of interest
/ said AIr. Si[dons; anywhere from l.
I to 20 per cent on the Investments.
/ He said that he had been appointed
/ q. receiver Tor Il bankrupt now dead
/ There wer. thirty-two houses in al
| lays owned by this person. costing
I from $500 to- s6p0 and that the interes,
! on these Investments ranged from /.
! to IL per cent per annun.
When member of the homes
commission appointed several years
ia2o by President Roosevelt 1 found
fourteen persons living in three
! water" said Mr.. Siddons. Il found per
sons crowded into shacks like sardines
in most inSanitary and evil conditions.
I In reply to questions Mr. Siddons said
alley, but that an alley was recognized
as an interior passaeeway perhaps
twenty or thirty feet wide. with an
entrance from the street sometimes
only ten feet wide.
Explains Evil Living Conditions.
Senator Jones of Washington asket
why Mr. Siddons had said alleys caused
evil conditions. Mr. Siddons showed hov
I lack of water, lack of privacy. darkness
( and filth produced evil living conditions
I "In darkness and filth human natur
] degenerates" said Mr. Siddons.
4 Are not some OF these alley dwelling
sufficiently sanitary, and does not pov
erty compel many of the alley dweller
10 live in the alleys" asked Senate
/ smith Where are these poor people go
ing 10 live when the alley dwellings ar
gone?
! 1T is idle Tor me TO deny that poverty
. is the underlying cause of the inhabi
| tation Of the alleys. said Mr.. Siddons
! But LEGISLATORS in this country hav,
been compelled 10 take notice OF sucl
conditions and enact laws which hav,
sometimes proved a hardship upon tn,
poor Many persons i'll recent years hav,
aoie from The alley dwellings into th,
country ana into outlying suburbs. Thi
has not proved a burden upon them. TIL,
1