The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-28
Ehs Found Washington Alleys
BREEDERS Of Crime, Filth
and IIliteracy
WANTED Law TO WIPE OUT
WORST SLUMS IN WORLD"
Personally Escorted Statesmen
Through the Horrors To I'm
prove Them ,>.

boen fretting with q mean sociolog'
4 loaf problem found in the alleys
which run cEiss-cross through the
( blocks Of the city; and In which hun
dreds OF thousands OF Negroes have
been born, lived and died. For 50
years vice, disease, crime and ig-
norance have been bred In alarming
z proportions In Washington's alley
homes. For 20 years the city gov
ornment has been pecking away
at the problem and has sue
B eeeded In cleaning up two OF the
worst holes ever seen In, modern
city; for Is years women's clubs
md civic organizations have held
meetings and deplored the existence
~ such filthy nests OF homes Tor
human beings; but Ii remained for
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson on her dying
day to whisper the wish that one OF
1.-THE bills for the elimination OF the
z long stretches OF alleys In washing
{ ton could be reported and passed,
4 Her wish has almost become law.
y The senate Immediately passed an
alley elimination bill; the house has
modified form Of that bill on Its
I. calendar. and may take II up and
Z $500 Il at any time now.
Ia the years to come visitors TO
Washington will be taken into the
oy-ways and will be shown minor
|otxeets on which workmen's cottages
hive been built somewhat after the
<E&hion OF the English workmen's
c1nos; they will be shown interior
okksr made OF the scooped out city
~ cks, and will be told that the minor
>lxbets and the interior parks or play
rl1nnds were once the villainous un-
k&ted. unwatered, unkempt alleys
hlch made Mrs. Wilson sick at
LIT when she realized that the cap
1af II the United States fostered such
tGoding grounds OF dirt and crime.
keShington's alleys constitute It's
The NoIsoms Capital Alley.
Ihe alley Is distinctly Washing.
IN product, as far az its being inhab-
~ - concerned. Washington Is laid
nf n broad squares. On four sides
< ire squares are pretty decent
homes III every case. Through the
01ares run alleys which were orig
INV intonded for the butcher, tina,
~. he ashman, trashman. milk
- 1kc X However, when the Civil
~ broke out thousands Of Negroes
&c<kod to Washington and scheming
~ eotate men began building little
h3oks within the squares for the
ototnH OF the Negroes.
~ shacks fronted on the alley
)n3o. Some OF those Civil war
&1oks are still there.
Mn. Wi1scn had q favorite exhibit
This sort In what Is known as Goat
IIoY. There Is no running water,
~ ID scarcely any light In the
CQso, Is there Is but one window. II
~ been there for so years and the
@cessive owners have reaped for
Ia n rent The alley has been
nbited chiefly by uncomplaining
khwomen who carried home the
IA Of clean white folks, who would
I6to turned III had they seen where
IRE linen was being washed.
Hhen Mrs. Wilson came to Wash
ION the Woman's Welfare depart
1dpt OF the National Civic Fedora
lon Was wrestling with the alley
Ioblem. Mrs. Earnest r. Bicknelf.
Ho1fman OF the Washington chapter
IA THE department, was working at
A1 problem daily. trying to arouse
otllc interest In the dirty outlay
marrow streets and foul homes.
xbther woman, who afterwards be
albo closely associated with Mrs
l|oon In her alley cleanup tours.
NJ Mrs. Archibald Hopkins. These
10 would call meetings and raise
inscriptions and carry the entire
o<den upon their own shoulders, and
WI occasional newspaper article
bid b the net result .of their
90 Discovers Goat Alley.
When Mrs.. Wilson became inter
o1Dd she had been resident .of the
~ but 'atfew months; and she first
zhe4rd the story OF the alley homes at
- Afternoon meeting OF the women's
4G)fare department OF the National.
3ttic Federation. Mrs Wilson be-
D1ed in action. There had been sew
~ work and II had not amounted to
1Qch In q practical way. Mrs. VIII
~ ordered her chauffeur to take
~ 10 Goat alley. s.,l
FOUR or ave scrawny pickaninnies
ne playing marbles at the entrance
Goat alley when the White House
eo4 stopped there with Mrs Wilson
1o( several women friends. They
.t4mpered up the cobblestoned can
- yelling the hdings as they dew
M black faces appeared at the win
IoVs. However, Goat alley was more,
less used to having finely dressed
1jte ladies' come picking their
~ through the dirt and filth, ask.
~ questions In stilted voices, leav-
~ quarters and dollars. and then
1o3er coming back again.
4 nut this white lady" did come
o(k She came day after day, day
~ day. Sometimes with the big
Ute House Pierce limousine, some,
1@ee In q friends electric runabout;
otfmes she brought a procession
cars, with senator's. representa-
~, ministers and business men Of
y city.
IL. Wilson would call up men at
capitol and simply force them to
With her through Goat alley and
Cup alley, Bear's gap, Louise al
~ P1g alley and All the other foul.
end n1(by alleys OF the city. She
Opcof Underwood and Rep. A.
b0n Palmer together on one
I'D the leader OF the house
1orots pledged himself after the
- work for the elimination Of
InEs ~ raw. He has not for
- si'ss q slisss m wash.