The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-18
THESIS OF EARLHAm STUDENT Tells
MEANS TO BUILD up RIvE9DALE

"Riverdale might have become the
lsiness section of Richmond had not
De National road been built" de-
ares Harold H. Peterson, Earlham
Faduate Of 1915, In his thesis, "A
petal Survey of Riverdale." a copy
which has been presented to John
elpolder.
The Arst settlements In Richmond
ere In that part Of town which is
pw known as "Goosetown" In 1907
meeting house was started by the
Fiends. This is now the hut at Tenth
I'D North G streets. When the ma.
bnal road became the principal
lutte Of travel from east to west, the
tsiness section naturally migrated to
ain street.
Mr.. Peterson made his survey with
10 assistance of records in the So
al Service bureau and under the
idance OF John Melpolder.
Few Tenement Houses
There are 614 houses in River.
lie. There are very few places in
edmond which would correspond
a slum in a big city. The ones
hich do exist are nearly all near
ain street and in the downtown dis
let's. Riverdale has but two or
rec buildings which legally would
classed as tenements.
"On the other hand, Riverdale has
me Of practically all the ills and
buses which can be found anywhere.
here there Is no overcrowding as
families to the house, there are
any instances Of serious overcrowd.
B In a single house. Two instances
pre- found In which colored families
eleven slept in three rooms. There
an abundance OF shacks and huts
hich are absolutely uninhabitable,
hich are in use. A tent in which a
lored man and his wife had lived
two years was found. Water
ands In many Easements the year
und and shallow wells are in com.
on use.
Build Factory Homes.
THE railroad which arrived In
chmond in 1853 from Cincinnati via
hyton. struck the death knell of
verdale as high priced residential
strict. Its very location, however,
build make II II properly cleaned up
q built up with adequate houses, the
psf desirable section Of Richmond
homes Of factory men. Richmond
8 grown to considerable size and
o problem .! transportation Is be.
ming serious one to the working
20. Here is c section Of Richmond
BAR the very heart OF the factory dis
let which can be "re.nade" and will
ZIP to solve this problem and will
financial asset to the city. It
III be necessary to make the fac.
ries obey the snt!.smose laws better
er they are doing at present.
The river Is not un.hea!thtul at
Is part OF town as very little sewage
Tvs Into II above the Sixteenth street
wer.
Easy to Cure Ills.
1t Will be comparatively easy to
re Its ills. and yet. unless they are
red and done so In q satisfactory
hnnev. Riverdalc will continue to be
Is Of Richmond.
THE average death rate In Rich.
Dnd Is ll.1 per thousand. This Is
" for cities the size of Richmond.
Ie death rate in Riverdale is higher
hn in the rest OF the city. The
ath rate in Riverdale is 1871 per
nusand population. The death rate
Richmond excluding Riverdale is
T."
Mr.. Peterson points out from ex.
hples that contagious diseases are
I'd to stamp out In this district. A
hrlet fever epidemic lasted from
ne 1912 to March 1914. Infantile
brtality was also high. (This has
len cut down materially since the
BAY was written. by the work of
SIS Lillian Mahin, the city visiting
rse.)
Charts Show Statistics.
Charts showing vital statistics for
13 show that the death rate per
busand in Riverdale was $50. This
higher by far than in any other
hce. The rate for the whole city
Is 81.
The still birth rate Is exceptionally
sh in Riverdale.
Causes More Deaths.
Tuberculosis of the lungs causes
bre deaths in this region than any
her communicable disease. The
erage rate per one thousand for
3 was 134.5. The rates for other
|nmunicable diseases follow: Ty.
Did fever, 25.5: measles, 1871; scar.
fever. "a: other forms of tuber-
osis. 81; pneumonia, 70; dihorrea
h entritis. under two years. $40.
Typhoid fever cases in this district
We increased steadily for the past
years. In 1915. 100 cases were
ported and fifteen deaths resulted.
1910 there were only twenty-one
ses and two deaths. The number OF
ses has increased steadily since
At time. Most Of the cases have
pn In September and October. ct
already started this year,
Three Reasons Given.
Three reasons have been given for
high typhoid rate. 1.-The large