Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-05-12
HOUSING AND HEALTH.

Plans have just been completed for
the erection of series of model
homes in the city of Washington for
the purpose of demo: .strating to the
Nation the relationship between good
housing and good health. These are
to be known as tho Ellen Wilson
homes, and are not in the nature of
an experiment, but are intended as q
demonstration to the entire United
States.
The intimate connection between
bad housing and bad health and good
housing and good health is clearly
recognized in Washington, where the
alley dwellings have long been mat
ter of concern both to the health au
thortiies and to public spirited citizens
who wish the capital city to be an
example to the Nation. The alleys
have been paved, sewers and water
mains have been laid in them, thew
are lighted and cleaned as are the
Streets. Ye they keep their old lead
over the streets when it comes to tot
aling the figures for disease and of
death.
In this, Washington's experience
has been like that of Liverpool and
other European cities which tried
unsucessfully to make badly situat-
ed dwellings wholesome by cleaning
and fumigating. After thirty-three
years OF unavailing effort to improve
that which was fundamentally bad,
Liverpool finally decided that the on
~ hope lay in wiping out its insan-
itary areas. 1t demolishes the old
houses by the acre and in place of
them built new houses. Where dwell
llhgs nave been crowded so close to-
gether that there was scarcely pas
sage room Tor stout man to squeeze
ms way to one of the old rearhous-
es, IL built new dwellings opening
upon wide spaces which provided bo, h
light and air. immediately sickness
and death decreased and with tbem
vice and crime. What had seemed n
hopeless struggle for more than a
generation was won.
Other cities in Europe have done
the same and with the same results
but what makes LiverpooPs figures
OF unusual value is that the new
houses are occupied by the same peo.
pie who occupied the old ones. In
some instances the population on n
given area in the new buildings is 90
per cent the same as that which liv.
cd on the area in the old BIZ ildinqs
SO here the effect of housing is moi
complicated by questions of differ
ent occupants, of better food or cloth
ing or generally higher standard OF
iiving. The housing only has been
changed and the rsults are striking.
Washington is attempting much the
same WORK. though IN less drn-
matte manner. Congress has enact
ed law which goes into effect on
July l, 1918, according to which all
the alley dwellings, in the District of
Columbla must cease to be used for
dwelling purposes. Meanwhile, in or
der that there may be accommodo.
ton Tor those who will be forced n
seek new homes in street houses
there has been organized q limited
dividend company which is to bulld
houses that VIII not only BIO sanitary
but that will provide not only album.
dance of light and air, but houses
attractive INTELLECTUALLY, homelike in
their arrangements and containing
Dath rooms and provisions for hot
water IN the place of the old out.
door closets ana hydrant9.
| Such houses as these cannot nj
course, yiled the return upon the in
vetsment that the old houses did. In
!act congress III its act incorporat.
4 ing the Ellen Wilson Homes. limited
It's dividends to 3 per cent. net. But
liey VIII yield to their sto kholdcrs n
aiViuehd III the form of satisfaction
because OF q needed work well done
10 tnelr tenants they will give re-
iieI from prevenetable sickness and
ueath ana an increase in the joy of
living. ~ "a