New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-11
Wooden Fences
In Back Yards
Affect Health
That Is One Reason for
Launching Campaign for
Erecting Metal Ones
b. BLEECkER MARQUETTE
Assistant Secretary of the Tenement
House Committee of the Charity
Organization Society

Assistant Secretary of the Tenement
House Committee of the Charity
Organization Society
There Is scarcely a tenement block
in the whole City Of New York where
the yards are not made worse than
useless By row upon row OF wooden
walls called fences Hardly SIN
gle argument can be raised in sup
port OF these high board fences IN
tenement yards; they not only com
pletely destroy the usefulness OF the
yards, which should provide breathing
spaces for tenement families ana
Fairgrounds for New York's child
population. but they are menace 20
every tenement neighbOrhood IN THIS
great city. Moreover, they impede
the free circulation Of light and arr
In the very sections of the city where
owing 20 the congestion Of population
every cubic foot of air and every ray
of light is most precious. kuDolsn
accumulatcs IN these yards, maklhE
them drearier and more unattractiVe
for tenants. often none too particular
under any circumstances, so thaJ
these tenants have not the slightest
incentive 60 keep their yards neat ana
clean and free from dirt. Under suca
conditions there Is absolutely no OPP
portunity 20 grow little grass plots
or beds Of flowers. now rarity m
the built-up sections Of New YORK.
And these wooden fences also pro-
vide excellent hiding places for
thieves and add materially 10 the iire
danger in every community where they
are found.
These are some Of the reasons that
led the Tenement House Commit tee
long ago 20 believe that the elimina-
ton of these wooden fences would be
tremendous gain in the health ana
welfare of our tenants, IN helping 70
solve the problem of providing much
needed play spaces 20 keep children
off the streets. in the general I'm =
moved appearance of the city, and
finally in adding 20 the attractiveness
and value Of tenement property.
The ideal. Of course. would be 70 90
awav entirely with back yard FENCES
and throw open the back yards IN tehe
nent districts into one general com r.
munity omen space. The practical DIM
cul,ies in the way Of that however, are
Great. and make this accomplishment
nearly imnossible. The use OF some
kind Of wire or iron fence in place OF
wood. however. is just as practical as u
il desirable. A careful study or prices
made BY the committee reveals the iacV
that il would cost n builder but little
more 20 erect some kind Of metal renee
than it would to put up wooden fence
and in the long run metal fence IL Iar
less expensive. IL costs almost noth-
ing 20 keep 10 in repair; II adds attrac-
tiveness 20 the property; il encourages
tenants 10 keep their yards neat ana
clean. instead Of using them for dump
heaps.
The Tenement House Committee be-
licves that builders and owners IN TINS
city can be made 20 see that the metal
fence is big advantage over the pres
ent high board fence, and more than
that. that IL is a first rate business
nroposition. The committee has
printed a little four-page circular set
ting forth in facts and figures the rea-
sons why metal fence should be used
A campaign has been organized IN
which every tenement owner and
builder in the city will be reached m
the effort TO boost the use OF metal
fence
There is not a single tenable argu
ment in support Of the wooden fence.
There Is almost nothing 20 be said
against the substitution Of iron or wire
/ fences like those used for years past
throughout the city Of Philadelphia,
which long ago recognized its advan'
tages. Most people interested and most
+ progressive builders will reecho the
sentiment expressed BY Tenement
/ House Commissioner Murphy: 81 wish
the idea of providing metal fences had
I come earlier; now that IL is here
/ wish 10 all success"