Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-29
NV TIE EDITOR


byways OF that district of tenemenrs
river?
How many have visited this district
within the past month
Probably not one in ten has visited
these tenemeHts probably not one in
90 within the past month Most of
Us know. in a vague way. that there
are 'congested conditions" here and
that pretty often the police reports
printed in the daily papers tel! Of muir
ders. suicides and other unpleasant in
Cidents occurring in these crowded
sections.
But most Of weIl-to-do Honolulu
rolls swiftly and easily along King
street, or up Nuuanu CT up Li!iha-
very seldom along Vineyard. School or
the other cross streets-and sees lit
tie of the conditions in these back al
leys and narrow streets swarming
with mixed population of all ages
and both sexes
A few years ago Or. !. S. B. Pratt.
president of the board OF health. cs-
corted me one day through China
town" and showed the beginning of the
important sanitary work inaugurated.
| believe, under Ernest A. Nott-Smith
as president Of the board ard carried
along efficiently when Or. Pratt sue
ceeded him One chief feature Of that
work was the enforcing of regulations
for cement floors and drains in Ger.
tain tenement districts.
From time to time since. every few
weeks, | have gone through the tene-
ment districts, sometimes viii! a san.
itarY inspector, more often by myself.
Up until a few weeks ago one could
say with perfect truth that there was
generally a steady, if slow, improve
ment in tenement conditions While
the pressure of population was grow.
ing, the sanitary conditions we're be-
ing bettered.
This same gratifying statement can
not now be made. The reason for that
is the reason for this article, and the
reason that is causing special concern
just now to social workers in touch
with conditions night and day in Ho-
nolulu's poorer section.
Conditions Dangerous.
A few days ago w. E. Pietsch came
to me and said that something ought
to be done about the hundreds of
plantation workers and their families
invading the city. He said the con-
ditions were bad and might soon be
appalling. When l asked him the
cause, he invited me to trip through
the tenement districts and, with
member of the territorial grand jury,
We went out the following afternoon.
We armed ourselves with load of
magazines, mostly pictur magazines,
and a large sack OF candy. procured
at wholesale rates from friendly Chi
nese merchant, and spent some hours
in tour of perhaps 20 tenements, in
Guiding some Of the largest in Homo
lulu.
The following notes were made on
the spot, as we went from place to
place. 1t will be noticed that repeat
ed mention is made Of the crowds of
single men hanging around these dis
tricts in the early afternoon, evidence
Of a widespread condition of unem-
ployment which is unnecessary, as
there is work for men in several oc.
equations:
"Ah Leong block, King street. OPP
posite o. r. & L. station, courtyard
crowded with men, Is to 20 seen dur
ing few minutes stay; five obviously
intoxicated. Half a dozen Filipinos
hanging around. Several large fam.
lilies in dirty rooms, including two in
toxicated women. Conditions around
courtyard, however, not so bad as on
other side Of building. Here were
found three families from plantations,
enc of seven, one of five and one of
six children. Each family had a room.
Each family was waiting to take a
steamer TO coast but unable to get
passage. This whole side of building
swarmed with single men, though il
was the middle of the afternoon. All
were evidently idlers. Half dressed
women, apparently Filipino, Porto
Rican, Hawaiian and negro, were
lettering around.
Toilets in bad condition. All ages
and sexes used toilets without segre.
cation.
The three plantation families were
Spanish, two from Koloa, Kauai, one
from Eva, Oahu.
Tenement up alley off King. street
opposite Beretania and King juno.
ton: This ard an adjoining tenement
were fairly clean and much better
kept than most seen during the day,
hut swarmed with Filipino men. All
said they had come to town from
plantations and didn't know what they
we're going to do next. A number Of
young girls from 10 to 16 years old
strolling in and out of mems rooms.
mo. 1927 Liliha street: Cruz fam
lily (Spanish), six in one room Father
shoemaker. This family had more
means of livelihood than most seen
during the inspection, but neighbor.
hood unquestionably bad. Typical in
stance of how families must live in |
close proximity to vicious conditions.
Where Children Are Housed.
"Liliha and Vineyard streets: In