The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-21

To prevent the spread OF influenza,
DR.. Royal s. Copeland, Health Com
missioner of New York city, has de-
cided upon drastic measures to compel
landlords to heat apartment houses. The
Commissioner will send out his officers
to-day with instructions to arrest land
lords who have refused to supply their
tenants with heat or course this step
can be taken, as DR.. Copeland ex-
planned yesterday. only in cases where
the landlords have agreed, under terms
or their leasing contracts. to furnish
heat
I'VE have no power TO make a man
put fire in his house." said DR.. Cope
land. but IL the landlord has entered
into a contract to furnish heat We can
and we will take action. II n lease
provides for heat and the landlord re-
fuses to furnish such heat. he Is guilty
of a misdemeanor under Section 225 OF
the Sanitary Code. which reads:
1T shall be the duty of every persor,
who shall have contracted or undertaken
70 heat or to furnish heat for any build
ing or portion thereof. occupied as a
home or place OF residence OF one or
ment where one or more persons are en-
ployed, to heat or to furnish heat for
every occupied room In such building. or
portion thereof. SO that minimum tem-
perature OF 6S degrees Fahrenheit may
be maintained therein at all such times,
Provided, however. the provisions of this
section shall not apply to buildings or
portions thereof used for trades, busi-
nesses or occupations where high or low
temperatures are essential and unavoid-
able
VIII Put Ordinance 10 Test.
I'VE intend to put this ordinance to
test. 1t probably will be rainy to-
morrow, and 1t is important that neither
we'll nor sick persons shall be forced
| to live In chilly or damp houses Warmth
| Is especially essential for those who ar,
! convalescing from an attack OF influenza
and are just out OF bed.
II have received over 100 letters ano
| kilograms to-day from tenants complain
| ing of the situation. Some landlords ir
making new leases have cut out the
words and heat and the tenants wnS
sign these leases have no redress, Bu'
there have been a number OF cases called
to my attention where old tenants. hav'
ing leases calling for heat, have come. tt
the assist ance of their less fortunate fel'
low tenants and make the complaints ir
their names. The landlords will have
to furnish heat In this emergency. ant
they might as well know it now as a
any other time"
One case called to the attention OF thu
Health Commissioner concerned the pre-
dicament of a chief commlssary steward
from one of the warships who CANT
ashore two days ago after serving for q
year and a half in foreign waters L
fnd his wife and two children suffering
from influenza. One child was In dy
ing condition. He applied to his land
lord for heat. but his request was re
fused. In compliance with orders he ha'
to board his ship yesterday without be
ing able to do anything further to al
Ieviate the suffering OF his family. DR.
Copeland will make a thorough investi
CATION OF this case.
! $4,000 Miners stricken.
In the face OF DR.. Copelands cam
paign to warm up the city, however
came a dlscouraging report from tn
anthracite region to the effect tina
$4,000 pine workers and their familie