Chapter 24: What Has Been Done
Introduction
Up to this point in the book, it has all been about the problems with the tenements. This chapter focuses on what has been done to better these problems and improve the lives of the tenement dwellers. Many different departments and organizations worked to improve the inhabitants' lives. The main way they did this was by trying to educate the public about their poor living conditions, hoping this would cause them to fix their problems themselves without the law having to step in. They also worked to educate the landlords, which woud improve the tenement inhabitants' health as well. The tenement inhabitants responded very well to the education, and their physical health benefitted
Summary
What has been done by the law about the poor conditions in the tenements is restricted by itself to just educate the public rather than make an absolute law that everyone must follow to fix the problem. Reformers oppose the slow movements of the law but the author predicts that if the public is enlightened then the problems will begin to fix themselves without the law having to take away freedoms from citizens. The health officers of the law that do exist are opposed by the landlord because whether the landlord fixes the plumbing or not is considered to be his right to do about whatever he wants rather than be forced to do something by the law. So the educating of the public that needs to be accomplished to fix the problems needs to include educating the landlords as well as the tenants. But the education of the tenants is probably the more challenging task. There was one case where the landlord installed wood-closets, stationary tubs, sanitary plumbing, and other improvements. But his tenants were only grateful for the improvements because they could sell the faucets at the junk shop and use the wood-closets for kindling wood, and use the tubs for different things that didn’t involve washing. So to some degree the reason that the tenements are so bad is due to the tenants themselves preventing any improvements.
In this chapter it is expressed that the Board of Health thinks that rapid transit will solve the crowding problem but the author says it is a vain hope and that the workers will always wish to live close to their work regardless of the discomfort. Another fix to the problem was proposed by the Board to become law and that was that any tenement owner who owns ten or more families in his tenement must have a housekeeper to be responsible to the Health Department who would report problems and see to them getting fixed. Unfortunately this law was never accepted but to find an honest housekeeper to not be bribed by the tenement owner to not tell the Health Department about the issues would be a challenge. Especially since over 30,000 of them would need to be found if it were to be one housekeeper to one tenement in 1890. There are cases when a tenement owner willingly pays for a housekeeper to keep things sanitary and according to the author this can work miracles on the problems of the tenement. There are organizations that through charity make a big difference bringing the quality of the housing of the well off to the poor but even though progress has been made there are still miles upon miles to go.
In this chapter it is expressed that the Board of Health thinks that rapid transit will solve the crowding problem but the author says it is a vain hope and that the workers will always wish to live close to their work regardless of the discomfort. Another fix to the problem was proposed by the Board to become law and that was that any tenement owner who owns ten or more families in his tenement must have a housekeeper to be responsible to the Health Department who would report problems and see to them getting fixed. Unfortunately this law was never accepted but to find an honest housekeeper to not be bribed by the tenement owner to not tell the Health Department about the issues would be a challenge. Especially since over 30,000 of them would need to be found if it were to be one housekeeper to one tenement in 1890. There are cases when a tenement owner willingly pays for a housekeeper to keep things sanitary and according to the author this can work miracles on the problems of the tenement. There are organizations that through charity make a big difference bringing the quality of the housing of the well off to the poor but even though progress has been made there are still miles upon miles to go.
Bibliography
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.