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11
Taking 75 families, living in the other poorer districts,
(Hertford Place, May's Buildings, Carrington Street,, Thomas
Street, Grosvenor Market, &c.,) it was found that 61
live in single rooms ; that these rooms, if measured, give an
average cubic capacity of 982 feet; that the average number
of inmates is 3.7, and the average rent 3s. 4d.
In the Model Lodgings in Grosvenor Mews, one set of
rooms, 1,568 cubic feet,brings a rental of 3s. 6d. per week;
another 1,480 feet, let for 4s.; and a third 2,160 cubic feet
(that is a space 8 feet high, 27 long, and 10 broad), is let for
5s. All the lodgings in the model house, and in Bloomfield
Buildings, which are built on the same plan, are subdivided
into two apartments.
Now, as we said before, if fevers and diseases of that
class are to be kept under, it can only be by such cleanliness
as shall destroy the germs, and freely lay open all lurking
places to the light and air. Of the five points of cleanliness
which we enumerated above, three, viz.: cleanliness of person,
of wearing apparel, and of bedding, must be practised by the
tenants; but ought to be encouraged and enforced by the
landlords. The remaining two, viz.: cleanliness of walls and
ceilings, and of drains and refuse, are the duty of the landlords
alone.
Yet our experience has shown, that of owners of house
property there are three classes: the conscientious and intelligent,
who are many; the feeble and poor, (such as old women
who have invested their savings in the purchase of the lease
of a lodging-house, and who are defrauded by their dirty
and disorderly tenants, and who, as we have known, when
willing to repair their houses, have been cruelly cheated by
people employed); lastly, there are the utterly reckless,
whose only care it is to get what they can, and who never
trouble themselves about decency, health, and morality.