By Robert Treat Paine, Esq.
Boston
The housing conditions of Boston may be studied under five aspects:
1. The growth of population compared with the increase of houses.
2. The facilities for the building of new houses by private enterprise.
3. The influence of philanthropic efforts in building model blocks and separate homes.
4. Building laws.
5. The diminution of slum conditions.
1. The following table has been prepared by Dr. E. M. Hartwell, statistician of Boston.
| Population and Number of Dwelling-Houses with Per Cent of Annual Increase. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year. | Estimated Population. | Per Cent Increase. | Total Number of Dwelling-Houses. | Per Cent Increase. | Of those Vacant Dwellings. |
| 1891 | 457,772 | 2.07 | 53,429 | 2.42 | 1,104 |
| 1892 | 467,260 | 2.07 | 54,853 | 2.67 | 1,269 |
| 1893 | 476,945 | 2.07 | 56,730 | 3.42 | 1,446 |
| 1894 | 486,830 | 2.07 | 58,310 | 2.79 | 1,866 |
| 1895 | 496,920 | 2.07 | 60,039 | 2.96 | 1,964 |
| 1896 | 509,102 | 2.45 | 60,278 | .40 | 2,205 |
| 1897 | 521,583 | 2.45 | 61,573 | 2.15 | 2,127 |
| 1898 | 534,370 | 2.45 | 62,850 | 2.07 | 2,647 |
| 1899 | 547,470 | 2.45 | 63,890 | 1.65 | 2,902 |
| 1900 | 560,892 | 2.45 | 64,886 | 1.56 | 2,686 |
| 1901 | 573,579 | 2.26 | 65,600 | 1.10 | 2,627 |