College of Social and Behavioral Science
73 Early Industry and Tenement Housing of Chicago: Health Hazards and Exposures
Madison Barnett
Faculty Mentor: Brett Clark (Environmental & Sustainability Studies, University of Utah)
Introduction
The Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries marked a turning point for labor and society. Work was progressively mechanized due to the development and incorporation of new inventions within industrial operations. In the late 19th century, Chicago emerged as a hub for industry, notably after the introduction of a railway system that helped establish the city as a central node in regional production and trade. Largest amongst the city’s industries were printing, paint, rubber, garments, meat, and textiles. The adopted use of heavy machinery meant higher production rates and large-scale factory operations. Many in need of work looked to Chicago as a city that offered ample opportunity for employment.
Industrial working conditions within the city had little oversight and regulation, which meant long workdays for the men, women, and children working to support the family unit on the front lines of manufacturing and production. Factory work was a common trade for those of lower socioeconomic status; it provided a meager wage regardless of the daily production of a worker. The largest class of workers earned from $5-$10 a week as a family, with some earning more and many others earning far less (Holbrook, 1895, p. 22). Workers, such as those making textiles, often needed to take materials home to finish, in order to ensure they could earn sufficient income. With the expansion of industry and subsequent labor came a need for cost-effective and proximal housing. Tenements became a quick solution that provided sufficient shelter for low-income workers and their families. This new era of industry and working conditions fostered an environment that prompted increasing concern regarding the health and well-being of industrial workers. The work of both Alice Hamilton and Florence Kelley in providing quantitative data and qualitative analysis of industrial Chicago demonstrates foundational work in what today is known as environmental justice.
The Conditions of Tenements and the Risks of Industrial Work
Tenement housing in the industrial district of East Chicago, though far from desirable, was a financially sound option for many working in the city’s factories. The tenements were multi-level, narrow buildings with each structure packed tightly against the next on the street. The housing had nothing more than small rooms, each consisting of one to two families, with little space for comfort or lounging. They often had poor ventilation, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. The harsh conditions of tenement housing facilitated the spread of disease and illness, as well as exposure to toxins and hazardous materials (Zeublin, 1895 p. 94). High-risk conditions of industrial work most often in trades dominate