488 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
obtain such a permit. In consequence of this rigid inspection to which they have been subjected, the character of New York's one hundred houses has steadily improved, until at the present time, for instance, not more than twenty are without bathing facilities of some kind, while several, notably the new Salvation Army house on Chatham Square, have a splendid equipment of hot and cold shower-baths in the basement, steam heat, elevator service, and other modern requirements of civilization. The writer spent one whole day making a careful inspection of some twelve of these houses and was most agreeably surprised at the good condition that they were in. Yet this has been brought about only by rigid and frequent inspection, for it is well known that the cheaper class of houses will backslide at the first opportunity.
Besides the lodging houses, the department makes many other inspections, particularly of the large mercantile establish- ments where many children are often employed. In 1902 it also began the regular inspection of churches for the first time. For it is now considered of the first importance that the best sanitary condition should prevail in churches, theaters, and all other places where large gatherings assemble. On the whole, during 1902, 10,000 inspections of mercantile establishments and 871 inspections of lodging houses were made.
Employment certificates. The laws of 1896 (chap. 425) pro- vide that no child shall be employed in any store, factory, or workshop, etc., in the state of New York under fourteen years of age; and that all children between the ages of fourteen and sixteen so employed must be provided with proper certificates from the Board of Health. These certificates state the age of the child and its physical fitness for work, etc. The only excep- tions to this rule are in the cases of children over twelve who may be employed during the summer vacation when provided with a proper certificate. Out of 32,000 of these certificates applied for 14,482 were issued by the board in 1902. These must all be filed in the office of the employer ; and the inspectors have the power to arrest all persons who refuse to comply with the law under a penalty of $500 fine or one year's imprisonment, or both.
