In the late 19th century, the urban city population began to increase alarmingly. With so many people in so little space, the cities faced many problems and drawbacks. Some of these problems included shortage of housing, transportation difficulties, tainted water supplies, poor sanitation, increased crime rate, and fire hazards.The typical working class family had a tough time getting housing. Their options were to live in houses on the city outskirts that would provide transportation difficulties, or to live in cramped boarding houses with other families. Eventually, new houses called row houses were brought to attention. They were single family homes that shared a wall with another house similar to it.Transportation proved to be a difficulty for many Americans. In 1873, street cars, or trollys, were introduced in San Francisco. In 1897, Boston introduced electric subway systems. By the early 20th century, many of these transits networks helped link together many cities and other Urban areas.
one of the first street carsWith the increasing population, many cities found it difficult to supply safe drinking water. Some cities tried to organize public water holes, but many citizens complained that they were still inadequate. Most homes did not have indoor plumbing, so they had to get their water from the streets and heat it up just to have bathing water. In the 1870s, filterization was introduced and then Chlorination was introduced in 1908. Still, in the 20th century, maby people still had troubles finding safe drinking water.As the population of Urban cities increased, so did pollution. It was very difficult for the city workers to keep the streets clean. There was horse manure piled up along the sides of the streets, smoke flowed freely from factories, and people left their garbage out in the open because they did not have an organzied trash pickup. Some people were hired to clean the streets and public bathrooms but they did not always do a good job which led to more health issues.The crime rate began to increase with the populization. There were many pick-pockets and and thieves who could not find jobs of their own so they resulted to stealing.Without water, fires increased in the cities. Many people lived in log cabins and did not yet have electricity so they had to use kerosene laterns and matches which of course caught fire on the wooden walls. The first paid fire department was established in 1853. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The hazards of wooden homes were decreased in 1874 when new building materials were introduced.
Log home in the 19th centuryI find the early Urbanization very interesting. I think it would have been very difficult o cope with the housing shortages and the poor sanitation. Housing and plumbing are some things we take for granted, but they weren't always available back then. It really makes you think about what our ancestors had to deal with in order to get us to this country.
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