The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-06-20
Homes for Mechanics.

VIC nave oeioIe TeVerteu at lenStn 10 the
advantages which would result from Bull
ding AssOciation-the erection oil Lodging
Houses,-th sale to mechanics, clerks, and
laboring men of building lots on easy terms,
and small payments. Some attention has
been thus directed to that movement, and
We believe with few persons to institute it,
would rove successful. There are certain
ly half a dozen builders now, in our city
who have capital enough among themselves,
and confidence enough in each others bust
ness experience to commence it on a limited
scale, and yet one which would prove sue
cessful, and profitable.
There seems to be no other plea than this,
by which houses can be furnished the people
with supply equal to the demand. At
present, there are almost no houses to be
had at any price. Hundreds of families are
boarding at crowded hotels, crammed away
in populous boarding houses, or occupying
apartments misnamed "suite of rooms" in
some building, who would gladly take the
chance of occupying house suited to their
means and number. We believe $50 houses
of different sizes and prices, might find ten
ants before one month, were there that ma
ny eligibly situated. By means of Build
ing Association, homes would be furnished
at living prices to all these: subdivisions of
lots now unoccupied might ere long be COW
cred with neat and happy homes, and quar-
tiers of our city, in the suburbs now bare
and uninhabited, become beautiful and pop
ulous districts. 1t is this which will give
real value to real estate, and with such
permanent and solid increase of population
as movement of this kind would produce,
every man who owned property would be
benefited by it. The building ofsuch num-
Der OF houses would furnish great amount
of business for hardware stores, furnishing
stores, dealers in all kinds of household
gods, various branches of artizanship,-be-
sides furnishing employment for hundreds
OF workmen and mechanics of every trade.
Ere'y body would be benefited.
There are scores of men in business lin
this city who would bring out their families,
could they find home for them. But ma
ny are unable to take so much means from
their business as would buy lot and erect
house suitable for their family on it. They
prefer to rent or lease; and hundreds of me-
chanics, attracted by the remunerative pr-
ces of labor here, would gladly settle with
their families, were there any chance of find
ing comfortable home, at reasonable terms.
We thus lose many who would become val
liable citizens, and who would contribute
much to the prosperity and advancement of
our city. Our popula lion cannot increase
with as rapid pace as it otherwise would,
and much of the growth and prosperity of
the city is retarded.
This subject is one of interest to all our
citizens who can see its importance. Will
not some united and energetic action be ia
ken upon it? A slight experiment might
be made by some of our builders, as a pre-
Jude to general and wide spread Building
Association with heavy capital. The opin-
ions we have heard expressed indicate full
reliance in the success of the plan, and
favorable disposition towards assisting it.