New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-22
WY NOT BUILD Z

5NSu p4oSei''A mixers elhleI IshLiAS any N"iA
ing change, Or act up to their conviction when
realized What was yesterday will happen
precise tomorrow is the sum and substance
of most mems philosophy The city. has con-
eained only so many thousand inhabitants
hitherto-therefore it will contain no morehere
after or if it will, it has contrived in some
way to get along for the past ten years with
the amount of house room it had then, and
must do so for another decade.
The above we presume is fair statement
ofthe manner in which large proportion of
our population reason about what is really |
the greatest question of their life-the proyid- |
ing of comfortable tenements for themselves |
and families. The truth of the matter how
ever is that this serious question receives no
attention at all from large number of our
readers, and too many go through life without
giving the matter a hearing one way or the
other.
We wish to show that it is the duty of every
head of q family, and of every young man
who expects to become one, to buy some sort
of homestead at once, Or to make some sort
of provision for obtaining one. The sug-
gestion will raise smile with many whose
means are limited, and who, therefore, reason
that the thing is obviously out of their power
| Nevertheless, there are hundreds of young
men who, with little -economy-by tax
! ing a few drinks less here, or by limiting their
cigars there-could devote a small monthly
fund Of from fifteen to a hundred dollars
towards fulfilling what is almost the first duty
Of nature. A man that lives all of his life on
. comfortable salary, and yet dies without
having provided his family with some shelter,
\ would have been denied the right of sepulture
by the Egyptians, and even modern epitaph
writer might feel some hesitation about &C.
cording him every virtue upon his tomb
! Where tits out of the power of one man to
4 purchase house by his own efforts and earn
ings alone, the plan adopted in many of our
cities to unite with one or more friends in
an undertaking of this SORTS what natur-
ally suggests itself. Such schemes may ap-
pear impracticable or absurd to those who
have abundant means at their disposal, but
they have robbed life of some of its most har-
assing cares in more than one instance. few
hundred dollars would purchase many of the
the city and a few hundred more would pro
vide comfortable tenement, and relieve the
happy house owner from the increasing ex
actions of landlords and the doubt of % where
tomorrow" to sleep which disturbs more
conscienees than Richards. Some regard for
the comfort of wives and the raising of
children inclines many who worship the house
hold gods to agree with us in every thing we
have said. The principal difficulties in the
way are, the lack of capital, energy and con-
fdence in the future. One thing every reader
may lay to heart, who is now almost frantic
at the prices he will have to pay for rents,
is, that they will never be any lower If
they are high for the coming year, there is
no certainty that they will not double the
year after. Every probability is in prospect
of their steadily increasing, and this view
has never been falsifed by the figures or
statistics Of the last sixty years With the
| West settling up at its present rates. it stands
to reason that this city, which does the COM
merce of the West, should double it's
population in ten years. But the city has virtr-
ally but little increased its accommodations
for the last ten years-that is to say it has
really room sufficient for only about half of
its present Inhabitants and the remainder
have been packed about in garrets, cellars. |
and closets in such way as to Justify the
complaint that it is more difficult for families
of small means to live here comfortably. not
to say reputably, than in any city i'll America.
The objection that many have to building
on account of the high price of lumber is the
last that should prevail. There is no business
in point Of fact that has so much competition
in the South as the preparing of lumber for
the market To our certain knowledge lumber
made not two weeks since at mills in Alabama
was supplied this city at ten dollars thou
sand feet whatever it may have cost in getting
il here. This price virtually pays only for the
labor the value Of the pine being counted
as nothing. The scarcity Of timber, if any
thing, ought in time add to the present prices.
But even If there was any probability of
general fall in building materials, (and there
IS nots), when the lowest rents are at least
seyenty-fye per- cent upon the, value of the
property, it would be cheaper for every head
Of family to build than to rent sz-.I
Itis said that the general prosperity Of a
country in some measure depends upon the
number Of owners and small cultivators Of
The soil. If it is true of the country there {
are some considerations which ought to make
+ infinitely moretso of cities It is a matter l
If morality to provide for young couples com
nencing life, for even love in cottage is S
'ut of the question to many at the present '
farming rates of house rent And not only !
his, but there is no happiness which is de, L
'endent upon the suferance of a landlord. e
'uicide is indefensible with the Indian who a
as ten days provision before him; but then "
e has half continent for his quarters. The "
exations about lodgings are almost as provo n
ative Of such thoughts as the scarcity Of
read and meat, and should the philosophical =
I'd man be badgered as many are just at pres :
ntin this city, about shelter. he would probably L
and in his checks less than half of the. ten
avs. @ sva .H "a Fl
In conclusion, while we are upon the sub I
act, it may not bein1proper to mention that e,
mere has been clearance of the disreputable ci
opulatiQp from Dauphineo and adjoining p
reefs and that there isno sensibIereason why d
lese localities should not be occupied hence g
nth by an honester population, nj
Parties who la0se, aiaa1.k{,n az, Is -, a.; II -