Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-08-15
HOMES FOR THE wORkINGMEN.

Inc cooperative movement as applied TO
furnishing dwellings for the people Is being
entered upon so extensively in this country
that II Will doubtless interest large number of
our readers TO give the latest results of sue
cessful experimentation in EuroDe in this
direction, as CLEANED from recent publications
On Industrial matters. A very remark ab!e
experiment in house-ouIldiug which has
changed the aspect OF industrial life in Edin
burgh. is now attracting the attention of those
Interested in improving the social condition Of
the workingmen,
In tie year 1861 serious dispute occurred in
the building trades Of Edinburgh very nnuch
ike that prevailing now in New York between
tne bIlck-lsyers and the EMPLOYERS The
"OfAmen, on the ground of requiring more
ieisure for individual Improvement wished a
Shahee IN their hours OF LABOR; and after much
consultation and with due notice given, they
offered ''E inc hours work for nine hours nav, y
dlmlnutlon Of wages in proportion to the
reduction OF time. The employers refused the
cfeii the men were in earnest: and there ensued
o-tach which lasted tor three weary months.
at the end Of that tine the masters yielded,
and thus the nine hours movement was estab.
liShed in Edinburgh. During this memorable
CONTEST II had often been represented to
the workmen, and many had come to see, that
they were not ecoAomizing their resources. or
turning their strength to the most account; that
the tel or fifteen shillings paid weekly 10 each
man for upholding through idleness the COM
mon cause might have teen more adyan-
tageously employed that, in a word, the s9D,HGO
or S25,COU expended might have done a two
fold work-maintaIned the struggle fo9 a de-
sirable end and effected 4 social reform. which,
by prov iding properly constructed and health.
fully-situated houses, would have rendered il
possible for portion Of the newly acquired
lel> ure Thy the triumph of the nine hour noyl-
menD TO be spent in a home life, possessing
essential elements OF comfort and happiness
The most of the dwelling houses for working
men in Edinburgh were a disgrace TO modern
civilization; the census OF 1861 showing that III
families of that town lived in one roomed
tenements without a window; and that 13.2Ja
families. not less than 66OOJ individuals, lived
in houses Of a single apartment, l,5}O of which
had from six TO fifteen inhabitants living in
each!
In April, 1851, meeting of a few working
masons was held, aud a Cooperative Building
Company was formed on the basis of a capital
OF $500, IN shares Of 81 each. The amount
actually subscribed al first by the Edinburgh
eo-operators was but Sl25; and from this small
beginning the most important economic results
have been attained. BY 1861 all the shares
were taken up, and the number of members il
now SO. The working capital has been turned
over ten or twelve times al an average OF If.
teen per cent; and the process goes en- and
raay 90 on indefinitely. About 400 houses, pro-
viding ample and healthful Accommodations
for at least 1850 individuals, have been erected
and sold for Sl50,0O0-the dividends Of which
would go TO augment the comforts Of several
thousand recipients, varying from * TO II,
IN m
and amount of work executed. The houses
vary cor siaerably in size and in ternal arrange
ments, but for the most part they are two sto-
ries high, and contain from three to six moder.
ately-sized apartments with all necessary con.
yeniences, the best sanitary arrangements 4
plot OF ground twenty feet square in front, and
the use Of an ample bleaching green. Tn.
prices range, according to size and position,
from $3.50 to 500. If, then, any one-though
members OF the society are preferred, there are
many exceptiOns-desires a home which costs
$3.50 and has the command OF S25, he can at
once become purchaser. The process is SIM
PIE and safe. BY mutual arrangement with
the company, the societies termed property
Investment Societies" advance on the security
of the title deeds the balance of s625, and The
purchaser, by an annual payment OF scarcely
$40 more than the mere rent Of some miserable
howell, redeems the property in fourteen years.
Of course many pay the whole purchase money
al once. and others spread the payment over a
brief period; but in any case they become pos
sessed Of r substantial and conmodious dwell
ing house for an actual outlay (over rent of
S1O0 or 500.
The purpose aimed at by the co-operators il
will be seen Is 70 give the highest rate of wages
and divide the profits only among those who
become shareholders, at the same time giving
every possible facility for becoming so. Prac.
ncally 1t - combination of wOrkmen who
agree to pay each other stipulated sum week.
ly, and then divide the profits among those
who have helped TO create the capital necss-
sary 70 carry on the movement according to he
amount contributed by each. Every man IL
directly interested in doing his duty and seeing
that others do theirs. Thus materials are
economical, and the work is thoroughly eff
Gent the amount Of production Is increased,
and the company is enabled to provide, a,
moderate cost, and with q reasonable return, 4
class OF houses, which, as the prod CT OF ordi-
nary competition and speculation, would have
been higher in price, inferior in quality, and
not unlikely, badly situated.