The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-30
Eight Munarra Mechanics Bedding nder
Onr RooC.- an the EIe9nnrIeS and GSnaisrts
Of LIGe aI the CsaGr~I Of the DaS .LabOrrr.

Eixht Munarra Mechanics Re>ldIaK ndrr
one RooG.- an the Ele9nnrIcs and dSnafsris
Of LIGe nj the CsaGr~I Of the DaS -AabOrrr.
The S,,cial Palace is the term used
bv its builder. NJ Gudin, t. designate the
structure he has reared at Curse. France
for the hahitatinn az the nine hundred
workmen. who earn their daily bread by
labor in his foundry The Idea is based
on human sympathy and love, and seems
to be an eminently successful attempt to
solve one Of the great problems Of the age,
the harmony az labor and capital. An
eastern magazinst describes with much
care Of detail all the features Of the Fam
ilistere." as NJ Godin has also named II.
We present the leading features Of the
PROJECT III the following compendium
The thought of the thousands of human
beings whose lives are passed, from their
cradles t. their graves, without any oppor-
tunity If sleeping or living III well-ven-
tilated or decently furnished room, who
have never sat down to a well-cooked or
properly served meal. who have never en-
loved AN hours social intercourse sur
rounded with the conditions If culture and
refinement which the wealth their toll
produces has prepared for others, the
thought of this can not hut be present u
the hearts and minds Of every one who
recognizes the fact Of our common human
itv. and IL aware Of how he himself is the
result ~ conditions.
Aware If this. NJ. Godin felt the neces-
sitv uf building house which, III its con
strlIction should foster the spirit of social
sympathy while its arrangements should
interfere III no way with the domestic pri-
yacy ~ its inmates and which also, by its
air. its decoration, and its character,
should impress upon every one who
entered il the dignity Of the vocation of
industry {" which the lives of those for
whom il Was erected were devoted. IL
was NJ improved tenement house which
he wanted. ana still less was he DESTROYS
If erecting a set uf model workmen 5
homes. where the narruwness Of the gar
den patch. the smaliness Of the rooms, the
crowded and confined arrangement Of the
whole interior. should suggest constantly
IL those Mo dwelt in them. the narrow
ness ~ their own fortunes. and the pit
tancr # enjoyment with which the pres
cnt constitution Of society insists upon
their remaining contented and happy. II
was vel enough for such men AS Napoleon
Ill. t. hid for the admiration of the
pseudo-hberality Of his time by designing
and erecting such model houses for indus
try at Mulhnuse and elsewhere It was a
part Il the
sEAN sTATEsNANsHIP
which characterized the whole imperial
regime Nor did VI. Godin wish to erect
vast structure, which from feeling of
sentimental philanthropy, tempered witt
desire for personal notoriety, should be
charity IL those who were fortunate or
unfortunate enough To live in it. to be adj
rir,d and wondered at by the thoughtless,
somewhat as the luxurious stables which
other men. whose tastes lead them to
take greater interest in the well-being uf
their horses than their fellow-men. have
erected from superfluOus wealth This
was To- lie a social palace, and as it was to
inaIglIrate new era Of social life, there
was hut little architectural precedent by
which t. he aided ~ planning its con
struction. Though NJ Godin himself is
lar from claiming that iii the Familistere
he has attained all that is possible to at
tam III the new era of social architecture.
vet he deserves great credit for what he
has done and So Just was the method he
used ia the study If the problem which
he sought To- solve, that though the future
vii unquestIonably see extensions and en-
fragments made upon it, vet they must
he made in accordance with the principles
which he has here first practically realized
The plot II ground occupied by the
E...,I,-,-.. .pl tta ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
~ about eighteen acres, and is divided into
tWo parts by the river Disc, which flows in
a winding course through the grounds
The Eamilistere is upon one side of the
stream. and the buildings Of the foundry
upon the other Connection between them
a had i.y bridge.
THE GENERAL rLAN ~ THE ''FAMILIsTERE
comprises three chief buildings united to-
gcther The structure was built in this
form from the force Of circumstances.
The increase If NJ Godin's manufacturing
operations having attracted large mum
her 81 wurkmen t. the town Of Guise, il
became necessary to provide some place
for them t. live, and as the idea of the
FaInllIstere Was new, and experiment
alone could show whether it would be a
success or not. a first building was erected,
and afterward the others as additions As
VI. G"dIn SAYS
Ii II" create a lodging for from | 200 to
]. $40 persons Is daring experiment
had not the means To construct at once so
vast a house. and II seemed to me enough
to accommodate third Of this number
The plan If uniting a series of parallelo-
grains together afforded an opportunity for
realizing a unity Of design, which could be
realized by successive constructions, and
would allow me at thsnsame time to try an
experiment which v TOO new not to af-
ford in practice sugg stions which would
he # Importance in the final developments
Of the work | wished to undertake.
EACH or THESE THREE BUILDINGS
mcloses central court, which is covered
at the roof with glass, and each Of them is
four stories high. A gallery for each story
runs around the central courts, and from
these access is had to the various apart
ments. The stairways are placed in the
corners Of the buildings. The central
building measures 1876 feet front by I20
deep. The interior court measures 135 feet
by GO. The other two buildings measure
the one upon the left $50 feet BY ia.
with an interior court "a feet by 80 the
other, ON the right, 1872 feet by $50. The
courts are paved with cement, and upon
each floor there are communications con
Meeting the three buildings so that the
circulation through the entire Dalace ia