The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-01-30
Cheap Homes.

erS ana Mecnan1cs Savings BANK OF THIS
city, advertised for specifications for cheap
brick, fre-proof cottages, such as it would
be within the limited means Of any me-
chanic to bnild, who owned lot. The
bank loans large part Of its funds to me-
chanics with which to build homes, and
hence the enterprise was, 50 to speak, in
it's line of business. In response to the ad
vertIsements, twenty eight specifications
have been received, on which a committee
composed Of Louis VAIL, n. S. Bouton,
Mr.. Grannis, Mr. Drew, and Sanitary
Superintendent DR.. b. c. Miller, is now
passing judgement, and will award the
prize of 81 900.
bank, according to agreement, owns
all the plans and specifications, and will
soon issue them with drawings in pamph-
let form. This movement on the .srt of
the corporation, is most cOmmendabie
one. and cannot fail to subserve number
of excellent purposes. In the first place,
by means Of this competition, the bottom
price has been reached-for each
proposal is accompanied by an agreement
to erect from one to fifty houses for the
price speci6ed-and a man learns precisely
what he can build for just such house as
wants, In the next place, every ingenu-
ity has been exhausted to achieve fire proof
results, and this in itself, will be a bless
ing The first cottage erected under any
plan will be put to fire test-that is to
say, rough floors will be laid, windows and
doors put in, and conhagration started,
and after all the combustible material has
been consumed, it is specified that the
walls and ceiling must be intact, so that
the finishing can be proceeded with, with
out repairs, excepting to such parts as
we're intended should be consumed.
The officers Of the bank and the commit
tee to determine the prize, are highly
pleased with the result submitted 10 them
by the architectural fraternity. Plans and
specifications have been received from all
parts Of the country, and some wonder
fully low figures are reached. number
of them proposing to put up fre-proof
brick cottages for less than 81 900.
Here are some specimens. This cottage
will cost $97S 1t is 2lx30 feet, and con
tains FIVE rooms, hall, a closit. and
pantry The foundations are laid in clay,
on plank, the walls are to be 12inch hOl-
low, the partitions are to be of brick, the
ceiling is to be plastered and then cement
ed for fre-proof purposes, cornice of brick.
Door-sills and window trimmings to be Of
artificial stone. In front is to be a wire
fence, and an asphalt walk will pass from
the front along the side and at the rear to
q brick clubhouse, and coal-house.
This will cost 81, 400. 1t is two-story
brick with basement, containing two large
rooms on the first floor and three bedrooms
above. The ceiling to be Of corrugated
iron. This building is entirely fre-proof.
Without basement it will cost 81 800; two
together, with basement, will cost 81, $50,
and without basement 81, $50.
This will cost 81, 500. It il handsome
story and half cottage, for all practical
purposes as good a. two stories. The roof
to be of slate. On the first floor is a par
lor, kitchen, q scullory, and bathroom
and coai-6in. On the second floor are
three bedrooms and q chamber. The
structure is really little beauty.
Then there are plans for $1,000 and
q, 500 houses, all 6re-prOof and equally
cheap for their sixe; and also plans for
stores with dwellings above, and plans for
on the combination principle.
Chicago has plenty of territory. What
she needs is cheap but durable construc-
ton, and that will put an end to the tene-
ment shsmbles.