The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-06-17
BUILDING SOCIETIES.

organization must meeG d PUBIC
want; hence, some good things are
premature ana therefore fail, and
others coming too late, are not as
fruitful of good results, or at least
are shOrn of some good which their
creation in. the very nick of time"
would have accomplished.
In the old times of barter, or trade
as it is called, there were no Difficult
ties in any mans way in this Terri
tory N regard to his becoming pos
sessed of home; industry was the
inevitable parent of all the progress
which Wasssso wonderful in the
early history of Utah. When a
man labored he scarcely ever saw
any money, stores were less numer-
Gus, habits we're more simple, fash
ion was not so exacting; and then
land was valueless almost; adobies
were made from the ground, lum-
Der came from the canyon, pickets
and Iath and shingles and apple
trees were the currency of the coun-
try, and when man was paid in
these, with the little addition of
flour, molasses, squash, potatoes.
ETC., life was sustained, health pre-
vailed, and necessity compelled the
organization of this abundant cur
rency into houses, and barns, and
pig pens, and chicken coops, and
corrals, until tangible and taxable
real estate and homes thereon grew
almost by magic (as it seemed them,
but by methods which now would
be counted very, very slow. With
the advent of railroads, the opening
of mines, the over abundant supply
of merchandise, and the payment
of laborers in money, there has
come a more. lavish expenditure;
comforts-luxuries some would call
them-are now common everywhere
in this region, and the "hand to
mouth" system of living has sup
planted the old style. when the
staples of life and large quantities
of material beside were almost
universally owned. The influx of
what IS called the "Gehtile" popu-
lation has tended to and pushed the
advance of real estate; rents have
become high, it is difficult for new
Corners to find places; in which to
live, and many who have been here
a few years find an increased family
amid the old facilities, and all so lIY-
ing that the usual salary or wages
seems insufficient for that living and
and building or enlarging so as to
reach those comforts which the will
ling and Industrious man every
where ought to enjoy!
The organized emigration to Utah
is mainly "Mormon" and to large
extent European. This comes from
countries where a laboring man
owning his home is rarity. Here,
however, the majority do so, not al
ways as good probably as desirable,
but sufficiently so to urge, if only by
example, every co-religionist to de.
sire the same privilege and enjoy
ment. Again, no transient feeling
animates the ''Mormon" population.
They are here to ray,andIthe sooner
they can become possessed of land
and farms and homes, the more in
tense is their interest in all order,
stability, prosperity and the general
progress of the whole. Then the
ola time system while, efficient and
progressive was slow; a man
trying for a home would
lay the foundation one year
put up the walls next, living mean
while on hope in a simple dug-out
maybe, and during another year the
roof might go on and one room get
coat of plaster, until bye and bye
the home was finished If not fur
nished' Now houses are built and
occupied within a few weeks. There
is rapidity of execution but no
poor or laboring man can build that
way, because everything is cash.
Mechanics want their pay when
their work IS done bricks and lum
Der must be generally paid for in
advance or on delivery. so that to
add room even to house almost
appalls the man Of growing family
and modern methods of living.
Time and time again it has been
suggested that men CT means should
build houses for the artisan and
mechanic and clerk, but if increased
facilities for renting acts as bar
rier to the ambition of man, if
ease of rental brushes the thought
of becoming land and home owners,
it is injurious to the best interests
of society, which should aim, nav
compel, every good and desirable
citizen to have a stake in the coun-
try for himself, and to set an ex-
ample to his own posterity as we'll
as to others. To rent, then, by a
Mormon" should never be sub
mitted to, only as an expedient for
transitional period, to pass away
as speedily as possible.
Here is where the building society
is necessary, and By mutual and
brotherly aid it will accomplish all
that it intends. By the payment
of continuous monthly instruments
or subscriptions, then borrowing
and adding a small interest, unitedly
averaging probably but little more
than a rent, the house finally be-
comes clear to its possessor, quietly
and almost silently secured during
a series of years.
There are three classes which can
be particularly benefited by this