Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-17
WORKlNCuENs HOMES.
Projects That Have Been Undertaken
In Germany and France.

From the Phiadelphis Ledger
In germany the question Of workingmen's homes
has been under discussion for forty years and It
stil being talked over BY professors and philan-
tnropnlsts, with little practical result. The gov
eminent, as usual, is expected 10 do everything,
anu IL mas set the example In some Of its public
WORKS. which has been successfully followed at
many OF the great private Industrial centers.
mus, at Saaroruck, between 1912 and 1871, 3,oe1
houses nave been built, toward which the govern
ment gave outright $500, OOO loaned $3.50 900, and
guaranteed 100000 advanced by the savings
banks krupp's famous works at Essen, founded
had 2O,OO0-with their families, $4,000 OF this
numOer 1S,60S are living In houses owned by
hIupp, each house containing from two TO sixteen
averaging 500 year. For the unmarried men
large barracks are provided, free OF cost, their
BOARD costing very little
Holland. Italy, spain. and Denmark have all
more OF less successful enterprises for providing
homes for the worktngmen.
In France the great manufacturing firms set the
example, nd as FAR back as 1885 at MulhOuse one
concern put up SO small houses, each with two
sleeping rooms, a Kitchen, q cellar and gard n,
sbouIa cny, On SonditlOn tnae sae .eman ~
schoOl, and make a weekly deposit In the saving
Dank. Out OF this grew company organized In
ISol which by 1881 mad built 996 houses, Of which
6I2 had become the property OF the tenant, max
Ing total OF 100000 thus invested This and
other plans have been adopted by the great iron.
coal and other Industrial establishments, partly
as necessity for large works In remote places,
vhere II was matter OF economy for the en-
aSe sRs towns ST sne sns
work has been carried on. At Lille a
building association has put up 243 houses.
and the city has aso helped IN otneT
enterprises by loans and guaran. ees. At Orleans
private enterprise has built 2l5 houses. thus
showing what can be done without state help
even In France Havre III houses have been
put up by building society and sold at $3.50
apiece.
At kouep, the old crowded quarter Of the town,
with q death rate OF 90 per 1000, was destroyed,
and q building society formed which put up one
sons and they were sold for 81 600 Tor each set
chamDerS-nOt dear, considering the abundant
sanitary provisions, but beyond the average work.
At Lyons, after careful investigation, q com.
pany put up nve houses OF four stories. providing
sixty sets OF apartments, each OF three rooms,
with asphalt yards, gas &C.. renting for $15 each
and netting pc, cent on the Investment The
result Is so encouraging that the enterprise Is u
De carried forward on large scale. The other
are going on with similar building operations In
Paris, In 1852. the government gave $2,OOO,OOO 70
provide Improved homes for workmen; over hall
was used In building asylumns part for seven.
teen apartment houses, which were so fne that
they were at once let TO men far better on than
the workmen, and the bal nee was advanced to ILL.,
dividuals who. instead Of building homes for
workmen, put up houses that soon found q
very inherent class OF tenants The error was
Tor workmen and promptly rented by weil-to-dO
class only TOO glad to escape the usual discomfOrts
OF Paris houses. or late a company has built at
PasSy, near Paris, fifty small houses renting at
$40. On the basis OF per cent, and by annual In
stalmentS OF $50 In twenty years the Tenant be-
comes owner but even this Is for the best class OF
workmen and not for the great mass whose need
Is most pressing. Not per cent OF the wOrkmen
OF Paris an get the benefit OF this and similar
plans. One set OF houses, each OF three rOoms,
with kitchen, &c, can be sold for 81, $50 On an
annual payment Tor twenty years OF 500, and an
Otner for $125 year for fifteen years, for 81 900
cLSh, but only few even OF those who can pay
these prices are thus provided Tor.
In Paris there Is abundant room for q large in
vestment both for prOft and philanthropy. There
factory or workshop $50 is often asked and given.
For three rooms $50 would be the very lowest, and
that means daiy earning OF So day. In the
rooms let 10y the night the price is rarely less than
% cents, making an annual return OF 500 enough
10 secure comfort and decency, in lieu Of the
wretchedneSS and vice that are implied In the
night-lodging houses. There ought TO be no
trouble In so regulating the matter that the work.
man should get The worth OF his mOney-buL as IL
Is IL pays better 70 rent rooms to the poor than
the rich. Some OF the crowded tenement houses
return their owners 20 per cent OF their value.
Nor Is 1t only the money loss for the landlord OF
the poor l. often their worst taSkmaSter, enfOrceS
harsh conditions and makes no allowance for sick
ness or want OF work. II Is only where pnilan-
thr0py 1ntervenes that these are considered