The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-29
COLUMBIA.
The Key to : Popular Enigna.

The Key 10 Popular Enigma.
The Washington Cooperative Home Company,
recently incorporated Ia this city, having an
nounced their intention to sell lots and houses
at their new suburban townsitc, Column sa, on q
new system of small and ensy savings, gentle
man interested IN such matters ran down some
OF the officers OF the company at the Office OF
Boman 4 Rochester in the Occidental block.
Percy w. Rochester, the president. and John
J. Wiley, the secretary OF the company were found
and although busiiy engaged In systemstixng
the detail work of the company, the gentlemen
readily consented to stop the machinery long
you seen Colu.nbia with the big C7'' asked MI.
Rochester.
AZ the gentleman is not blind he readily un-
crypsosrnmatic Columbia s." which has
covered the bill boards and dead walls of the
city for several days. "Where Is Columbian
asked the inquirer.
"Four miles from Occidental square. just
south of the city limits, and the Rainier avenue
electric cars run diagonalIy through the tract
SS ~ lame o. ABOUT one mic 4 Is me
Here the gentleman, by q iudicicious inter
rupiion OF an evident intention to work In fine
0ratorical effort at selling him lot. stopped n
flow of adjectiyes which, however just to the
charms of Columbia, did not lead to an explaHa-
fion OF the plan By which such very desirable
property was to be placed within such easy
reach Of poor mana pocketbo0k.
How much land have your" was the next
sour interests are very large. and about 900
acres are already cleared. and We have let con-
tracts for number OF houses, which will be
started at once, and some of them are beauties"
"tfow VIII You sell them and what are the
prominent points Of your cooperative plang'
"Neii, we will take 500 lots aud every third
lot VIII De set apart for building purposes, and
thereon. The remaining Loo lots we will sell at
$50 each-$l0 cash and the basance In go pay
ments OF 81 each without interest. BIZ our plan
the lots are fully worth the money at this date.
We guarantee houses and population that will
make Columbia a p0pulous suburb. We put all
OF the net proceeds from the sale of lots into
houses and sell the houses on such terms that
we are sure to find purchasers at once Five
hundred houses with families in them mean
good town and increased value to our property
and to the lots we SELL
"At what prices and on what terms will you
sell houses p
I'VE will erect on $500 lot one Of the best
house and lot for $40 cash and the balance in $40
weekly payments. Prior to the completion of
the house the payments will be only 81 a week.
Alter sns house is completed and ready for occn-
remainder of the so weeks For instance you
90 not want house for 100 weeks. You pay 81
Tor 9,, loo weeks and g for 20 weeks (Which in.
care for a house for 800 weeks you will pay $40
cash and will pay 81 for 30 weeks and S for ITO
"why, that only amounts to SEQ for a 81 ,ooo-
house" suggested the scribe.
Exactly" was the reply. THAT Is where
practical cooperation produces its legitimate
effect The man who gets his house first has
the longest use of 1t and pays proportionately
1t works no hardship on him, because IL he Dor
rowed money to build or bought on the ordinary
instaliment plan he would have to pay much
more than the difference as interest and for
other expenses. By our plan he knows exactly
what he must pay each week and how long he
'.But the last man to get house appears to
have much the best speculation, as he gets his
house so much cheaper. viii not most of your
In n fxns.c f..pri
ence to the firss?"
"If they buy houses as speculation, they
probably will: but more viii buy for immediate
homes, or viii want their houses for homes at
some future time-say when they get married
and we anticipate that the wants of our Gus
toners will easily adapt themselves to make the
project work smoothly throughout, as we can
arrange to build almost exactly at such time
As may be desired. Besides, even if man does
not want home at once and decides to have a
house as soon as possible he can easily let the
house Tor enough to meet the greater part of the
cost, and thereby set a house and lot Tor almost
at certainly affords man of small income a
chance to provide his family with home, pro-
vided ne does not die before he has completed
ms PAYMENTS, suggested the stranger.
An, but We have looked out for even such a
contingency as q mans death, and at any time
after man has purchased lot or house and
lot his purchase win be decided to his family in
event OF his demise"
This proposition was startliugly original that
the information seeker, not quite sure that Mr.
kocnester was IN earnest, asked ii free sewing
machines, summer excursions to popular re-
srss and similar attractions might not be
WORKED IN 10 advantage. Mr.. Rochester dis
Gained such sweeping intentions and easily
demonstrated that the protection against loss OF
the property through death was quite practical
ana exactly III line with the liberal policy OF the
company.
At this point Mr.. Wiley, secretary OF the CON-
pany, explained that there was yet another feat
ure That had not been alluded to in the interview
futy business lots, facing the electric railway
line, will be set apart, and, IN eighteen months or
Two years sold at public auction aud the proceeds
divided equally among the purchasers of lots
sna houses and lots. which viii materially re-
auce the original cost to each purchaser.
The company's profit is the difference between
tn cost OF the land acreage anu the retail
setting price aud such advantages us they will
gain from the increased value of their surround
ing property from rapid settlement. The way to
gain the greatest population III the shortest
time, according 20 their theory, Is TO be as liberal
as possible IN all their dealings and they apprc-
catc the value Of securing the good viii ana CO.
operation OF their customers ia the building I'D
OF Columbia