Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-08
WATERVILLE.
MOVING TIME HERE.
The Problem of Rents a Puzzling Une
in Waterville.

Is,
apparently unsolvable problem-the
lack of rents. There is only one other
more ruzzling problem for the house
keeper in the city and that is the lack
of girls for houscwork. The two taken
together keep scores of families in
boarding houses and living in contract
ed qu2rters in Il way that is unsats-
factory to every one. Store rents,
house rents, office rents and all kinds
Of rents are practically unobtainable on
short notice anywhere in the city. BY
keeping a careful watch for q year OF
two a person may get Il rent but he
cannot do it = weeks nor months
>phcre seems to be no distinction, the
cheap rents being as scarce as the
high priced ones. There may be some
that ordinarily would not be used as a
wood shed that can be obtained almost
my time, but the small family look
ing for a fair sized tenement in a good
location at reasonable price has a
mighty long hunt ahead. Those who
have such rents hang onto them Just
as long as they have any use for them
and it is only when some one dies or
moves out of town that one becomes
AVAILABLE.
There is to be sure considerable NOV
nss in progress at this time but it is a
.aSe of swap or purchase and no rent
remains vacant long enough to lose the
leat of the last fire. The first load of
goods moving in usually meets the last
Dad going out and the house that is
yacant in the morning is occupied again
1t night.
The situation is doubtless very salts
'actory to the landlords for they can
Dick their tenants at will and charge
I'll that reason Will admit and do just
lbout as they please any way. The
owner of one store rent recently vacat-
ed had seven applications almost as
soon as it was known that the place
was to become vacant and was alle to
select the kind of business he wanted
for the store. fix his own price prac-
tically and in fact have about every
hing he wanted.
One groceryman in the city has tNrce
customers now boarding that would be
keeping house and turning in some 40
odd dollars every week in good hard
ash to him if they could secure suit
lble girls to do the hOuSeWork. But
hey can't so they are boarding. Many
other families are boarding because
they cannot obtain suitable rents. Men
securing employment here are obliged
to leave their families behind for t.
lack of rents and the citys growth is
being materially retarded. If suffi-
iert rents could be provided the pop
Ilation of tho city would probably in
,rease by several hundreds within a
month. There would be more scholars
n the schools, more people in the
,hurches and more business for all the
traders. But the lack of rents forbids
md a good many are beginning to cry
How long, O Lord. How Long" It's
4 strange condition of affairs that is
rapidly approaching serious proper
tons. If Il census of the waiting ones
.ould be taken it would doubtless b
astonishing.
A short time ago when alarge house
was fitted UP for dodgers Il good many
smiled in superior way and allowed
that it would be a white elephant. 1t
was a woman who had the courage
and business ability to go ahead and
aXpend a good sum in fitting the house
up for the purpose and a good many
men, perhaps, laughed and predicted
failure. But the people began to move
in with the carpenters and painters and
when you could throw a cat through
the place almost anywhere and re-
CARELESS of price the whole building
has been full ever since it was at all
fit for occupancy.
Another large lodging house was built
and again the wise ones laughed and
shook their heads. The prices were too
large and there was no need of such q
building but before they got through
laughing it was full and has been full
ever since. The occupants considering
themselves especially fortunate.
Dozens of houses have been built with
in the last two years and have been
taken Just as soon as they could re oc-
cUpied and there is no decrease in the
demand.
The men with land and money claim
that it Goes not pay to build houses to
rent because of the high taxes and cost
Of keeping them in good order But it
certainly seems strange that a CITY
cannot grow as rapidly as it naturally
would because of lack of accommoda-
ton for people who would live here.
Something has got to be did" at once
" tilt City - SDlIlS " receive DerIn2
nent injury. Industries will not come
into place where the employees cam
not be housed and all business will suf-
fer.
1t has been suggested that a svndi-
cate or corporation of business men be
formed for the purpose of supplying
rents. Small houses, built at a reason
able cost SO that they could be rented
at reasonable rent, could be con-
structed and rented even if the returns
were no more than enough to cover ex-
penses. General business would be
penefitted and the profits could be
made in that way. Scores of such
houses could doubtless be rented az
soon as they could be completed and
the city would be greatly benefited bv
the increase of desirable class of citi-
zens.
by doing business on a fairly extern
slVe scale and in wise conservative
manner the expenses could probably he
keLt down to the lowest figure r.
would be advantageous to have the
taxes placed at a reasonable figure-no
rebates, perhaps, but without pushing
the valuation to the limit. Even if the