The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19
ATE fall building operations of the

T ATE fall building operations of the
Girard Investment company,
80 made public in the permits TINS
week for $4,000 worth OF contracIs,
turns up some interesting history OF Ine
installment house movement.
The Girard Investment company, com
posed of foreign capital with some MIN
neapolis money and represented mere
by Thompson Brothers, has built aoout
900 houses to be sold> at moderate prices
since it went into the local field, which
had been pretty thoroly worked. Ere
vious to the letting of the present con-
tracts to J. S. Calder and r: Strom-
quist. the company had built iofIy
houses this year. The last lot has peen
punched in two localities, while here
tofore the building had been scattered;
Altho the Girard syndicate is to bullo
lot of houses in one neighborhood, the
architecture will be such that man
can distinguish his own residence altel
nightfall. In other words, each house n
is to have style Of its own; Inc
method Of building row OF houses
exactly alike which prevailed IN Doom
days is obsolete.
Demand Nearly Filled.
The Thompsons have not built so
MANY houses in 1905 as in 1904, and 90
not expect to match l9O5's record IN
1906. For many years there had neeh
a. great scarcity Of houses OF medium
price for sale until the new system
Of building houses for sale at rental
payment rates was started. oeVe[al
companies engaged in the business. 80
tremendous has been the constructlo1n
that the situation has been relieved.
The demand in the future will be meas
ured to large degree by the growth
of the city, and not by dearth OF
houses to cost from So 900 down.
People we'll remember the trouble
which followed the excess Of detached
house building after the late unlamentt-
ed boom. Row after row OF cheap, ~
constructed houses were put on Vne
market until the proposition fell fiat as
the city fell behind the imitation: Some
of these relics yet remain, and paint
and gingerbread woodwork fail to con
ceal their internal and external evl
dence of poor construction. -
The time came, however, when there
was an actual boom on and an influx
of population and expansion Of the city
in every way. Then again came the
call for detached houses. 1t was long
time until house building syndicates anc
contractors were able to wipe the mem
ory of former experiences from thell
States. But at last pioneer arose and
,one after another, this concern an(
that went into the business of providing
homes on easy terms for salarled peo
pie.
Best Is Required.
" A change had come in methods, how
ever, in the new era. People had ad
vanced in all lines. The old bandbo1
would not suffice. Modern and 1nd1
vidual architecture was demanded. San
s,itary improvements were exacted, a
well as hardwood, finish. So the Girart
company's representatives included il
their plans hot water heat, hardwood
finish downstairs, water connection
with open work plumbing, porcelai
tubs and bowls in the bathrooms, prett,
wall paper, gas connections in instances
Success marked the venture an
Thompson Brothers have to say tha
every one Of the 200 heads. of familie
to whom they, have sold their partis
payment houses are friends of the fri
and the Girard company, and that no
tone contract has been thrown up 9
allowed to lapse. In many cases tn
customer keeps ahead of his payment
While it may be the popular belle
that houses of this nature are bougt
only by men on salaries of 81 300 {
less, an inspection Of the sales list WI
almost independent in means thru sa'
ing, and who could buy much more e.
pensive houses. This is taken to
evidence that the simple life still PR
walls. In the wild rush for expensiI
homes and splendor the domestlcity (
the average man has not suffered ar
he is happy in a $4,000 to $4,000 d
;tached house which he can call his oW
tcastle