The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-07-11
TENANTS REFUSE
TO MAKE REPAIRS
Stsel Trust Doesn't Want to Have
A Large Number of Tenants in
Gary, As Official Says That Their
Interest In Affairs Is Reduced to a
Minimum.

The United States steel corporation
That is the irrevOcabIe decision of the
company as result of Its expert
enee so far in this line of city build
ing.
The decision of the company was not
made because the houses which have
already been built were not satfsfac-
tory. They have served the purpose of
setting the pace for the residents of
the city. They are the models which,
1T is hoped, will be followed by the fu-
furc home builders of Gary, but the
company believes 1t has gone far
enough in setting the example.
The reason for its action is the fact
that this form of paternalism has prov
en- that those who rely on the giant
corporation to build their homes rely
on them to keep their lawns in order
and their homes in repair.
Difference Between Owner and Tenant.
Captain H. S. Norton. of the Gary
Land company, says that frequently he
has sold one of the companys houses
to employees of the company, who at
once began to take great pride in the
place and would cut the lawn and care
for the property in a manner that
plainly indicated their interest in the
place.
Perhaps the next door neighbor
would be merely a tenant of the COM
pany The lawn there would be uncut
and the place would be allowed to
rapidly run down. The tenants would
kick about everything and seemed to
be satisfied with nothing.
The officials of the steel company
have learned that the sociological eff
feet of having a large number of ten
ants in a town is bad. There is no
real personal interest taken in either
the home that is rented or In the town
in which 1t is located.
1t is the opinion of Captain Norton
that a town of renting people could
never be much of place for the in
test in public enterprises and public
improvements. which is never as great
as 1t should be, would be reduced to 6
minimum.
Houses Gradually Being Sold.
The houses which have already beer
built are gradually being sold to the
employees of the company. They were
built in such large numbers that the
company is enabled to sell them at
very moderate figure but when thest
are sold there will be no more built.
1t will not be long before the mil
will be opened and there will be opened
and there will be a rush of thousand
of people into Gary. OF course. Their
will be thousands of them who will
not be able to find places to live AM
will have to build homes OF their own
Houses will be at a premium an,
there will be a large overflow OF TIL
population of Gary into the surround
ing cities OF course this will mean
temporary loss, but gradually the de
mand will be a city of property owners
It is a good thing for the peopl
to know now what to expect and whe
the time comes, II they find themselve
unable to find n lodging place in Gary
IT will be their own fault.
Already the Gary Commercial clu
is aware of the fact that the probler
of building houses is to be a seriou
one and an effort is being made
interest outside capital.
Safe Investment for Land COmpan!
Whether this will be successful re
mains to be seen and in a measure tn
rapidity of the development of Gar
will be measured by the degree of sue
cess in which this problem is solved
Everybody knows that the purchas
of property in the Land company's sui
division is safe investment at III
prices which the company is no
charging for the lots and for this res
son there is no excuse for the ma
who could afford to own his own hon
to do
1t is likely, however, that every il
ducement will be made by the ste
company to make it easy for the ma
with a little money and a god salal
10 buy and pay for his own home