Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-08-29
Freeholders
in France.

Committeeman Robert p. Skinner,
of Marseilles. France. has made an
interesting report on the subject of
freeholders and real estate transac-
tions in that country, in which he
says that there are 100000 free
holders In France, and outlines a sys-
tenn whereby French workingmen
own their little country homes. Mr..
Skinner says In part
There are upward of 100000
separate freeholds in France, as COM
pared with about 100000 In Great
Britain, fact which in itself speaks
volumes. A Frenchman will part
with anything rather than land.
When the United States immigration
Commission visited certain spot
near Marsellles recently It was found
impossible to ascertain the average
price of land In that locality, because
no transactions ever took place, other
than by inheritance, In cities 1t is
difficult for persons of modest means
like workingmen, to own real estate,
for obvious reasons. Nevertheless,
and especially in Marseilles, where
there is an excellent two-cent fare
street car service, outlying property
is being taken up by families in
moderate circumstances.
There Is also local custom
among poor men who feel that they
must reside In the city Of buying an
outlying patch of ground and erect
ing thereon a 'cabanon' of two or
more rooms, where they spend Sun
days and holidays. There are settle
ments where hundreds of these toy
houses are to be found, each with a
bit of garden, deserted throughout
the week and scenes of great anima-
ton on Sunday, the most intense
rivalry existing to have the best gar
den or the most attractive 'cabanon,
the day terminating in a reunion,
where poetical appropriations are
listened to, songs sung and speeches
made.
"The Government itself, which fos-
ters thrift by every means, encourages
working people to abandon the
wretched, crowded habitations of the
cities and to become householders, by
loaning out the money of the savings
banks ('ciasses d'epargne) not to the
individual, but to societies patronized
by the State. These societies effect
the transactions with the individual
Thus, the Societe des Habitations
GalfIhrao 90 Due Danod;a AEo,ao;IIoo
advances money for the construction
Of cottages at the rate of four and
one-half per cent. AS savings banks
pay depositors two and three-fourth
per cent, the margin is close.
"These dealings are regulated by
the law OF April IL, 1906. Loans
are limited to $500 francs ($1833.50)
in the city and to 1000 francs ($1351)
in the environs. At present seventy
five cottages have been constructed in
Marseilles under this law, the occu-
pants becoming owners, with a clear
title, at the end of twenty years.
Building plans have to be submitted
to the architects of the society, and
must conform to certain standard re-
quirements as to light, ventilation and
sanitary arrangements.
There are also at work on some
what parallelel lines several French
building and loan associations, which
differ from American associations in
that they usually operate over more
or less the whole of France, as do the
great French banks The attempt is
made by the moving spirits in these
associations to expand their utility
beyond mere public service as money
lending agencies.
While depositors in these building
associations are permitted to build
according to their own plans, they
are decidedly encouraged to adopt
standard designs, of which there are
many suited to all purses. 1t is really
surprising to discover what comforta-
BILE little houses car be erected in
this country for very small amount,
sometimes 5000 and $500. All houses
are built of practically imperishable
and fireproof materials, cheap frame
constructions never being employed.