The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-31

of the congested districts nave
traversed many miles OF country.
almost every acre of which bears
marks of the huge schemes OF improve
ment which the congested districts
board is carrying out The transfer
of families from worthless land TO Ter
tile farms; the Encouragement OF hold
ings in compact form, instead OF scat
tered patches resulting from genera
tions of complicated customs of tenure
the driving of roads into inaccessaole
tracts; the building of drainage works.
which permit the reclamation of wet
lands; the erection of sanitary dwell
ings and out bui1dings-all these en-
terprises combined have worked mar
velous change.
Nowhere in the world. perhaps. has
there been the application of more
elaborate system of paternalism: for no
other method could cope with the con-
ditions fostered by centuries Of injus-
tice But the paternalism has been Of
a highly intelligent character. and
strict regulations. rigidly enforced.
have made it stimulus instead of a
detriment to individual effort and self
support
Reference has been made to the large
number of new houses erected for ten
ants who have been made owners OF
new lands. This constitutes avery i'm
portant part of the boards work, but
| it is only a part. 1t is gratifying 10
know that the transformation of this
unfortunate district of Ireland is due
in great measure to the ambition and
energy of the people themselves. slim
Hlated by the assistance and supervi-
sion of the board
We passed for instance, a trim little
farmhouse which was obviously a
home of comfort and prosperity, and I
congratulated the officer of the board
upon this evidence of effective work.
! With War more pride than he had
pointed out operations of the board it
self, he explained that this neat little
home had been built by a man who
formerly had occupied a wretched
howell zsss ~
s There was little that we could do
for him." he said. There was no land
available to which he could. be mi
grated. But we rearranged the hold
ings in the district and provided him
with a compact farm equal in area and
he had rented in the neighborhood-
Also, we made MAN drain. which
gave this man and others in the dis
trict an outfall into which he could
carry his own short drains and so inn
prove the quality of his land
"As to the house. il should be under
stood that the board does not erect
new dwellings except for migrants
moved into new districts. or in cases
/ where the Encouragement Of holdings
makes it necessary to remove houses;
then others are built for the pur-
chasers.
But in this case, the house being
| conveniently situated upon the rear
ranged farm, improvement or repiac-
| ing of it was the duty OF the holder.
The board prepared the plans. made a
small advance and supervised the work
and the money advanced was added TO
the sale price of the holding. In other
words, the man viii pay a small sum,
| in addition to the purchase annuity
and so In time liquidate not only the
cost of the land, but of the new house
and the outbufldings as we'll
THE work was all done by himself
and men whom he could get to work
for him. Usually the boards advance
covers the manufactured material nee
essary, such as dressed lumber. slate
and hardware. The. rough material.
such as stone. sand, etc, as well as the
labor, are supplied by the new owner"
There are. in fact, four general plans
in operation which are responsible for
/ the astonishing improvements which
have frightened the land and the lives
| of the people in the congested districts
Fduring the last few years. These are.
1. Erection by the board of new
houses and outbuildings for migrants
moved to new land, or where such
work Is made necessary by rearranxa-
ment of holdings. Cost of fmprova-
ments is added TO farms purchase
price, and repaid by the tenant mr.
chaser In small annual payments.
2. Free grants of money by thu
! board 10 parish committees. which IN
turn distribute the money to poor land
holders for prizes and Improvements
works. These grants are not repay
able.
s.. Loans and free grants by board
to tenant purchasers who desire TO
make improvements on their holdings
while the estate Is in the boards hands
Loans are repayable.
4. Loans TO tenant purchasers own
I ing lands which form part OF estates
which have passed out OF the boards
hands to the new owners. These are
repayable.
No means adopted by the board :"
such an elevating effect upon the home
/ these house improvement schemes.
Poor landholders over a considerable
area of the congested districts have
eagerly awaited themselves OF the ad-
vantag es offered.
1 SLATE roofs are substituted for
/ thatch. concrete kitchen floors and
Il