The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-07
By w. sINKLER MANNING.

Here in washington is being formu-
lated plan the immediate realization Of
which means definitely forestalling the
evils Of overcongestion and the growing
Ills OF the tenement-house system.
This plan. on which actual work is ex-
pected TO be begun within sixty days
attacks the tenement-hOuse system by
the direct method Of dispensing with ten
ements by putting within the reach Of
every workingman. II not the ownership
OF a small sanitary lasting home Of his
own. at least the rental OF such house
at a rate considerably lower than that
now paid for tenement quarters.
To make the building Of such homes
within reach OF city workers possible at
the low figure intended. OF course. whole
sale construction IS necessary. But al
ready a model home OF the type proposed
is all but finished in the outskirts OF
Washington, and, as IT stands, it shows
that in comfort, sanitation. and cheap
ness Il is a great advance over anything
Of the sort ever attempted before.
Built by Milton ID. Morrill,.
This house shown in the accompanying
picture and plans has been built by the
washington architect Milton Dana Nor
rill. The plan IS his own, the portable
and adjustable molds from which it is
made are his own invention, and the
building, which he undertook at his own
expense as q tangible demonstration OF
the worth Of his plan for cheap houses.
will be his own until. when II is complete
with all the little conveniences he has
devised as parts Of the house itself. he
adds 4 as o new item to the growing
local real estate market.
The house which Mr.. Morrill, has built
is OF five rooms. As IL stands almost COM
pleted. these rooms are living room,
combined kitchen and dining-rOOm on the
first floor. with three bedrooms on the
second ofor One Of these bedrooms IL
is planned 10 change into a bathroom,
and there is besides a roomy front porch
with an uncovered balcony OF attractive
appearance
Is of Moderate Cost.
The cost Of this house under the whole
| sale construction planned by the builder
viii be between $500 and $1,000 The pres
ent building cost considerably more than
that sum. because the economies OF con-
struction which form the essential part OF
/ the plan can only be- realized when sew
| eral houses are built at the same time
and the expense Of supervision and ma
teral is reduced 20 a minimum.
| In general. the cost Of the houses Of the
new design. all Of which will be con-
struCted sOlidly Of concrete, will be 500
room As the adjustable mOlds OF the
| inventor place no limit on the variation
/ Of the design, houses may be made as
/ large OF as small as desired and in a
number Of shapes In this way the te-
| dious stereotyped appearance Of a block
/ OF houses exactly alike VIII be avoided.
/ while the cost Of construction will not
/ be increased
! The secret Of Mr.. Morrills plan is a set
/ Of steel mOlds for which a patent is now
/ pending. These molds are in the form Of
! rectangular plates fitted with corner bind
! ings, so that by a simple system Of pins
! they may be bound firmly together TO re-
! ceive the concrete filling one layer at a
/ time The ordinary concrete building OF
/ to-day is made with rigid wooden molds,
! which once used, are worthless except
/ for kindl.ng
Cost Of MOIds Divided.
! In the new plan the original cost Of the
moldS will be divided among an indefinite
number of houses. The nolds become. as
it were, the fixed plant OF the construc-
/ ton company, a small permanent invest
ment. the cost Of which is distributed
among 50 many home-buiIders as TO be-
come a negligible quantity. How great a
saving viii come from this single item