The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-01
FOR CHEAP HOUSES
THOMAS A. EDISON SAYS HE is READY
TO MOLD THEM.
Cement Structure, Complete, to Cost But
$1,2O0-Only Woodwork to be Door
And window Frames

Thomas A. Edison has sent word to the
newspapers that he has completed his
scheme for building a concrete house for
$1,000. which II constructed Of stone in the
same design would cost between $4,000 and
$4,000. The fact that Edison includes in
his $1,000 estimate the heating and plumb
ing for the-i1ouse is construed by prae-
teal men here TO mean he has fixed his
figures without previously having consulted
plumbers and steam filters and without
taking into consideration the eight-hour day
apd the prevailing rate Of wages, Gays the
New York Press. The price he cites could
not prevail II only q single house was to be
built. That he wants to be understood
clearly What he means is that if the re-
enforced concrete houses were built In
blocks, by his design and through the use
o. his nolds, the cost Of each house in q
block would not be greater than about
$1,000.
He also says that figure is dependent up
on the houses being built on soil which yield
sand and gravel from the excavations. Even
after making due allowance for those con-
dttions, practical builders here in New York
said they felt sure Edison would find him
self in a losing game IL he contracted to
put up those blocks of detached one family
houses for $1,000 each, with the plumbing
and steam heating apparatus included.
Opinion was expressed that a mistake had
been made In the estimates, and before con-
tracts were entered into for building such
houses Lne estimates HOQlo De revised anu
changed materially.
The Edison housebuilding plan calls for 3
one-family house, on lot 4Oxb0 feet me
floor plan of the house is 25x30 feet. The
front porch extends eight feet and the back
stoop three feet Each house will contain
six rooms and a BATH and the cellar Will
extend beneath the entire house and Will
contain boiler, washtubs and coal bunker.
The main living room and also the outside
OF the house win be richly decorated. The
decorations will be cast with the house and
therefore will come from the molds az part
of the structure and not merely be stuck on.
The entire house will be of REINFORCED
concrete. That includes the walls roof,
floors, porches. bathtub and the laundry
tubs. The only wood in the building VIII De
the DOORS door frames. windows ana Win
dow frames. The inside wm1ls also VIII be
of concrete and there will be no plaster
finish. The surface will be smooth ana may
be tinted or painted as the owner may de-
sire Edison seems to think that with his
plan in working shape 1t will do much to
ward relieving the congestion wnich now
aSsists in cities and practically enable every
W orkingman to own his home or TO be a
tenant in a detached house at an expense
that Is for rent and car fare-of not more
than 50 a month.
Cast-iron moids will be used in building
the houses and they Will vary in design.
s:.sscr the concrete foundation has been laid
and has hardened the molds will be set UP
upon 1t. The term foundation is not to be
construed as meaning the cellar upon wnlcn
the molds will rest. Edison estimates tnat
| the pnolds needed to begin the work of build
ing such houses on wholesale lines Will cost
| s25,O 900, and that the necessary plant will
| cost SIS 900 more. At least six sets of molds
| must be used to keep the men and the plant
busy.
Edison says 1t will take four days TO sci
IN the moIds The liquid concrete can be
| poured into them in six hours The mold'
| will be kept in use for four days until the
| concrete hardens and then IT VIII require
| four days to remove them. That means the
house will be finished in n fortnight. WITH
| the six sets of molds, IL that schedule Is ad-
| hered to, 144 houses can be built in year
| The initial cost of the cast iron molds vii
be comparatively great, but they may 81
used indefinitely. Edison says. and in thu
| long run will be much cheaper than the
wooden molds now used and which, because
| OF their destructibiity, decrease greatly thu
| expense Of concrete construction.
Edison has George E. Small and Henry ]
| Harms. Jr.. engineers, working with min
now. They designed the house and mold
and made the experiments. The first hous'
| will be poured in sections for experiments
purposes and to discover and remedy de
! fects Then an entire house will be nodded
| with one pouring. In other words, lot o
LIQUID concrete will be run into the mold
| and when they are removed that muddy
| looking mixture will have been turned into I
| handsome home where a workingman cal
live and rear his family cheaply and Il
comfort-that is. II the Edison estimates ar
right