The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-16
cHrAr HOUSE RENTS.

CHEAP HOUSE RENTS.
 From . New England contemporary we learn that ..lxrs. Russell Sage last year built at Cedarhurst. Long Island. forty six-room cottages. which are let to young working psopie--though why young" and why working people" is not toid--at not to exceed s1a month. The success of the venture has been SO pronounced that Mrs. Sage has bought nearly fifty more lots on which addi- tionai cottages will be built. It is said that the houses are well fashioned and fitted with modern Improvements. This is one of long line of enterprises in the direction of combining business and beneficence. Sometimes they fail because they are not sufficiently benef- cent and sometimes because they are not sufiicientlv businesslike. The suc- cessfui combination is apt to be rare. If Mrs. Sage has found the right way. we hope she will teach 1t to other peo- pie in other cities"
 No doubt there are those who will say that Mrs. Sage is a rich woman. and therefore can afford to build houses and rent them without profit to herself. but that would not be fair statement of the case. 1t is true that Mrs. Sage is very rich woman. who inherited many millions of dollars from her miserly money grubbing hus- band. 1t Is also true that she is a woman who possesses and practices al- most boundless charity. and her henev- olence is almost without limit. She gives like one who enjoys giving. and like one who is desirous of putting her vast fortune where 1t will do most good: in which. by the way. she diners radically from her late husband.
 But besides being rich and benevo- lent. Mrs. Sage is 8 business woman in the widest sense of the word. and when she invests her money she ex- She has not built all these handy lit- tie homes on Long Island for charity. and is not renting them out at such reasonable prices simply as an act of Ihenevolence. In short, she is practis- ing genuine charity in a business way. If poor people can rent homes at what all must admit is very low rental they are genuinely benefited. If she gets some profit from the investment 1t is q fine combination of business and benevolence satisfactory to both sides
 Now. 1t may well be asked how a well-buil house of i've or six rooms can be rented for twelve dollars a month. and some of them for less, as we are to understand from the lan- guage used. While 1t may be true that these houses are not provided with all the conveniences and comforts that a family could wish, and while 1t may be true that the buildings are uncomfort- ably crowded together. still 1t must be admitted that the rent Is very low We have seen it stated in another account that each of these houses cost fifteen hundred dollars to build. and when to that is added the cost of the land on which they are built 1t is plain that not much profit can be derived from the investment. It Is true that people in New York who have money to invest are satisfied with c very low rate of interest. but we should say that if she keeps up repairs. taxes and insurance on her houses she is not get ting much profit: but that is where the benevolence and charity como in Still. looking at the matter from knowledge of rents in other places. one must admit that the prices are quite low, even if some of the convsn- fences are lacking.