The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-03
WORKMEN'S HOMES
IN LATIN AMERICA
John Barrett, Director General of Pan
American Union, Says 10000 Homes
are to Be Built for Them in Buenos
Aires in Next Five Years.

7 Ten thousand homes for working peo-
pie are to be built in Buenos Aires with
in the next five years, according to a
news item in the bulletin OF the Pan
American Union, Washington, ID. C. At
first such an announcement would not
seem to be of very much interest to
the people in the United States, but
when contractor from Buenos Aires
recently appeared in New Orleans, La.
and let it be generally known that he
was there for the purpose of buying
about 2O,0O0,0O0 feet of yellow pine and
some 100000 feet of cypress lumber,
the producers of these commodities in
the state OF Louisiana and neighboring
sections of the gulf coast at once become
alive to the situation and inquired for
particulars.
They found that the Argentine gov
eminent had evolved a scheme for the
betterment of the living conditions of
the laboring classes in the larger cities
OF the country by placing the POSSIBLE
| ity of owning their homes within their
reach. To accomplish this the govern
ment has entered into contract with
large New York company for the cree
ton of 10000 two-story houses in an
outlying district of the Argentine CAPT
tay. Each house is to have not less
than five rooms, a kitchen, bathroom,
sewer connections, etc, must front on
street or public passage, and must be
within four squares of street-car line
or a railway station.
Tbnan - L. al lei
to Argentine citizens in the employ of
the government, on an installment plan
whereby the purchaser obligates himself
to pay 1886 per month. until the mort
gage loan of 81 $50 has been repaid with
interest at the rate of per cent annum.
Houses not taken up by employees of the
government are to be sold to other APP
plicants. Similar projects are under way
in Santa Fe and other provinces of Ar
gentine, the houses in most cases being
smaller and less expensive, thus reduc-
ing the amount of the installments and
enabling workmen with income of less
than 500 per month TO become purehas
ers.
The feature which makes the plan
feasible is the fact that the government |
Is to issue series OF what are known
az internal" bonds, bearing interest at
the rate of 6 per cent, which it lends |
to the construction companies, thereby !
enabling them TO finance these large pro-
jects. Much OF the imported building
material is also to be admitted free OF
duty.
While the Buenos Aires project is per
haps the largest launched so far the
idea of governmental aid in the building
of homes for working men is not so
very new in Latin American countries.
In 1910 the Cuban Congress passed a
law authorizing the execttive depart
ment 10 construct 2.oo0 small cottages.
each 10 he assigned by lot 10 native. born
OF naturaized Cuban heads OF families.
of good conduct having no personal re-
sources other than the results OF their
labors, and whose names are properly
registered. Tho houses were 10 be built
Of brick and tiles, at least Is feet high,
and to contain a living room, dining
room. two bedrooms, kitchen. bath and
toilet, the lots TO be at least 1919 by %
feet Workmen placed in possession OF
these houses pay S265 within the first
10 DAYS of each month. which amount
: applied to the interest and amortiza-
ion, payment of water service, and ex-
penses OF administration. When the
,ossessor has repaid the amount Of the
Ictual cost OF construction and the 9th |
r obligations the state gives him
Iced to the property. The houses are
'yempt from the payment of building
ees, official charges. and Of all taxes