Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-06
HOMES FOR WORkINGMEN
IN LATIN AMERICA
Number viii Reach 10000 At Buenes
Aires In Next Five Years.

Ten thousand homes for working
people are to be built in Buenos Aires
with the next five years. according to
a new item in the Bulletin Of the Pan
American Union, Washington, D. C.
At first such an announcement would
not seem to be Of very much interest
to the people in the United States, but
when a contractor from Buenos Aires
recently appeared in New Orleans,
La, and let it be generally known that
he was there for the purpose Of buy
ing about 100000 feet of yellow
pine and some 100000 feet of cy-
press lumber, the producers of these
commodities in the state Of Louisiana
and neighboring sections Of the Gulf
coast at once became alive to the sit
uation 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 CT
ties of the country by placing the pos
sfbility of owning their homes within
their reach. To accomplish this the
Government has entered into a con-
tract with large New York company
fer the erection of 10000 two-story
houses in an outlying district of the
Argentine capital. Each house is to
have not less than rooms, a kitchen,
bathroom, sewer connections, etc.,
must front on street or public pass
age, and must be within 4 squares of
a street-car line or a railway sta
station.
These houses are to be sold, prefer
ably to Argentine citizens in the en-
ploy of the Government, on an INSTALL
ment plan whereby the purchaser OBJ
igates himself to pay $23.65 per
month until the mortgages loan Of
$3.50 has been repaid with interest
at the rate Of per cent per annum.
Houses not taken up by employees OF
the government are to be sold to 9TH
Qnn1iF9nfS Similar rrnfnrfa
under way in Santa Fe and other
provinces Of Argentina, the houses in
most cases being smaller and less ex-
pensive, thus reducing the amount Of
the installments and enabling work
men with incomes of less than 800
per month to become purchasers.
The feature which makes the plan
feasible is the fact that the Govern
ment is to issue series of what are
known as internal bonds, bearing
which 1t lends to the construction
companies, thereby enabling them to
finance these large projects. Much Of
the imported building material is also
to be admitted free Of duty.
While the Buenos Aires project is
perhaps the largest launched SO far,
the idea of governmental aid in build
ing of homes for working men is not
SO very new in Latin American coun-
tries. In 1910 the Cuban Congress
tive department to construct 1000
small cottages, each to be assigned by
lot to native-born or naturalized Gu
ban heads of families, Of good con-
duct having no personal resources
other than the results Of their qabors,
and whose names are properly regis
tered. The houses were to be built OF
brick and tiles, at least 1S feet high,
and to contain a living room, dining
room, 2 bedrooms. kitchen, bath and
toilet, the lots to be at least 10 1-2 by
66 feet. Workmen placed in possess
sion Of these houses pay $685. within
the first 10 days Of each month, which
amount is applied to the interest and
amortization, payment Of water SER
vice, and expenses OF administration.
Wren the possessor has repaid the
amount Of the actual cost OF construc-
ton and the other obligations the
state gives him deed to the property.
The houses are exempt from the pay
nent Of building fees. official charges,
and of all taxes during the ten years
in which the purchaser agrees to pay
for the property. Under the provi-
sions OF this law, up to January 1,
1914. $50 houses had been constructed
in Habana, 45 In Pinar del Rio and
So in various places In the province OF
Santa Clara.
Plans similar to these have been
in operation for some years in Chile,
Brazil, and Colombia, and are being
projected in Salvador, the Dominican
Republic Peru, and other Latin Amer