Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-10-07
HOUSING PROBLEM
BEFORE CHAMBER?
X. B. Watrous American Civic
Secretary ,Writessto Real Es-
-oi
tate Board President

reorganization plans of the Cham
per of Commerce have been produc-
i've OF just one thing after another in
the way of suggestions for 'spokes'
IN the wheel of progress, but letter
which Herman P. Miller, president
OF the Harrisburg Real Estate Board
mas just received from Richard B
CIVIC Association, is particularly apro-
pos.
For, In his letter Mr.. Watrous, deals
with the housing problem and of the
Importance of definite action along
TINS line OF Improvement by the new
Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Watrous, by the way, formerly
nved here and is entirely familiar
with the city and its affairs. His let
ter, however, was a direct result OF
tnee recent annual dinner of the Cham
Der of Commerce as j. Horace Nc
Farland. president of the association
called the secretary's attention to the
big affair. Mr.. McFarland's refer.
ences to the addresses of Charles M
Schwab and Eugene Grace of the
Bethlehem Steel Company, especially
housing problems, were mentioned by
Mr.. Watrous.
The Housing Problem
In discussing the housing problem
Mr.. Watrous said:
AS Steelton and Harrisburg are II
be very great beneficiaries of the ne
relation that Mr.. Schwab Is to bef
to them, 1t seems to me that the q
portunity is now open for Harrisb;g
TO join with other cities in doinfa
very important work which canbe |
done on a large scale to properly hhse
the increased population of thewo
clues-not only increased populdon,
put the present population, for Jun
derstand there is room for imfove-
ment in that respect
our association has been lcepins
In close touch with large movhents
or this kind. and 1 am calling your
attention a movement we'll unte- way
at Bridegport, Conn, where the de-
mand FOR housing Is acute and where
under the leadership of the Chamber
or Commerce they have organized a
mllon-dollar company which is to
deVote itself to providing More
Houses For Bridgeport"
Other Undcrtakinss
A similar undertaking now un-
der way at Kenosha, Wisconsin, wnere
they have a million dollars appr,pri-
ated for the same purpose Kenisha,
know TO be smaller city than Har-
risburg, and with not nearly so large
an lnoustrial population as youIhave
or as you are going to have. Fridge
port. Is somewhat larger ciy, but
Harrisburg has attempted big things,
and think 1t may safely be said that
no undertaking of a greater IMPORT
ance has ever presented itself 60 Har-
risburg than this immediate question
OF providing for the icreased Industrial
population.
Offers Assistance
Il am writing to you tetause !
know that you are intimately related
to the life fthe city, know TIE posi-
bilities and opportunities for outlining
house extension, and to say to- you that
II there are any ways in which the
American Civic Association c.n be of
assistance to you we want 10 be of
such assistance.
Il could cite to you good many other
instances of really fine movements
that are under way for the hilding up
OF little industrial committees, but !
have cited these two instances of
Bridgeport and Kenosha because they
represent an organized mo,emen ent, led
in each instance by the locjl Chamber
of Commerce or other commerce bod
les, resulting in the actuA incorpor-
alton of companies to carr out an ex-
tensive program of house building for
operatives"