New Britain herald., 1916-01-27
Business and Improvement Asso-
 citation to Consider It
PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES
Two Tenement Dwellings Needed May Form Realty Company-Ab- sence of Sewer An Obstacle--Cnf- ferty Again In The Tolls.

Housing the workingmen who will be employed in the plant of the Rock well-Drake company, which is now in course of construction, is prob lem that is perpleXing Plainville, and leading citizens are somewhat con- cerned over the rather dubious pros- poets of getting enough new dwell- ings to accomm modate out-of-tOwn me- chanics who will come here to work during the summer At the present time there are very few vacant tene- ments in town and the number of houses in process of erection can be counted without difficulty.
 Numerous dwellings will have to be built during the next year. if the Rockwell-Drake employees are to live here and it behooves the people of the town to get busy. Many sugges- tions have been offered in connec- tion with the solution of the problem but as yet nothing definite has been done.
 The directors of the Business and Improvement association will meet Thursday night and will consider the various propositions that have been advanced. Some of the members look with favor on the idea of or ganizing a realty company for the erection of suitable homes, the stock holders to realize but a nominal re- turn from their investm ent.
 Property owners do not seem anX- iOus to sell their land at this time despite the fact that within the past few weeks the value of real estate has taken a substantial jump. They are seemingly holding off for develop ments, believing that the prices will continue advancing. Real estate men in Hartford and New Britain have been in town during the past week looking over property suitable for development and while some of them have made fair offers, no sales of consequence have been recorded.
 Building lots on East street and vicinity are apparently the most at- tractive at this time owing to their proximity to the bull and Rock well-Drake factories and the owners are anticipating a good profit when the time to dispose of them arrives.
 The cost of material and the high price of labor serve as obstacles in the way of erecting two tenement houses that can be rented for a rea~ sOnablo amount to wOrkingmen. Manufacturers figure that the help
 
 ter of their wages for rent if they are to make any pretense of prac- ticing economy. Consequently the unskilled labOrer cannot be expected to engage tenements that are expen- sive.
 In the cities when there is a scar city of tenements real estate owners solve the housing problem by erect ing three story blocks, containing at least six apartments. These struc- lures are usually built at a nominal cost and the owners get a good return from their investment without charg- ing fancy prices.
 Prominent citizens who are inter- ested in the town and it's welfare do not believe that a plan of this char acter could be adopted successfully here. They argue that it would be difficult to get tenants for buildings similar to those erected in congested quarters in cities and two family houses are required. The expense of building such a dwelling is such that a fair rent must be charged if the ten per cent. on the money they in vest, and only men getting good wages could afford to engage the tenements.
 Plainyille is further handicapped by reason of the absence of a system of sewage disposal as men, who are ac- customed to the improvements which the cities afford, do not fancy going