The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-05

| HOMES IN
BIG DEMAND
Modest Type of Resi-
dence Wanted
Most
BUNGALOWS TO BE
IN HIGH FAVOR
Detroit Entering Upon
New Building Era,
Says c. A. Bowen

! THU Detfoll II entering upon
new era OF home building and that
the building of one family houses o,
frame construction will aid tremsn.
dously in solving the present hous.
Ing problem. L. the belief OF Charles
4. Bowen, secretary of the Builders
q Traders exchange.
The general opinion among the
builders In that 1917 building and
construction work will surpsss any
record previously established" says
| Mr. Bowen There are several
problems which must De confronted
in tho present year. however. Dur
ing recent months there has been a
concerted effort by contractors TO
trlng about measures that will IA.
cilitate the building OF an even
greater number OF homes Than dur
ing the past year. In hitting upon
the frame house plan IL IL thought
by many experts that long step
in the right direction viii have been
| taken
There is tremendous demand
Tor homes At the present time. even
more 80 than 81 any time during
1915. rhis Is especially true OF the
class OF people who arc claTnoring
for single one-family houses. whore
they can live privately. and enjoy
The comforts o' exclusive home life
The typical bungalow type OF house
will undoubtedly play a biz part in
the new building program and many
| attractive homes OF wooden con.
strIction have been designed Cen.
trary TO the general opinion. these
homes are not fragile bu, are very
durable as well a economical. Many
OF the oldest dwellings ir Detroit
arc frame with plastered walls
while the present housing con.
gestion affects all clsssca or resi-
dents Il Is obvious that the laboring
! element Is leading in the general de-
mand for new homes Manufactur-
ers say that a shortage OF houses
-csultS n a shortage or lsocr. which
- detrimental 10 factory expansion.
On the face of II this IL problem.
hut cn the other hand. say many
bis employers. the necessity for
--TutuT1ur- forcing ths mEHuTEEFuf.
ers - ever their own forces % or
gAnizRtion and capital toward solu.
ton ~ tho problem Several % the
biz tactories arc aiding their en-.
rloyes in hona construction enter.
priscs and capital and other faclli-
ties are being afforded.
I There IL general tendency by
manufacturers 20 favor the lncreas.
cd construction OF individual dwell.
ings OF moderate price for the work.
ina man. Houses OF wooden con
struction arc being looked upon as
the solution OF this problem in the
main. Lumber Is always more pro.
durable than many OF the other
forms OF construction materials and
labor for THE sort OF work. IL Is
thought. viii be more easily OBTAIN.
cd"
The three principal obstacles
! faced by builders are inadequate
( railroad facilities. the subsequent
shortage OF materials and the dearth
OF laooT. or all these the insdequacy
( OF railroad facilities IL considered
. most important. n the rail lines are
cleared and cars furnished the ma
: terial problem viii be automatically
solved. and in such sn even, n In
considered certain that the neces.
sary labor will be procured.
Local builders believe the prob.
lens Will act az romcdying Gle
ment because the agitation for re-.
lief becomsr pressure against the
very obstacles and IL certain 10 TO.
suit In better condition The car
shortage during recent months. for
example, has aroused the manufac.
iurers 10 a realization OF the danger
thus presented and expert lnvesi
cations, u Is argued. will result in
having the condition remedied TO a
great extent.
a., In 1915 there was more building
construction work than in any pre-
vious year. the total operations hav.
ing represented an expenditure OF
SOL ,067. ii0. making Detroit the third
city in the country in this respect
Detroit is said 10 stand an excellent
chance OF far surprising This record
for the reason. among others. that
the city In keenly aware OF the ob.
stacles In the way and Is prepared
70 combat them. Last-year II was
not until late spring when the big
building movement commenced. a
full realization OF the positive need
Of great Rumber OF new homes
seemed 10 come suddenly and an a
result many Of fhe big building op-
crations were started simultaneous
ly with the result that railroads, ma
terisl supplies and the labor market
were literally swampcd by the de
mands and congestion naturally re-