Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-02-15
TO BUILD HOMES
FOR C|TYS POOR
Capitalists Here Back Move to
Provide Dwelling Houses
for Laboring Glasses.
A MINISTER INVESTIGATES
Secretary of Chamber
Of Commerce Conditions
Are Bad"

\ new building company that Will
erect 100000 worth of small dwcllins
houses in this city and suburbs suit
able for purchase on leuicnt terms or
rental by the poorer classes, is now IN
the process of organization, according
to Secretary G.. T. Douglas Of the
<Chamber Of Commerce, and the cob
sested condition Of the residence sec
tion Of the city will bc in a great
measure relieved. If the rlaus go thru.
Continued reports Of the conditions of
the poorer residence sections have
been repeatedly brought to the notice
OF the Chamber of Commerce and as a
means Of avortng what tlreatens to
lie . serious blow 20 the RAPID slridee
Of Tulsa to the top of the Oklahoma
population list, prominent capitalists
are organizing the company to assist in
meeting the demand for homes.
Barton Investigates.
An investigation Of the poorer resi- %
denco district bv the Rev l.. :. Bar
ton Of She Southern Methodist church
led to the discovery Of conditions IN
that section cf the citv which are de
scrihcd as appalling. Reverend Bar
ton found that entire families. unable
to find hot scs, We're living or rather
existing, in small rooms scarcely large
enough to accommodate one person
He appeared AT the office OF the
Chambc! of Commerce Yesterday aft
ernoon 10 present an appeal for more
houses IN order to relieve the con-
scstcd condition of the abodes OF the
city's poor.
\ Family in One Room.
Mr. Barton stated that in visit to
n house on South poston ne found
three families one of which was liV-
ing in a small room of less than ten
by twelve feet. To add TO the de-
plorable condition of this family he
found that the fathertwas in and un-
able to work and that the other two
families were making every effort 10
remove the family from their one
small refuge He cited another in
stance of family which just recently
removed to this city from Kansas,
was living in one-half of small
house on South Cincinnati, but that
they had found the rent too high to
meet and were forced to vacate. They
had searched the entire city, accord
ing to Reverend Barton, and were un-
able to find quarters for which they
could possibly pay. Altho they had
not been put out OF the house in which
they were living, the owner had
threatened to eject them unless there
rent was Immediately paid OF another
dwelling place found.
For Benefit of Laborcrs.
Secretary Douglas advised that the
new building company, capitalized at
100000. was i'm the process OF organ
ization and would erect residence
houses which could be rented or pur-
chased by those of small means at a
very moderate rate the idea being to
further the interests of the laboring
class and of the city in general.
"Exorbtant rents are killing the
goose that laid the golden egg
Colonel Douglas stated IN expressing
the opinion of men who are backing
the new building concern. He stated
that action would be taken within the
next thirty days to relieve the condi-
tions which was known to exist among
the poorer classes in regard TO homes.
BaCkcr- Prominent.
No permanent organization has been
perfected by the men behind the build
ing movement and the names of the
hackers Of the project are not avail
. able. However, it is n company of able
and well known capitalists who nave
studied the situation and will make
an effort To meet the demands OF the
class which Is not financially able ia
meet the high rents charged for the
ordinary dwelling in Tulsa