Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-04-10
Government Plans to House Its
Big New Army of
ShipbuiIderS.
TO Be DONE IN RECORD time
Community Houses, Equipped Like
Club, for Single Men-Homes With
All Modern conveniences for
Married Men--Standardiza-
ton for High Speed.
BY JAMES Il. COLLINS.

In a hastily remodeled suite of
Washington offices today sits a man
who has a war task that appeals to
the imagination.
Between now and July 1 he is to
build S5OOOO.OOO worth of homes for
workers in Uncle Sans new shipbuild-
ing army. which is being modified
from the picked mechanics Of every
state in the union.
This army will number something
like 10000 men. Fifty million dol
lars invested In houses for a work
force of that size gives $l25 per man.
That seems rather limited sum Of
money with which TO provide anybody
with warm sanitary living quarters.
having baths, hot and cold water,
steam heat. electric light, modern
kitchen facilities. and all the COM
forts of home. Yet this man is going
to make his S125 per man suffice for
the job and carry out his construc-
ton In record time.
It is interesting to figure with him
a little-if you Just remember that
present figures must be rough estl-
mates to a certain ext INT.
First of all. he can eliminate a large
proportion Of this shipbuilding army,
because many Of the new shipyards are
handy to cities with ample housing
and all conveniences, and Uncle Sam
will solve the housing problem In those
places by improving the transportation
service between mans work and his
home. But other shipyards have been
created In undeveloped spots along
our wide stretches of seacoast, and in
these places 1t becomes necessary to
provide workers with modern living
quarters.
Community Dwellings.
Thousands of these shlpbullders viii
be single men, and for them n special
type of community dwelling has been
designed on the order of club house.
Each Community dwelling will accom-
mOdate 125 men. Each man will have
a room to himself and II will be an
outside room. Each clubhouse. more
over. will be divided into five groups
UT StpdEdLt CLUBS VI rum - " ~
men. Each of these separate clubs
viii have shower baths and a large
community lounge, making II pos
sible for a worker to find a congenial
crowd of his own and for that little
community subdivision to organize its
own home life, amusements, sports,
social affairs, and studies. Each
club house will have a community din
ing room with modern kitchen and
serving facilities. giving board on the
mess plan at reasonable rates and with
minimum labor. These community club
houses are to be of frame construc-
ton, but standard type. Many Of
them will be erected in localities which
are not likely to become permanent
shipbuilding centeYs. Therefore, per-
manent construction has not been the
chief necessity. Nevertheless, they
will be substantial enough to last %
years If need be, and where erected
in localities with severe winter wealth
er will lack nothing In warmth.
When the plans for such houses
were standardized by the shipping
board experts, they achieved two re-
suits in house building that seemed to
be new. First. speed of construction.
All the doors, windows, pipes, and
other things that go into house were
put on basis of uniform sizes. Much