The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-17
C.B.MARSH GIVES VIEWS ON LOCAL HOUSING STATUS
Contractor Differs With Manu- lecturers and Gives Rea-
 sons In Letter.

Charles B. Marsh, a local contrac- tor and builder has taken exception to statements issued by various man. ufacturers in Bridgeport on the pres ent housing situation. Several of the factory heads told representa- tive of the Times that they were in favor of the government continuing it's building program in Bridgeport. In the following letter MT. Marsh tells his reasons for differing with the manufacturers.
 To the Editor of the Evening
 Times:
 Dear Sir:-Will you grant me the courtesy of your columns in replying to some of the statements alleged to have been made by the Manufactur- CTS?
 Regarding the U. s. Housing pro- ject in this city, as published in your Saturdays issue, they seem very ! new houses on this project now that the war is over. They believe there will be great need of more houses, but owning and operating a Housing Cor poration as they do, they did not ! build one tenement with their own money during our nineteen months of war. Right now, if I am creditably informed, they are charging for the rent of the houses which they built before we went into the war, about as high a rental per room and cubic foot as any of the Speculative Shy locks' they complain of
 : According to one statement, their Housing Corporation or some other company will have to take over these houses from the government; but at what price? How much will the | government lose?
 It was to avoid this loss that the 1 local builders endeavored to have the 1 Crane lot project discontinued when there was only small amount of ex- cavation and foundation work done
 At no time have the builders op- posed the completion of the other 1 projects. I am sure the builders had only what they believed to be the best interest of Bridgeport and the government at heart in their efforts | motives to the Manufacturers in the l matter, a difference of opinion, bu why call names. Why impune the motives of the local builders? Int public is not interested in their opin ion of our motives, But, when any !! one says, 'The' houses erected b! the local builders were unsanitary unhealthy and unsafe" that is quite another matter. If this statemen is true, the matter should be brough to the attention of the authoritie and the offending builders prescott cd. If it is untrue, then it is sian
 der Bear in mind, all tenemen
 buildings built by local builders mus be constructed under the following conditions:
 They must comply with the Stat Tenement Laws; they must compl with all city ordinances, all work i
 carried on under the supervision of
 very competent board of Buildin Commissioners and inspectors. No doubt the men who planned thi War Housing project are very wis
 and all wisdom will die with then I I dare ask them few questions.
 First: Why project the foundatio wall without water table three in l ches beyond the face of face-bric line, thus allowing the drip fror storms to penetrate the foundations | freeze and disintegrate the morta causing damp cellars?
 4 Second: Have no fear that the thi { inch walls will be penetrated b 4 moisture in long continued storm causing dampness and unhealth conditions?
 Third: If it is proper and san tary to connect sixteen fixtures to on \ four inch stack without any back N venting, should not our city ordir a ances be changed to relieve the ma who builds his own house from tn ' needless expense of back-venting? |. I might ask a few more question
 but I will not presume further o
 your kindness and courtesy.
 (Signed)
 CHARLES B. MARSH