The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-10-05
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AT normal rentals, the revenues of such a COM
munity will be far greater than ordinary taxes. For
While houses depreciate, land neither rots nor
wears, and such a town will be in effect owner of
all its underlying land. The Utopia of the single
takers is achieved by virtue of the fact that the
town was caught young and started right with no
land boom allowed The town will be in the posi-
ton of having bought itself at cost without let
ting anybody pocket profits on the rising values.
Perhaps the most remarkable example of Uncle
Sans ability as a town builder is Yorkship, near
Camden, N. j., designed to serve employees of the
New York Shipbullding corporation. This town,
where 10000 of Uncle Sans shipworkers will live
while they are making ships with which to beat
Germany, might almost be said to have been built
overnight. Starting work early In the summer,
1000 houses will be ready for occupancy in Octo-
Der, and another thousand will follow within a
few months. Some idea of the speed employed in
the work is indicated by the fact that one group
of five workmen's houses was put up from founda-
ton to roof In SO hours.
While putting up a thousand houses in a few
months is an amazing feat in itself, 1t becomes
more so when 1t is understood that the buildings
of YorkShip are to be things of beauty, embodying
all that is attractive In our old Colonial style of
architecture, and at the same time up to date in
everything. In short, It will be a town that will
give the workers new zest for the morrow's work
when they troop home of an evening.
Speed, practically and simplicity, but the best
of everything, was the gist of the governments in
structions, and these instructions are being fol-
lowed to the letter. At the same time there isn't
a trace of paternalism In the governments atti-
tude toward the workmen. Uncle Sam simply
wanted to show them that he fully appreciates
what they are doing for him.
The town of Yorkship will occupy q site of 40
acres, 100 of which are now being developed. The
main feature of the town plan is a central square,
about 800 feet on each side, from which the major
streets radiate. Around the central square three
story buildings have been erected, with stores on
the first floor and apartments above. The west
side of the square opens upon a broad green, or
common, 12J feet wide and 450 feet long, which Is
thanked at its farther end by church sites and
terminated by a site for a school or library on an
axis. From the north side of the central square a
broad boulevard leads out toward New creek, CON
Meeting with a bridge and main connecting road to
the shipyards. Parks and Fairgrounds are also
literally provided for. Streets are laid out, for
the most part, with a width of 80 feet, with road
ways IS feet wide, grass strips 8 feet 9 inches
wide, and sidewalks A feet wide. A few streets of
greater width where there will be a concentration
OF traffic have been provided, while alleys of a
10-foot width are provided on the interior of all
blocks.
The plan for Yorkship is perhaps the most COM
pIete town plan ever made. Every house is COM
plete; it has hot and cold water systems. modern
plumbing, up-to-date plumbing fixtures. gas range,
hot-water heater, electric light and cellar furnace.
Most of the houses are of brick, with a few stone.
Rtucco, or frame. The majority have slate roofs.
The order for brick for YOrkship Is said to have
been the largest single order of Its kind ever given.
The brick used came from seven different manu-
facturers and Is varied as to color, etc, so that
the aspect Of the village will not be at all monot,
onous.
In fact, the architect has consistently aimed at
avoiding monotony. Starting as he did on virgin
land-the site of Yorkship before he went to work
on 1t looked like an ideal golf course-it was out
of the question to run up houses in unslghtly
rows, as If In a city. On the other hand, individual
houses would have been too expensive. The prob
lem that confronted him. therefore, was to pro.
duce dwellings at a minimum cost and yet make
them as attractive as the nature Of the plan de
mnnded.