Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-06
Government Plans to House Its
Big New Army Of
ShipbulIders.
70 Be DONE IN RECORD TIME
Community Houses Equipped Like
Club, for Single Men--Hores With
All Modern conveniences for
Married Men--Standardiss.
ton for High Speed.
ev JAMES n, COLLINS.


Washington offices today sits man
who has a war task that appeals 10
the Imagination.
Between now and July he Is 10
build $4,000, 900 worth OF homes for
workers ia Uncle Sans new shipbulld-
Ing army. which Is being modified
from the picked mechanics OF every
state In the union.
This army win number something
Nike 10000 men. Fifty million DOL
lars invested In houses for q work
force OF that size gives sla5 Der msa.
That seems rather limited sum a
money with which TO provide snytrdy
with warm sanitary living quarters.
having baths. bot and cold water.
steam heat. electric light modern
Kitchen facilities. snd all the COIL
forts Of home. Yet this man Is gola-
10 make his SIPS per man suffice for
the Job aud carry oct his esansrruc-
tjoD 10 record time.
II ia interesting to figure with him
. httle--if you Just remember that
present figures must be rough est
mates to certain extent.
! First Of all. he can eliminate large
proporti0n 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 a mans work and his
home. But other shlpyards have been
created In undeycloped spots along
our wide stretches Of seacoast, and In
these places 1t becomes necessary tn
prOvide workers with modern living
quarters.
Community Dwellings.
Thousands Of these shipbuilders will
be single men. and for them special
type OF community dwelling has been
designed on the order Of club house.
bach community dwelling will accom-.
nodate l23 men. Each man will have
NroOin to himself and Il will be an
outside room. Each clubhouse more.
ever, win be divided into Ave groups
Or separate clubs Of from % to 80
men Each Of these separate clubs
will have shower baths aud large
community lounge, making II pos.
Dlble for worker to find congenial
crowd II his own and for that little
community subdivision TO organize its
own home life, aniusements, sports,
social affairs, and studies. Each
club house will have community din.
Ing room with modern kitchen and
serving facilities giving board on the
mess plan at reasonable rates and with
miniInum labor. These community club
houses are to he Of frame construc-
tion, but standard type. Many Of
them win be erected In localities which
are n0i likely to become PERMANENT
sblpbniiding centers. Therefore, per.
lnsnent construction has not been the
chief necessity. Nevertheless, they
viii be substantial enough TO last -
years II need be, and where erected
IN localities with severe winter wealth
er will lack nothing In warmth.
4. 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 80 into house were
put on basis Of uniform sizes. Much
of the work IN building a sipge house
n anyone who has paid the bills will
know, consists In saving. cutting, and
htting the material.
Everything Cut to Fit.
With Standardization of every DOS.
tible item, most Of this cutting and
ftfing will be done IN factories aud
the material shipped ready to he put
together by carpenters aud plumbers
Second, the cost Of housing an indi
vidual was reduced to q most reason
able figure. II Is still TOO early {,
owe totals In dollars and cents, hu
present estimates indicate that the 10
vestulent Ia these community home
for single workers will not exceed S35'
per man this including living quarters
baths, community lounges for eacl
club Of % men, Kitchen and mess.hal
facilities. heating and llghting--every
thing. II all the housing appropria
non for shipworkers were spent o.
these community dwellings home
would be provided tor about 1880
men, or nearly one.thlrd the Who'll
emergency shipbullding army.
hut many Vt the new shipworker
will be married mcn with families, An
1or them separate dwellings are helm
oBilt. Something Ike 30 types Of fiv
~, and seven rooni cottages have bee
Studied and reduced 10 standards
~ ssus way. Everything il Gale,
1steh for quick, economical, durah
spOnslruction. Each separate dwellir
win have It's bathroom, heating, llgh
kae. aud kitchen equipment. Nor
4y@, grest pains have been taken
syOid any appearances OF stnndar,lls
uSD or Dlonotony In exterior desis
Only the materials and inside n
pniniiucnts have been reduced
standards while exterior lines and
haDIent may be modified according
loeal condition. 70 secure individual
!. i. ,s1zn,...a =.