Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-18
WILMINGTON NEEDS
5000 NEW HOUSES,
JOHN NOLtN SAYS
Deduction of Expert Engaged by
Chamber of Commerce TO Make
a Survey of the City,
POPULATION is VERY DENSE

John No icn. the city planncr and engl-
necrlpg expert engaged nv tho Chamber
Of ConmctCc To make q survey nt tho
housing situation IN " Ilnington. has sub
mittcd his report. in which he states that
the population Of tins city had increased
2N pcr cent IN tho last seven years whereas
the number of dwellings had increased hut
10 pcr cent On this basis, u IS contcndod
that at the present time there is 3 shortage
of 5000 houses here.
Among the sites s,Iggested in the report
for the erection of dwellings Tor the
workers arc. Brennan tract, Noodlavn
Co, Rlvcrvlew Heights property, Preston
Lea and Willard Salisbury tract and
Preston Lea estate.
Some other properties have possibilities
and information available concerning them
is given aF follows
Celand tract. Of approximately 30 acres
located west Of MARYLAND avenue cN-
tended south OF city line Outside city
limits Rail and trolley transportation
Sewer and water services close by. All
streets not opened to property Good
altitude. part Of It broken topography
Easily accessible from shlpyards Price
approNinmatelv 1900 pcr acrc
Mcndenhal properties cast Of Clay
mont and north Of Nandcvcr avenue, and
west Of the r. Il " " railroad.
Tatm estate. west uf h. 4 q railroad,
south of Lancaster avenue acreage, out
side sewer and water services. Trans
portation adjoining Tatnall & Go agents;
quote about $1,000 per acre County
assessor shows about LOG acres, assessed
value OF land and buildings total $e4 300
about $3.50 per acre The assessed
valuation Is 100 per cent of the actual
valuation
du Pont tract, general location is to the
southeast of Gordon Hcights penny
Hill Edge Moor section. Old powder
wharf. gentle slope TO river.
Baldt Steel Norks property at Now
Castle reported about 10 acres suitable
for house development
DENsEsT POPULATION or ANY CITY.
In opening his report Mr. Nolen states
that this city has the denscst population
per acre of anv city of the 1o0. 900 popu-
latlon class IN the country, exceeding IN
congestion such centers as Baltimore and
Philadelphia This. he contends, Is un-
necessary, and ~ due in 3 measure to the
restricted city limits. and the low standard
Of the building laws.
Cheap lands should be utilized ID large
areas with wholesale planning and opera
detached house should have lot OF 1000
square feet. The row house or those bullt
/ In groups. should average ] 500 or 2,OOO
/ square feet. he saws Based on this average
| 10 houses to the net acre Of the detached
/ of semi-detatchcd type, and 20 houses for
those built IN rows per acre would be suifl-
cent, be thinks The financial loss due 10
poor housing Is shown according 10 the
report. in the costly labor turnover.
One result of this shortage is high rents
he says These also must be paid IN wages
He also calls attention 10 the necessity
OF the careful planning OF streets blocks
and lots, ample provision for Fairgrounds,
parks. schools and other public building
sites
Mr.. Nolen summarizes his survey in
these paragraphs:
That a housing company bc formed
with sufficient capital for contemplated
operations IN cooperation with the
Federal government
. That some one with special fitness
be crnplovcd to give all his time 70 the
problem Of an adequate supply Of working
mems houses in Wilmington.
; That various tracts OF land suitable
in character and location, and low enough
10 price for the housing Of wagc-carners,
be selected and acquired by the company
1 That in the proposed enterprise,
proper consideration should bc given TO
the whole problem Of community de-
vclopmcnt, including transportation and
recreation.
;. That the Federal government be
asked to furnish so per cent Of the capital
/ needed, and be responsible for the excess
cost oi construction due 70 war conditions
That the proposed housing company
enter into del mite negotiations with the
Federal government with a view to Sc
curing early action