Baxter Springs news., 1919-01-17
DON'T GET EXCITED

There's an old saying "a word to
the wise Is sufficient" A gentle hint
| to property owners of Baxter Springs
should not 20 amiss. Business is COM
ing, back, property buyers are coming
back, too, with clear understanding
Of what they want.
The Dinner Bucket Brigade" num-
bering already several dozen men,
want to live here and spend their
! weekly wages. for groceries, shoes,
clothing. drugs, picture shows and the
things that our merchants have in
stock. They can't do this If stifled
/ with high and excessive rents.
Dozens Of men who work in the
mining field pass through twice every
day going and coming from their
homes in Galena or Joplin because
they can rent homes cheaper in those
places than here. It doesn't cost any
more to own property in Baxter
Springs than in Joplin and new
houses can be built as cheaply one
place as the: other, so there is no
ground for argument for a higher
rental here than in the larger city.
/ On the other hand, groceries should
not cost the working man any more
here than in those places, and the
things he wears or affords for his
family should not and must not cost
more here than in those places.
A three room house supplied with
city water in Q kitchen with sink and
supplied with gas for fuel and lights,
by all honest figures should not rent
for over $500 per month. A 4-roOm
/ house equipped with city water and
gas only. should not command more
than $50 per month and the modern
bungalow that has been built almost
: to one type in the past year or so'
: that is fully equipped for gas, water,
. sewerage and electric lights, should
I not bring over $26 per month. The
j! property owner who rents for more
J than that is drawing down an excess
! profit and has not the interest Of his
!, tenant at heart.
/ There Is Q class of renters who can
:, afford to spend more money for tenn
porary homes. This article deals
only with the man who carries a din
liner pail and rides the street car or
! walks TO his work; the man who
draws from $S.60 to $500 per day.
j It Is not enough that q working
J man have a shelter and family; he Is
! entitled to good schools, good pic
\ ture shows, good churches and clean
environment In which to rear his
children, decent play grounds around
: the home and in the city parks and on
the school campus.
] Mr.. Working man doesn't want to
surrender his paychsck every Satur-
day for the mere means Of eating and
getting by," with nothing left after
the rents are paid. He wants to lay
some by for q rainy day. He must
carry insurance. both life and acci-
dent; he must provide medicine for
the sick ones. Some landlords, It
would seem, forget to take these facts
into consideration.
II Again. There are any number OF
miners today who would be glad to
make q start towards q home If the
right kind Of terms could be offered
them. This class Of buyers cannot
; pay excessive profits to some one Tor
putting up these homes; they must
by reason Of their very narrow mar
gin Of cash on hand, after the bills are
paid each week, buy very safely.
The people Of this city will do much
in the next six months to either put
Baxter Springs In the lead as the best
place in the district or they will for
! ever relegate II 10 the source Of towns
that had q real chance and failed to
grasp Il As someone said make
haste, SlOwly-dOnt Try TO make it al
, n onee-lek TIE other fellow live too,