The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-27
ALFRED e MARLiNG
PRESIDENT Of the ch4AHBER Of COMMERCE.

Mrs. Stockton at the Hotel Holley on
Washington Square. New York, as
most out OF towners know II, was an
Old story to him. Greenwich Village
was something new" He prowled
about the neighborhood in his leisure
moments and studied II. He fell in
love with the section and grew in
tensely interested in the diversified life
of It's people.
Being a student OF economics and a
firm believer in the cooperative move
ment, which he had investigated In
England and Switzerland, he applied
his knowledge OF rs workings to condi-
tons as he found them. AS he sat at
his hotel window overlooking the
square the old college building OF the
New York University came within his
line OF vision. He knew that many OF
the university students were obliged to
go miles up town to find rooms. He
had learned of q pressing need OF the
neighborhood for family apartments.
He had dug out the fact that some or
the poorest OF the poor in Sullivan
street, Thompson street and other
highways and byways adjacent to the
square couldn't make more than $3.50
a week. Then he wondered how they
managed to live at all in view OF the
high prices prevailing for foodstuIs.
All these things set his active brain
spinning and he put what he called his
working plan" down in black and
white. Then he started to talk up his
idea to small groups. and finally he
made an address on the subject at the
Judson Memorial Church, Of which the
Rev. A. Ray Petty, member OF. the
! Mayors committee on rent profiteer-
| ing, Is pastor. He talked so convinc-
| ingly that before long several infiuen-
t!al men decided his plan was well
worth investigating.
| I. y. Phelps Stokes. an architect. OF
| 100 William street, was directed to
draw plans for a structure containing
| provisions to meet the dormitory needs
OF New York University. the desires
of Grace Church. the cooperative store,
housing and other ideas submitted by
Mr.. Stockton. A second set of plans
for . less pretenuous building, but
covering in the main the more i'm
portant features Of Mr.. Stockton
scheme, was drafted by Mortimer L.
Freehof, an architect, OF 405 Lexing-
ton avenue. Neither architect knew
what the other was doing.
These plans were exhibited at re-
cent meeting which took place at A
University place. Tho call for the
gathering was issued by the Rev. DIT
Charles L. Slattery. rector OF Grace
Church; the Rev. DrsGeorge Alexan-
der. pastor OF the University Place
Church since 1884 and a member OF
the council OF New York University
Ruth Morgan. organizer Of the social
service department OF Bellevue Hospi-
tai, and Chancellor Elmer Ellsworth
Brown of New York University. The
Rev. Henry Matthew Brown Of the
Pilgrim Congregational Church, The
Bronx, acted as chairman. and Mrs
Nathan Glauber of the City Consumer
League was secretary.
UnfsIds His Plans.
, Mr.. Stockton unfolded his projec
for a manifestation of the spirit o.
American democracy through TIT
agency OF cooperation. and later told
, SUN man all about 1t.
Z at would start with small grocer,
store to supply the necessities of life,
/ he said, "and this would be followe'
> by a chain OF such stores. Each stor
: would be financed by the people OF TIN
' neighborhood. The capital stock woul,
4 be placed at $4,000. with shares OF tn
par value Of IS. and one could b
. opened a. soon AZ You got 200 familie
a. shareholders. The store would b
} rua en- . cash and SsTTT basis and q
y a.