The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-08-21
For Workmen,s Homes.

Industrial experts are finding that
good home generally means a good
workman. The government was one
Of the first to recognize this principle
and during the war built a number of
industrial cities, paying particular
heed to making the home of me VIZ. n
ers attractive and providing them with
congenial, wholesome surroundings.
Ine government example is being
followed by numerous corporations
now, such as the Studabaker company
which Is building city of one thous-
and homes Tor $ enipiuycS, the Good
year Rubber &C mpany one of six hun
dred homes, and the General Motors
company one or more than five hun.
dred Two large Kans:4s City concerns
} are considering plan OF the same sort
and ii proper locations can be obtained
doubtless will begin their projects
soon.
J One of the modei cities built by the
government is Cradock, Va. L. w.
Gent, Kansas citizen, had charge OF
the traffic and materials in connection
with this undertaking.
Before the United states entered the
war the site OF Cradock was occupied
mostly by cornfelds. Six months after
worn started the cornieIds had given
way to city of six hundred homes
with park and boulevard system
ana community square.
A mile distant the town of Truxton
somewhat smaller but built along the
same lines was constructed for negro
workmen and their families
Cradock is located near the navy
yard at Portsmouth and houses the
nayy'yard workmen and their families
Norfolk and Portsmouth called thou
sands and taxed the workers housing
facilities beyond their capacity. 1t
was then the government decided 10
erect a permanent city a.ong model
lines.
The site contains $50 acres and the
city builders were required TO con
struct a 3-mile railroad line with
spurs and switches to distribute the
materials close up TO the tract Three
thousand men were employed in the
undertaking. Before work on the city
itself could be undertaken barracks
had to be constructed for these three
thousand workers.
But the most remarkable feature OF
Cradock lies not in the speed with
which ii was built unusual as that
was, but in the manner OF the city il
It. Every house in the city is CT a
esirable sort, ranging in size four to
eight rooms. Aiost "a tnem are six
room houses, spacious and well model
! ed Each house possesses a lot rang
ing from 80 by 100 feet to 80 by 100
teet. The houses in most Industrial
cities often look like they have all
been run out of the same mold. That
monotonous sameness was avoided in
Cradock and there are f.fty-three diff
terent varieties of houses III the city
Th-re are seven apartment buildings
totaling lO4 rooms. Each is o, TWO
story building containing fourroom
apartments with ali modern cOnyen-
"hev are grouped about a
wide well wooded court.
The matter OF beauty was not neg.
'ee.~u iOr utin.y ana the various pup.
nc buildings, such as the city hall
post office and ores were built
around the city square A community
building, TO be opened to all persons
IN the city was erected and d mass
athletic tisld, known as the commune
sen. was Incorporated into the
plans.
As and open places, the sort The
children like TO play in were provided
III unusual quantity the theory being
" he more open ar life provided
the healthier the residents would be.