davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-05-18

suites are the new rule and the guest
room Is becoming a thing Of the past.
The guest will sleep on the davenport
or one OF the family will.
Everywhere the city is estimated to
be at least two years underbuilt for
housing. and in some of the outlying
regions, especially OF Queens. five to
ten years behind the point where
sound development would normally
have brought IT, w. A. Robertson OF
the Tenement House Commission
thinks 1910 was the last year in which
New York could be said to be over
built.
What are we going to do about all
this?
A preliminary report OF the Recon-
struction Commission to the Governor.
signed by Abram I. Elkus as chair
man. lists possible sources OF relief:
"A study has been made OF the de-
gree Of relief that might be obtained
from
al. Speculative builders or lenders.
"2. Insurance companies or the
other usual sources of loan.
"3. Limited divided corporations.
-. Building and loan associations.
80. Fuller use OF existing buildings,
such as turning old single family
dwellings into multi-family houses o.
The sun., 1919-05-18

lots each IN that section were bought
by one operator. ninety-six lots by an
other, and seventy-five lots more by
these two and a third; and the three
men are known for their shrewdness
In judging the future OF real estate.
Their attention has turned from
apartment houses. lately the leading
medium in transactions owing to the
rise OF rents, to vacant land. Appar-
entity they foresee an early building
boom.
But building high grade and high
renting apartments in which the
Spectator may see profit enough to
Offset the high costs will not take care
of the small wage Garner. and he Is
the man for whom the Reconstruction
Commission Is trying to find early re-
lief from the housing shortage.
Money IL Tight.
Against the chance of any sort OF
building boom is the present tightness
of money for large enterprises. which
in part Is result OF the Liberty
loans The usual sources of loans on
building mortgages, insurance COM
panies, trust companies and others
would not even consider such business
while the Victory Loan was in pros
pect. Moreover, private capital gener-
ally seems distrustful. The last build
ing boom, especially In The Bronx. had
an aftermath of foreclosures and tenn
porary depreciation.
Also building is being held back by
dread Of future competition. "Inves-
tors fear that building costs will pres
emily drop and that next year houses
can be built more cheaply. so that the
present builder will lose" says one
realty man. He believes, however.
that people are beginning to recover
from such fear and to see that the
high costs bid fair to continue.
Falling immediate resumption of
private house building. II has been
suggested that tho State or the city
issue bonds and build, or even that
the national Government might fur
nlsh money for housing the working
man. The Reconstruction Commission
sees no hope In these suggestions. not
because they are "socialistic" or
"paternalistic," but for the practical
reason that such help could not come
in time II II could at all.
"The United States Government"
says a statement by the housing COM
mittee. has recently passed legisla-
tion-the Federal farm loan act OF
lsf-under which money is loaned &c
The sun., 1919-05-18

of 'em improved one penny's worth in
years" is the language of an unofficial
characterization from an official source.
Before the war these were the tenn
porary abodes Of newly landed immi
grants. The Southern Italians OF the
lower East Side were the more per-
manent tenants. To-day many of the
Italians have gone back to Italy be-
cause of the war. while others of the
neighborhood, prospecting on war
work wages, have moved uptown into
sweeter and costlier quarters, and no
immigrants are arriving to refill the
"old dumps" and even under extreme
urgency nobody else will live there
where Can One Move TOT
Less than six-tenths of one per cent.
OF the city's homes vacant, and those
doubtful commodities almost without
exception! In other words, no homes
are to be had. If a tenant thinks of
moving, where is he to go? Not only
the whole city, but the whole nation
is in this same fix, although 1t is
probably most aggravated here.
Hence the so-called rent profiteer-
ing. The Reconstruction Commission
has recently made a report. confirm
ing everybody else In the natural con-
clusion that the profiteering. is a
symptom OF the housing shortage
that II there were houses enough in
sight there could be no profiteers.
Another symptom is the remark
able amount of alteration OF build
irgs In progress and projected. For
Manhattan during January, February
and March only three new building
plans were filed. two for apartments,
the third for private house. But
alteration plans were filed for the
cutting up of 147 private houses into
fats, and OF 104 apartments and tene-
ments into smaller suites.
In April and the first half OF May
numerous transactions with this pur-
pose were recorded, and no few OF the
addresses were those OF private
houses near Fifth avenue, from the
Fiftieth to the Eightieth streets, or
Just on lower Central Park West. or
IN the still desirable" centre of the
Washington Square neighborhood.
Two to Ten Years Behind.
Real estate men say that the day the
intention to alter n house and make
fats of II becomes known through the
newspapers-or the neighbors-there
are ten inquiries for every projected
| new suite, and that even in the high
| priced sections three and four room
The sun., 1919-05-18

hold goods on their backs and sleeping
on park benches. But it does mean
that tenants and guests or sublessees
are doubled up to the last degree of
discomfort, that every livable home
"livable" above the lowest degree OF
squalor and unhealthfulness and neg
lect-has an occupant. that the old
luxurious large suites are turning into
lesser suites, and old private houses
into three 10 FIVE family flats. that the
landlord Is czsr and the tenant is at his
mercy.
One index to the shortage Is the per-
centage OF vacant homes. Normally in
any city there is a margin OF vacant
accommodations the spare room in the
city's house, and the tenants protec-
ton against the profiteer. Experts
place New York's normal margin at
per cent. OF the whole.
The Tenement House Commissions
surveys-the highest priced apartment
in town is technically a tenement, re-
member-show that in February, 1909,
while still somewhat overbuilt, New
York had vacant SIS per cent. of new
law" apartments and tenements. In
March, 1916, the percentage was 403,
in March, 1917, LIS. and in March OF
this year, six -tenths OF 1 per cent, and
the 2,273 vacant accommodations max
ing I'D that fraction are reported by
the commission to be but technically
new law" and livable. But most Of
them are believed to be tenanted by
now.
The only Vacant Flats.
OF old law accommodations last
March the imposing number OF 1910
were vacant, OF which 1882 were in
the lower East Side of Manhattan. the
others in two OF the older congested
districts of Brooklyn. How is this? A
serious housing shortage, with 1910
homes vacant, at very low rents? The
landlords OF these tenements don't I'M
derstand 1t either. and they besiege the
Reconstruction Commissions office and
that of the Mayors Committee on
Rent Profiteering. I've got tenements!
We got tenements! If people want to
mofe, Why don't dey come by us?'
The reasons why they don't are not
printable. not describable in print. at
least. The sober. statistical Tenement
House Commission agrees with the
Young survey workers of the Recon-
struction Commissions committee that
these vacant properties do not count.
1.-THE rottenest old dumps in New York
most of EN- with no j12itors. and none
The sun., 1919-05-18

\ JEW YORK city in three years
M has outgrown it's dwelling by
accommodations for at least
$4,000 families averaging four men,
bers each. The reason is Of rule-of-
thumb simplicity; no new building and
normal, or perhaps abnormally large.
Increase OF population. The remedy is
to build houses. But who will build
them?
With 1916, house building. already
declining as building costs climbed,
virtually stopped. When the United
States went to war the Government
stopped new private building enter
prises altogether. Now the ban is off.
building plans are being filed again.
4ots are changing hands, realty oper-
ators talking cheerfully of a coming
building boom. Whence Is the boom
10 come?
Come It must and soon or by next
snowfall, according TO the reckoning
ot Gov. Smiths State Reconstruction
commission, the city's acute housing
shortage will be SO per cent. worse
than now and the scarcity of houses
VIII be so great and rents will be so
nigh, unless houses are built this sea-
son, that labor will be turned away
and New York's business. industry
and prestige will suffer"
The City's Normal Growth.
populatiOn's normal incraasa IN tha
Health Department statistics is 1885,
VVv year But the Health Depart
ment statistics do not cover all the
sources Of contribution to the city's
growth. Gov. Smith puts the increase
100000 without immieration, which
8 the estimate OF hi commissions
housing committee.
me present shortage OF accommo-
cations for $4,000 families is in apart
Hehts and tenements alone. 1t takes
TO account OF the underbuilding OF
outlying boroughs, which thousands of
"0Heseekers are combing daily this
epilnS In vain for a house or a fat TO
rent
Inc average increase OF accommo-
Nsuons from new building for twelve
s''Fe 'etore the war was 1000. The
number varied considerably from year
% year. In 1905 II was high, but that
was the climax OF the great boom that
oeVeioped so much OF The Bronx, and
voaJoln,ly with the panic OF 1907 came
aeHation which left some sections
pmPorarilv overbuilt. Indeed, in some
,'4onroan' communities the over
o1"d!ng OF that time is said 70 have
,een SUFFICIENT to take care OF the local
increase OF population for ten years
snead' and right up to our going to
way minor speculative developments,
uucipating the future in highly san
suihe way. were observable here and
there.
Families Double Up.
NOW the investor who bought new,
HoT'TaEed property from the specula-
COZ and found himself stuck with II. as
t"e SAYING is, and held on. is reaping
his reward.
10 speak ~ shortage Of $4,000
,e. does not mean, OF course, that
sVV'oOo men, women and children are
mping the streets with their house.
The sun., 1919-05-18
Present Crisis An
other Illustration
of History's Re-
peating Itself as
Shown by Review
of the Conditions
Which Existed
Shortly After the
Close of War of
the Rebellion

its pre-war level; for some years It
VIII probably not be greatly decreased.
Next winter the scarcity Of houses
In New York city will be so great and
rents will be SO high unless houses
are built this season that labor will be
turned away from this city and New
York's business, industry and prestige
will suffer.
Building at the present moment
can be made to give limited return
on present average rentals IL:
"a. Cheap land within easy reach
Of existing industry be used.
"B. Building be carried on on .
large scale.
&C. Expert experienced advice be
secured from men accustomed TO han
ding housing on a large scale from
tile point OF view OF finance, design
building and management. On cheap
land 1t will be possible to build apart
ments less congested than existing
houses"
Momentous Conference.
Cheap land within easy reach" OF
industry means land near the ends OF
the new subways.
By the time of publication OF this
article, the commission believes, news
paper readers will know OF a new pri-
vate building loan corporation, the
subscribers guaranteed a return OF
or 6 per cent. A subscription OF 500
900, 600 was hoped for. several millions
confidently expected.
Even one million" said Mr.. Flkus,
'would be n start OF course, the
amount OF housing 1t would provide
would not be a drop in the bucket
But we believe the start would hearten
private capital generally and that the
lead would he followed in time to
avert the threatened acute shortage
Fundamentally the temporary stand
still of building operations is part
OF the general reaction in business
since the war effort ceased. The busi-
ness world has slackened and Is slow
TO gather its forces and go on. In this
matter we think the resumption can
be fastened"
After elaborate studies the housing
committee estimates the average rise
OF building costs In the city since 1914
at so per cent, and finds that labor
has been the great factor in the rise,
on which circumstance It bases its
prediction that the cost Will stay up.
Analysing Building Costs.
"IIave you heard OF building labor
growing cheaper" asked a member OF
the committee. do the unions con-
template its growing cheaper? The
present cost of building is 40 per cent
labor at the site and in assembling
materials. 35 per cent. labor at mines
and factories and in the manufacture
OF building materials, 20 per cent raw
materials and 5 per cent freight.
Three -fourths OF II is labor. Ths
prophet OF a decline OF the cost 10 tire
detriment OF early builders. has not
taken account Of the fact"
Before the war. according to a con-
sentative investigator, large "walkup
apartments and teneInents, averaging
three rooms to suite. could be built
Continued on SLrth PG0e.I
The sun., 1919-05-18
ADRIAN !. ELkUS :,

associations OF farmers to improve
their land, erect necessary buildings
and 80 on. 1t has been suggeted that
the United States, in this nationwide
housing crisis. should furnish money.
THE suggestion for ultimate relief
is an excellent one. The workingman
in the town OF city Is as much entitled
to relief and certainly as much in need
OF II as the farmer. Even II, however,
there is an extra session OF Congress,
which is more favorably predisposed
to housing than the last Congress, It
would be impossible TO pass the laws
and install the necessary intricate
machinery in time to obtain the houses
this year.
"'For relief by State legislation
says Frank b. Williams, legal expert
on housing OF our advisory council, a
constitutional amendment OF the State
Constitution is necessary. To amend
the Constitution requires the action
of two Legislatures and the approval
of the people which means three
years delay at least
Mr.. Williams himself discussed for
THE SUN the obstacles in the way OF
action by the city. an view of the
statutes empowering the city authori-
ties to provide for the general health,
comfort, and welfare OF the citizens,
/. may seem illogical and absurd" he
said that the authorities should not
be free to meet this emergency by
| raising money and building. ] am not
opposed TO It. you understand. II It
could be done, we'll and good
But law and logic are never quite
Identical. We are always a few years
ahead OF the laws and trying to bring
them up to changed conditions. In
their present state, my opinion is that
the courts could not sustain the city
in issuing bonds TO build houses. and
| that while the matter was pending IN
vestors would look askance at the
bonds for fear of their proving invalid.
1t has never been held a public affair
| to furnish a man his house"
| philanthropy" IL DisIiked.
Another possible source OF early re-
lief is appeal to private capital to
finance house building, with assured
but limited return on the investment,
out OF public spirit. philanthropy"
has been talked about. but the Re
construction Commission dislikes the
word. In reporting to Gov. Smith, the
! chairman, Abram /. Elkus, presented
these conclusions:
| Cost OF building will not return to
The sun., 1919-05-18

Lacking Accom-
modations for U.s.
900 of the Famil-
les Here, N ew
York Stan d S to
Lose Enormously
in Busin es S and
Prestige Unless
Building Boom
Starts Forthwith
The sun., 1919-05-18
Analysing Building Costs.

Continued on sLEth PG0s.'
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
THIN PEOPLE
SHOULD TAKE
PHOSPHATE:
Nothing Like Plain BitrO- Phosphate
To Put ON Firm. Healthy Flcsh aud
Ia Increase strength. NisN'r
and Nerve EOrcc.

Judging from the countless prepar-
atoms and treatments which are con-
tinually being advertised for thN pur-
pose of making thin people flesh " de-
veloping arms. neck and bust. and re-
placing ugly hollows and angles b ' the
soft curved lines of health and bea ATTY.
there are evidently thousands Of lpcn
and women who keenly feel their eX
cessivc thinness.
Thinncss and weakness are usually
due to starved nerves our bodies
need more phosphate than is contained
In modern foods. Physicians claim
there is nothing that will supply this
deficiency so well as the organic
phosphate known among druggists as
biro- phosphate. which is inexpensive
and is sold by GolSay in bennington and
most all druggists under guarantee
of satisfaction or money back. By
feeding the nerves directly and by sup
plying the body cells with the neces-
sary phosphoric food elements bitrO-
phosphate quickly produces q welcome
Transformation In the appearance: the
Increase in weight frequently being
astonishing.
This increase. in weight also carries
with it q general Improvement in tho
health. Nervousness. sleeplessncss and
lack of energy, which nearly always
accompany excessive thinness, sooa
disappear duh eyes become bright, aud
perfect health.
CACTlON.--Although bitro-phos-
phate is unsurpassed for relieving
nervousness slecplessness and general
weakness II should not, owing 10 it's
flesh growing properties. be used by
anyone who does not desire TO put on
flesh.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
GUARANTEED

with thrills and aerial stunts. feais OF
horsemanship and other things that
make a circus an entertainment for
everybody. in the opening episode OF
THE Iron Test at Harte Theatre to-
morrow afternoon and eyening ADV
Mrs W. f. Putnam spent Monday
in Troy
Miss Marion Williams is confined
to her home on Washington avenue by
iliuess.
Mrs Fred Burt has returned to her
homo in Pittsfed after spending q
few days It'll relatives in town.
The Bennington Clup members
will be entertained by "a Business
story in Moving Pictures which will
be shown at the club rooms on Friday
evening. January Slst
Mrs Annette HoIister received d
telegram yesterday announcing the
death in New York on sunday OF hei
sister Mrs Jane H. Chiyers, Z We
funeral viii be held in Buffalo ~
Tuesday aftern0pa 2ga Mrs Hollis n
left last evening tSr that city MIS-
ChNers has often wsitcd in town an,
has meny friends here who will b.
arie,eG to learn Of her death.
Books recently added at the Bon
nington Free Library are as follows
The Three strings Lincoln; The zen
peln's Passenger Oppenheim; Cheer
ful by Request, Ferber; You're Onl,
Young Once, Widdemer; The Colder
Bough. Gibbs; Miss Minks Soldier
Rice; The Ghost Garden. Riyes, Tn
I Desert OF Wheat, Grey; The Peak O
The Load, Aldrich The Valley OF De
mCcracy. Nicholson The New Deat
Kirkland: The Education OF Hear
Adams. an Autobiography That's NJ
All over Mabel Streeter
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
BENNINGTON BRIEFS
News of the Town and Village Told
Briefly for Busy Readers

Mrs. Samuel r. Hawks and Miss
Helen Harrison are in Troy and Al
bang today.
F. f. Howe left the Putnam Memoir
ial hospital Monday and is steadily
improving
Company A, Of the erInont Nolun-
teer Militia. win meet Wednesday
evening for drill.
Mildred Cronin. youngest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs Michael Cronin of
Jefferson street, is ill.,
Il. E. Bottum went TO Hedges this
morning on business connected with
his summer resort at the lake.
Miss Catherine Morrissey has re-
covered from an illness Of jaundice
and is able to attend high school
again
Mr. and Mrs Clyde peckham and
daughter Of Pownal Center We're re-
cent guests OF his aunt, Mrs. Ella
Peckham Of Scott street
Miss Alma Dagesse, clerk in the
NonDette jewelry store, is confined to
her home on Dewel street by illness
Her sister. Miss Laura Dagesse, who
has been sick. is much improved.
Mrs Edmond LaFranchise Of Old
Bennington, who has been sick for
Two weeks, is greatly improved and
able 10 be about the house again. Her
mother, Mrs Emma Deslaurer, who
has been caring for her. returned
home Monday
a regular meeting Of the Methods
brotherhood viii be held tonight a
eight o'clock This is the meeting
for he election OF officers and re
ports win be given for the last year
The success OF the organization fo
me ensuing year depends upon eael
one being present tonight and seems
that good officers are elected
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
nrn-~->Fzpgagr,x + rs " y,
= R0Yss VA S:s
80 esssk iS51, ssz,ss|
y$lk s.. 81 ] j 8 l! IS
SOC, 6Oc, S1.2O.
NORTH BENNINGTON

Barbara hutchinson, little daughter
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Hutchinson
of North Bennington died Monday.
The child was "a months Old. For
the past few days She had not Been
feeling well but her condition did not
require physician On Monday The
little girl was taken with commissions,
which lasted an hour and resulted in
her death. Mr. Hutchinson is union
superintendent of schools and the
heartfelt sympathy OF the community
is with the bereayed family Beside
the parents q brother about years
old survives The remains We're
taken this morning to Hartford for
intermen.
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
BENNINGTON BRIEFS
News of the Town and Village Told
Briefly for Busy Readers

A. ]. Elwell is confined to the house
by lumbago.
Mrs. Helen c. Cole has taken rooms
in the Nichols block
Mrs A. ]. Elwel has recovered
from an attack of influenza.
There will be no rehearsal OF the
st. Francis de Sales choir this even
in
Miss Hndegarde Van Ow is confined
to her home on School street by ILL
ness
Mrs Frank +. HOLSTER of Grove
street has recovered after few days
illnest.
Mrs. David Creighton and son David,
Jr., are confined to the house by in
fiuenza.
Mrs. J. l.. Eddington went to New
York Monday TO visit with relatives
fof a week
Save $3.50 to $500 and buy one OF
the sweater coats at Mulligan 4
Roches. Adv
A few of those line Loo hats left,
worth $500 at Mulligan & Roehe's.
i All sizes. Adv.
/ Mrs w. G. Towart has gone. TO New
York where he will remain the re-
mainder Of the week.
Mrs. John Hayes of Gage street left
Monday for New York where She will
spend a week with her cousin, Mrs
Fred Stanley.
DO not loose the chance to buy one
of the SIS or S2l suits On cyercoats
worth $25 to $50 at Mulligan &
Roches. Adv
Don't fail to start the new western
circus serial The Iron Test" a
Harte Theatre tomorrow afternoon
and evening. Adv
( Miss Mary Rudd. who has beef
spending several days in North Ad
ans visiting relatives, has returned
TO her home on Imperial avenue.
A real circus and wonderful western
Workmanship in the opening episode
OF The Iron Test al lIarte Theatr
tomorrow afternoon and evening
ACt.
A card party, In the rooms OF tn
w r. C. on Wednesday evening wit
refreshments. Games are scheduler
to begin at O'Clock and the public /
invited, Adv.
See Alice Brady in her latest Selec
picture The Ordeal OF Rosetta,
tense photo-drama Of metropolta
life, superbly acted and produced tn
: Select Way, Pathe News and L
War Film at Harte Theatre today
! AGE
! The Ladies' Aid society of tn
Methodist church vii sei-ia sGppo
, at the church Wednesday, Januar
10Th at six O'Clock The menu wi
: consist OF hash, salad, Jelly rolls, pi
and coffee, Mrs. John Paulson. cate
! er Tickets 30 cents ADV.
Mr.. and Mrs Walter X. White hay
t received a letter from their son Cap
! Eugene l.. White which informs thel
that he was 10 sail for home on Jai
5. Capt. White was recently tran
fered from Headquarters company
the 4lst Division TO command in tn
, l65th Division.
Every man. Woman and child
glad when a circus comes 10 towl
You will see a full fledged circus file
The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-01-28
To Ward Off illness

1t does not take long for sluggish
bow els and torpid liver to put the
system in such condition that ID does
not ward off sickness as a we'll body
should. If you are bloated, languid or
lazy, have the blues headaches.
palnitation biliousness, bad breath.
gas, constipation or Indigestion YOU
win feel better in the morning ii you
take a Foley Cathartic Tablet tonight.
This wholesome ana cleansing
physic acts without gripping or nausea.
Sold Everywhere