Evening journal., 1919-09-09
BUILDING PROJECT
Up To Committee
Contlnned from Flrst PAGE.

ing, stated that the matter is now up
to the people Of Wilmington. The city
officials, ne said. have no power TO
build houses and were doing their best
10 stir up public action through the
present committee. If nothing came OF
! these meetings the people would be re-
J spOnsible. He explained housing pro-
! iect IN Baltimore, which he had investl-
! gated, where large number OF six
room houses had been put up at cost
OF s., 800 each including the land. lie
proposed forming public fund OF
s3l0000, which could be used TO extend
TO builders the necessary credit TO en-
able them TO build similar houses here
at a cost OF $1,000 each. This fund,
with the usual amount of credit which
could be obtained from the banks for
such projects, he believed would be the
basis for satisfactory building opera
lions in this city. His plan called for
a small first payment and then monthly
payments by the tenants Of 500 Those
who could afford u could pay $50, the
extra $40 going towards the payment
of interest and the purchase Of the
house.
A number OF builders present OBJ
iected that such houses could not be
built in Wilmington for $1,000. John D.
Thompson. Daniel NJ Buckley, John b.
Healey. William NJ. Connolly and. Frank
n. Overdeer were among those who
followed The mayors talk with critic
ism and suggestion. Mr. Connelley said
builders would hesitate 10 recommend
any building project in Wilmington.
The lack OF credit, he said is a serious
handicap. lie offered TO build i've hun
dred houses at once il fund could be |
established to provide the necessary |
credit.
Samuel II. Baynard blamed the pres I
ent situation on the activities OF the T.
Government in the Union Park Gardens (
project during the war. lie stated he /
was prepared TO build 500 houses in I
Wilmington when the Union Park /
scheme was started. The Government /
then commandeered his materials and I
workingmen and he found IL impossi- /
bic TO DO any building on a large scale, |
even at a prohibitlve price This evil 4
is reflected at the present moment he /
said, in the fact that the building /
trades now eXpect,to receive the same 4
treatment they did during the war,
when the Government was paying in
tlated wages and using unnecessary
numbers Of men TO get its projects
rushed through. The Union Park Gar
dens project was a "crucifXion OF
efficiency" Mr.. Baynard said.
Charles C. Kurtz defended Union
Park Gardens and made strong plea
in favor OF the Governments action,
10 was the best thing ever done for VIII
he maintained, and provided
500 houses. 800 Of which are now occu-
pied. Mr.. Kurtz said he could not see
the difference between 500 houses built
by Mr.. Baynard and 500 built by ahe
Mr.. Baynard retorted that the cost OF
the houses was so high that people
cannot afford to live in them. They
were put up in a war time rush and are
too eXpens<.- at the rate Of SIS a month
for people to occupy them. he said.
Continuing his argument for present
action, Mr. Bsynard stated there Is
plenty Of private capital in Wilmington.
which can be brought into use with The.
proper cooperation
Other members, taking this up, gave
{ as their opinion that there are mill {
iopf OF dollars in the city and the !
'apftal will be provided by the business r
men at a reasonably low rate Of inter-
'st, which would still give them sum-
'ient return not TO put them in the {
class. Analogy was Y
lrawn with the money which was h
'atrlotlcally subscribed to the Liberty ?