The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-08

J That 100000 homes should hay,
E2>, been built at the normal rate in the
SS last two years and that only $4,000
- were actually built. leaving q short
age that is estimated at fully 100000 homes.
That from 100000 to $500 homes must be now
built yearly to make up the shortage and to get
back to the normal rate.
That 100000 feet Of lumber, board measure
will have to be cut yearly, instead Of 4O,OO0,O coo
feet, which is the normal rate.
That an Increase in the lumber output Of 10,
100000 feet a year will certainly make the lum-
berjack hustle.
The experts do not agree as to figures in all
cases. But It is evident that the shortage in
homes IS very large. At the recent real estate
convention in Atlantic City inadequate housing
facilities were reported from all parts of the
country and the shortage in homes was put at
100000.
Again, IT should be remembered that the or
binary demands of manufacturers for lumber are
also 10 be met.
That the demand OF devastated Europe for
lumber will undoubtedly stimulate export from
this country.
While all the lumberjacks Of the country will
have to hustle, 1T looks as if the biggest activity
VIII be demanded from the lumberjacks Of the
Pacific coast, where most of the lumber comes
from nowadays.
The pictures show scenes I'm Idaho and Wash
ington. The mountain lumber camp is 1000 feet
up In northern Idaho and there is still snow on
the ground in June. The trainload of logs is on
a ~narrow-gauge road In the Idaho pine forests
near Fernwood. The three magnificent yellow
pines are in q logging region near Spokane. yell
low pine is the principal source Of umber in
eastern Washington. The normal production Of
yellow pine is about 5000, 100000 feet (bOard
measure) q year. 1t is figured that this output
VIII have to be increased to about 10000, O 5000
feet. Some of the white pine trees near Spokane
are five feet in diameter and 175 feet high. The
largest white pine belt left in the United States
is in northern Idaho. Some of the largest and
besteQuipped sawmills in the country are in this
Washington Idaho district.
This housing problem is a big one-so big that
1T may lead to action by the federal government.
The department of labor, in announcing in Jan
uary that 100000 new dwelling houses were need
ed, had this to say:
1.-TWO billion dollars. available for loans 70
home builders, would go far in providing the
necessary capital for the building of these dwell
ings. Securities of n value approximating So 600.
100000 are held by the Constituent organizations
in the United States League Of Building and Loan
Associations. Labor conditions, manufacturing
and social needs clearly indicate the desirability
of an immediate acceleration of building actiyi-
ties throughout the country.
"By making available capital necessary 70
"'''S ''tS' lHOh may IhlltIl1IIIe III u
national system of home loan banks The nlan
the creation Of a bank in each fed
eral reserve district, similar to the land banks
created under the federal farm loan act. with
which a local building and loan association could
deposit collateral, receiving in exchange home
loan bonds"
The announcement has been made in Washing
ton by Louis x. Sherman, president Of the United
States Housing corporation, that the land in yari-
Gus cities which was to have been utilized by the
government In it's war emergency building pro-
gram is TO be sold to home seekers for the cree
ton Of private houses. The conditions governing
the sale Of such property are that there is q real
demand for houses in the community and that the
construction of homes will be started Immediately
following the sale. The lots are TO be sold pub-
licly. Complete sets Of plans. prepared by arch
itects for the housing corporation, will be fur
nished with the various lots.
Grosvenor Atterbury has some interesting
things to say on this problem. He is known ms
an architect Of international reputation. He is
q member of the board Of directors of the Ma
tional Housing association, chairman Of the war
time housing committee, member Of the National
City Planning institute, member of the French
Council of Architects and Engineers on the prob
lem Of reconstruction in the devastated regions
and a member Of the New York tenement house
commission. For Is years, under various appro-
~priations, beginning with the Henry Phipns on
terprises and then with the Russell Sage founda-
ton, he has spent a large part OF his time in re-
search work and experiments in the possibilities
OF quantity production of the small house sniff
able for workingmen. These practical studies
and demonstrations have involved the expend,-
IRE Of two or three hundred thousand dollars
~ says among other things:
We VIII make no substantial progress toward
solution Of the industrial housing problem
al! we apply to the production of Tie small