The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-06-12

Kenosha got blow straight from the
shoulder, fair and square and not be-
low the belt, Tuesday evening at the
meeting of the Kenosha Chamber of
Commerce in the Pompeian Room at
the Elks Club when Charles w. Nash,
president of the Nash Motors Company,
announced that the Kenosha firm
would build a new factory and it
would not be in Kenosha'. The an
nouncement came following the discus
sion of the report of the housing plan
for Kenasha presented by Chair a
Whyte and calling for the erection of
five thousand homes in Kenosha in the
next three years. 1t woke the business
mon to the necessity of immediate ac-
tion if Kenosha was to retain her in
dustrial prominence and before the
meeting was over a resolution was
passed unanimously urging the di-
rectors of the Chamber Of Commerce
to accept the report and take steps
Immediately to put it into action.
Blow Comes Suddenly.
Mr.. Nash s announcement came fol
lowing adverse criticism of the propos-
ed plan. III. L. Bullamore in his dis
cussion of the project, found fault with
many suggestions. First of all, he de-
clared that the value suggested for lots
was outside the bounds Of reason, that
the item placed on taxes, water rent
and depreciation, were not at all ade-
quate and that these things made him
doubtful as to the success of the plan.
Mr.. Bullamore IS greater objections were
based on opposition to the establish
ment Of an appraisement committee to
establish the price Of lots and prevent
profteering. He declared that the city
had just as good a right to enter any
factory and place price on its pro-
duct as to tell property owners what
they should charge for the lots.
In his later objections, Mr. Bulla-
more took pessimistic view of Keno
sha 3 future He declared that he be-
lieved that six hundred houses would
be plenty and intimated that the build
ing Of FIVE thousand homes would leave
many unrented houses in the city. He
urged as counted plan the providing
of twenty per cent of the cost Of the
houses and allowing the contractors to
carry seventy per cent while ten per
cash payment would provide the rest.
Mr.. Bullamore urged extreme conser-
vatism and declared that the smaller
plan would be better fitted to the needs
of the city.
Mr.. Nash Immediately took excep-
tions to the speech made by Mr.. Bull
lamore This talk is evidence why
you have small town in Kenosha''
said Mr.. Nash. In answer let me
ask you to consider what the factories
are doing for Kenosha. So far as I
am concerned I do not care now so
much whether houses are built in Ke-
nosha or not. The Nash Motors Com
pany will grow some place else If it
does not grow here. We're going to
have another plant and it is not going
to be in Kenosha because this city does
not take care of its manufacturers
Mr.. Nash took exception also to Mr..
Bullamore's statement that the build
ing of houses was being done for the
manufacturers and declared that the
merchants should realize that they
would be helped just as much.
Later Mr.. Nash was seen and asked
his plans for new location
of branch Of the Kenosha factory.
He said that he had several cities under
consideration, but added that the plans
were still immature. Following the dis
cussion of the housing plans the Cham
Der of Commerce took immediate steps
to appoint committee to wait on the
of the Nash factory and urge
then to reconsider Kenosha as pos
sibility for the factory SITE
Great Plan Made Public.
The meeting Tuesday evening was