The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-10
For the Good of
the Community

housing facilities According to report
recently prepared by committee ap-
pointed by the Louisville Board of Trade
there is immediate need of minimum Of
1000 dwellings to accommodate en-
ployes of industrial plants now operating
or in contemplation.
Sometime ago the Board of Trade ap-
pointed a committee known as the Louis
vile Industrial Foundation whose func-
tions were to investigate and secure the
location in Louisville of new industrial
enterprises. This committee in it's inves-
LEGATIONS, ascertained that before it could
make further progress in securing new in
dustries more houses must be provided for
the employees they would bring to the city.
The housing committee thereupon ap-
pointed by the Board of Trade, began an
investigation into this subject After go
ing into the matter thoroughly and ascer-
tanning the needs of the city they recon-
mended the raising of fund of 1,000,-
900 to be used in building $50 dwellings
costing an average of about 81, 900.
According to the plan worked out by
this committee these dwellings would be
sold only to employees of industrial estab-
lishments on small monthly or weekly
payments that would enable them to live
decently and pay off the entire cost in the
course of a few years.
The Foundation committee had al
ready reported that the location of one or
more large industrial plants depended
upon the supply of homes available for
their employees.
Upon the filing of the housing commit
tees report the Board of Trade called a
conference of number Of officials OF
leading manufacturing concerns whose
views on the suggestions of the committee
were wanted This conference will be
held in few days. and already tentative
plans for the organization Of housebuild
ing corporation have been formulated.
It is estimated that by the time the ST.
100000 have been spent the income from
purchase installments will provide funds
for other buildings, SO that building oper-
ations may be continued indefinitely.
While the building corporation will not
be organized for the purpose Of making
money for the stockholders the commit
!. tee reports that the investment will earn
reasonable returns in addition to relieving
the house shortage.
Real estate men have estimated that
5000 houses are needed in Birmingham
to relieve the shortage here. For more
than year there have been no vacant
dwellings in Birmingham and persons
coming to- the city have been unable to
find place to live.
This condition is retarding the growth
of Birmingham and until it is relieved the
city cannot grow as it should.
st. Louis and number of other cities
have already organized corporations
along the line suggested in Louisville and
are now erecting homes for Industrial
workers.
Birmingham could do as well as St.
Louis, Louisville or any other city if some
one would only take the lead.
Within few weeks construction work
on a new stove factory will begin at North
Birmingham It will employ large num-
Der Of men. It has been announced that
arubber company will begin the construc-
ton of a S1,000,0OO plant here shortly
after the first of the new year. 1t will en-
j.. l. -. 1oGl l.