Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-09
PETER J. FORD
!. ASKS PROBE OF
RENT beating"
Thinks Both Tenants and Land
lords Should be Protected by
Housing Committee.
BUT NO ACTION is TAKEN


The meeting held last night by Mayor
TayIor's Housing Adjustment COMMITTED
Was enlivened bv Peter j. Ford. who after
commencing its efforts to prevent rent
profiteering suggested that If also stop
rent beating Mr.. Ford said some rent
"bcats' erroneously believe the commit
tee was appointed for their benefit. lie
thought it should protect both tenants and
landlords. Instancing rent beats, he
stated Mr.. - and family, who have not
paid their rent, are motoring IN the
Eastern States" A man whose income
amounts to $50 per week Is tardy IN rent
navTnents. A woman would not pay rent
because she wanted To spend the money on
vacation trip. Another rent beat kept
the house in q filthy condition. couplo
who signed a lease and took an oath to
bay promptly skipped at night with
four months rent unpaid man who
declared he could not pay for groceries be
cause rent took all his wages paid neither
grocer nor landlord. Another owed light
months rent and paid Sl5 IN throe wrecks
4 woman who once owned three dwellings
had to 20 10 the alnshouse N old age DO
cause tenants treated her unlustly.
Mr.. Ford asked the committee 10 IN
vestigate rent beating.
Councilman Lyon thought the commit
tee lacked jurisdiction.
Councilman Forwood and Tax Col
lector Klund suggested that rent beats
be summoned
Mr.. Ford said he would notify his
tenants If they became rent beats he
would bring them before tho committee.
No action was taken on Mr.. Fords
request. Councilman Murray moved
that real estate mon be asked to send the
committee n list of rent beats, but the
motion was not seconded. His colleagues
thought the motion was too strong
Mr.. Ford stated some parsons have been
his tenants for 26 years To show that he
- a good landlord he mentioned that
,ince May /, 1919, he had 81 buildings re-
rooted and spent $4,000 for improving
houses. ie volunteered 70 submit his
wills for examination and said II his state
nent was proven untrue he would give
he committee 5000 10 donate 70 any
institution Il selected He also offered to
nav $50 to any man tho committee desig
mated TO examine the bills. The commit
tee did not act on the offer. Mr.. Ford told
the committee he had sold so per cent ot
his real estate In the last two years. lie
also advised property owners IN lower
sections OF the city TO sell their houses.
He sold for 81 200 house worth $1,000
and for s., 200 q house worth $500.
II. ]. Mckenzie of 1916 East Twenty
second street thanked tho committee
collectively and William T. White IN
diyidually for their efforts IN his behalf.
He had been notified by his landlord 10
vacate the house December %, but will
be permitted to remain, he suggested
thst the committee declare 3O-day lease
graft.
The committee heard Albert Edges
complaint OF the Security Trust and Safe
Deposit Company, trustee, increasing the
rent OF 1922 Clinton street from SIS 10
s25 per month. Mr.. Edge said the house
i in had condition. Ross s. Robinson of
the company's real estate department
stated the net income was ST42 and the
net expenses were S621. - In the last four
wears. The average profit now Is : per
cent The company values the house at
$1,000. and II Is assessed for $3.50, Pro-
posed improvements VIII cost 500 Mr..
Robinson oontended that the rent should
Be $50 to make the investment profitable
Councilman Mearns said all the expense
should not he put on the tenant. Descrlb-
inc the condition OF the house when nc
leased Il, Nr Edge stated the building
contained 900 bed bugs and he spent s15
20 exterTnInate them Mr.. Robinson said
a previous occupant OF the house was re-
sponsihle for the presence Of the bugs
The company and Mir Edge were gwen q
seek 20 adjust their differences.
The owner, agent and tenant OF 7l9
Madison street, we're ordered to appear
before the committee next Monday.
man named Plaza Is the owner, Carroll :.
Griffith the agent and Henry A. Schwendt.
tenant The rent has been increased from
Sd TO S35 per month At a previous
meeting il was stated S400 has been spent
on improvements
Tax Collector klund whs requested to
confer with Max Padoskey, owner of the
building at the northeast corner Of Elghth
and Monroe streets. Mrs Edith Perry
tenant Of the store, complained OF the
rent, $3.50 per month, and said the store
IS not properly heated Mr.. hlund. who
occupies an apartment, pays $40 per
month and two other tenants pay $40
and S35, respectively. The furnace has
been repaired since complaint was nade
Mr. klind said the building Is assessed
for $4,000 tie estimated the annual eX-
Ienses az $500 and the income at 81 ,S35.
William Mcdowell. Harry Pritchett
and Charles H. Lockwood, tenants of
I40l. 1903 and 1905 Adams street, re-
spectively, complained OF the rent being
increased from $50 TO S24 per month and
SAID the houses are III bad condition. Rev
George II Dole Is the owner The tenants
and owner were summoned to appear bc-
fOrs tbs. committee next Monday