Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-09
ID. C. EVEREST AND E. nj.
JENISON, FOND DU LAC
SPEAK ON QUESTION

That a concentrated effort must now
be extended by citizens of Wausau for
the construction of homes, apartment
buildings and flats, for which there is
keen demand, was the prevailing SEN
timent of the first Chamber of Com
merce luncheon of the season, held
Monday noon at the Hotel Bells. DR..
Joseph E. Smith presided, following
which addresses were made by d. c.
Everest and E. NJ. JenisOn, Fond du
Lac, of the Fond du Lac Common
wealth.
Better Community
''The more home owners you have,
the better community you have" de-
clared Mr.. Everest. mo one ever
hears farmer, who has cleared his
land and made a farm or the man In
the city who has worked hard and
built for himself a nice, comfortable
home, talking about the natiOnaliZa-
ton of farms and other property!
when 1 came to Wausau in 1909,
1 then commented on the lack of
housing and while I was then greatly
pleased with the fact that so many
people owned their homes, on the 9TH
er hand there was a glazing necessity
of houses which could be rented to
persons who might be brought to the
city by new industry. This condition,
which confronts us today was as ap-
parent then as now and I would call
your attention to the fact that within
the ten years mentioned no great en-
ploying industry has been brought to
Wausau. For this reason | say Wan.
sau has reached its limitations. There
has been no remarkable increase in
population and on the contrary, if l
am correctly informed, there has been
slight falling of i'm population with.
in the city since the previous school
census.
"This city for ten years has been
living within itself. Two important
factors are largely responsible for the
housing conditions here today First
Increase in population due to out
siders moving in to accept employ
ment with local concerns, and the es-
adjustment of new families from
among our own people. Second
Prosperity of local people. Today
there is scarcely house available for
rent and even suitable office space is
also at premium. People who con-
tinually make use of the phrase
High Cost of Living will undoubtedly
not be able to agree with me that
all local people are prosperous. I
would like to have you find a house
In Wausau, where two or three fam
lilies, the members of which are en-
ployed, are living together unless it is
due to the fact that they absolutely
cannot obtain houses. Five or six
years ago there were any number of
houses with two families and from
that up to six families and / am told
that at the time the previous school
census was taken there was one house
in which fifty-fOur people were living
and when the census was made this
year only five people occupied the
place. People are prosperous and
want their own homes.
Value Not Excessive
MANY men own lots in this city,
who are DESTROYS of building some
time and the way should be made
easy. In Wausau there is no excuse
for such conditions. We have plenty
of building space. Real estate values
are not excessive. Materials are at
our door. The necessity is staring us
in the face more every day and has
been continually increasing for ten
years or more. Yet, here we sit in
snug complacency expecting the sec
rotary of the Chamber of Commerce
and the industrial committee to be
able, through some miracle, to drag in
some great industry by the scruff of
the neck and set it up in our midst.
81 think we are apt to expect too
much and we have become so self
satisfied with the celebrated "Wau-
sau Spirit which we expect to do