The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1920-11-04
REBUILDING OUR TOWN.

WIN NV 4ys
As the days go by it develops
that the problem of rebuilding
the business section of our town
presents some problems not ap-
parent at first. And the Difficult
ties are not all financial, though
finding the. necessary money re-
mains in some cases a most per-
picking matter.
1t was pity that the fire came
in period of financial depression
For six months past the financial
resources of the whole country
have been depleted. Banks have
been unable to assist their GUS
toners in usual and necessary fin
ancial and business transactions.
1t is in no way disparaging to say
that the Philip banks are labor
ing under the same difficulties as
banks in sother localities. AS a
matter of fact they are probably
not so hard up as some banks in
the eastern part of the state. Still
they need help from outside sour
ces in order to carry our rebuild
ing operations. We have been
helped in a measure by the delaslt
of some state funds with our
banks since the fire.
But our banks are so closely re-
stricted in the matter of real es-
tate laons, that it would be inn
possible even in prosperous times
For local banks to make all the
financial arrangements. With
money easier, it would be possible
&C sec assistance from building
md loan associations or outside
loan companies but no help from
that direction is possible at the
present time.
The financial situation, as much
as the close approach of winter
has postponed building operations
until next spring Some contracts
have already been let, however,
and the work of excavation has
already commenced. An open win
ter would advance the work, of
course.
Cooperation among the business
men arranging to build is desira-
BILE, as a joint building with COM
ron partition walls saves much in
he cost of construction, but there
IRE also difficulties in the way Of
his. And even the splendid CO
operation spirit that has carried
Philip people so far, is not able
TO surmount them all. A very
few property owners were just
about broke by the fire. These
find it hard to carry their share
of a joint building plan. Again
some of the lot owners on Center
Avenue are non-residents, ard it is
aot easy to cooperate with them.
Again the present price of build
ng material is a serious matter
While advances of lumber and
cement may not have been as
great as in some other lines it
must be confessed that in the lam
guage of the street the market
is still very steady" Building
materials may or may not be low
er next year. However, that may
turn out, present costs of marer-
ial are very serious matter for
he merchant planning to rebuild
his place of BUSINESS.
There is a hope, quite general.
ly expressed, that times will i'm
prove now that the election is
past How soon this hope may be
realized, and how rapidly the re-
covery may be from the present
depression are matters of mere
speculation. One man may guess
rs we'll as another as to this. 1t
simply adds an element of uncer-
tainty to all rebuilding plans.
1t will all come out all right in
the end. We are encouraged by
the prompt payment of all insur-
ance policies and we look forward
rather cheerfully to the coming
spring. We expect it to be one of
+bo l,,,aI.act apJ ,,,ac+ ,roc,,o~o,x.