Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-09
INDUSTRIAL
TREND TO WEST,
\ SAYS KETCHUM
Housing Problem More Crit
zeal With Coming of Greater
Number of People.
DEMANDS MUST BE MET

Indiana is entering a most critical
period in housing conditions from now
on" declared Kenneth Ketehum. fnan-
ciaI director of the American City En-
cheering Company Of Pittsburg, in a
statement regarding the housing question
which was discussed at the state hous-
ing conference held under auspices Of
the Indiana State Chamber Of Commerce.
There is a movement Of industries
westward" said Mr.. Ketchum.
These Industries are locating nu-
merous branches at large traffic centers,
and, places where the housing conditions
are not congested-"
CONDITIONS AFFECT
FACTORIES.
Mr. Ketchum said that they would not
seek to open factories where critical
housing conditions and congestion exist.
IN discussing the general shortage OF
houses in the country he said that only
e 20000 houses were built in 1918.
Seventy thousand houses were built
in 1919, and the building associations
announce that even fewer houses win be
built this year.
THE work that is being done is not
taking care Of the normal demand" de-
clared Mr.. Ketchum.
INDIANA SHORT
10000 HOMES.
He said that the shortage in Indiana,
IF set at q minimum figure, would be
100000 houses.
. Industries have been building houses
for their employees as last resort to OBJ
tain help in their factories.
Even when we consider how critical
the present situation is" said Mr.. Ketch-
UNI, f''the real and final condition is not
SO much today, but when the supply is
coming up with the demand"
Mr.. Ketchum said that at such a time
It viii be certain that adjustments will
De made and these projects will suffer.
The future, tense Is of vital value in
considering the work of today in the
housing project"
PREDICTS
HIGHER PRICES.
Prices, which are not as high as thew
were the first of the year. will be as
high and higher this year and next wear
lis the opinion Of Mr.. Ketchum.
We can ask any man in Industry
what ne thinks about the high cost Of
living, and he says prices are sure to go
down, but If you ask him when he in
tends to reduce the prices of his own
commodities, 1t is an entirely different
problem"
, AE- hetcnum said that is is not SO
much the difficulty Of building houses
as 1t is the fact that there are so many
investments offering better returns than
iouse building that the money market
'Fill not make loans for building houses.
In speaking Of the cost of erecting a
house at the present time he said that a
modern house with all improvements. in
Guiding the cost Of the lot, is about 81 600
per room.
The reason that renting houses is not
q good Investment" he said. sis because
the rents are not set at a standard which
VIII make the owner his legitimate 10
: per cent profit
INVESTMENT SHOULD
MAKE OWNER PROFIT
when other mmodities increased the
rents were not increased proportionally.
and hence the people have not become
accustomed to paying rent adequate to
make the owner have a paying invest
ment"
The values for old houses have not been
re-established, he declared.
Mr.. ketchum said that in many cities
legitimate values had not been set on
houses until an attempt to build was
made and it was found that in renting
the new property the old standards did
not apply. and consequently the old
prices were readjusted.
House owning, or rather home own
ing, Is the best way Of keeping an indf-
vidual IN one community" said Mr.
Ketehum.
Industries have said that married
men are the best workers
I'VE all know that the unmarried man
who drifts from city TO city is not to be
depended UPON"
ARGUMENT FAVORs
HOME OWNING.
There IS strong argument for owning
your own home in Mr.. Ketchum's opin-
ion.
While man pays from 25 TO 30 per
cent Of his income in buying h. home in
place Of the 20 to % per cent re pays in
renting, after he has his home in his
own name he has something TO show
while the man who rents has nothing"
he said.
Mr.. Ketchum said that the success Of
selling homes on the installment plan is
undoubted.
In all other indust ries selling on the
installment plan has been. one Of the
most successful of ventures in this coun-
try and there is no reason why il should
not be such in the real estate business"
was his comment.