Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-16
u. s. EDicts 27S
Hartman Tenants

Continued from Page One
at their wits end to know what to do
when they are forced out.
w. Il. Tower, director of housing and
transportation Of the Shipping Board,
with offices at 140 North Broad street,
gave as the reason that the Slipping
Board finds II improbable to operate
the central heating plant for the III
apartments and sixty-six bungalows
affected, and hopes the villagers will
leave peacefully.
The letters of eviction, under date
Of August 10, are signed by Lester ID.
Gohecn. acting manager of the village.
Six Hundred Affected
The Shipping Board holds that the
central steam heating plant is the. only
possible way to heat the homes, there
fore the people must leave. Six hundred
men, women and children. who accepted
the offer of the Government to live in
the houses and pay rent. after the places
had been vacated and were left upon the
Shipping Boards hands. must now find
new homes as winter approaches.
There are 800 houses at Hartman
whiCh are not yet affected. These houses
have each hot -air heater in the base
mcnt, They rent up to $40 month.
The bungalows rent for $40 Il month.
and the apartments rent from SIS to S2O
n month.
A mass meeting was held by the VIII
layers last night in the llarrinlna Pub
lie School Enoch II. Randolph, of 231
Mckinley street, Hartman. one Of the
Cvicted ones, was elected chairman. Mr..
were made at this meeting that the
entire situation was due to the mis-
, management Of the affairs Of the village
BY the Shipping Board.
To begin with, il was declared, the
steam heating plant was built in n
shoddy manner. although at great cost.
| So poorly were the steam pipes under
the streets insulated, it is declared, that
| Inst winter little gcysers of steam
spurted up through the snow and ice,
as the live steam escaped from the pipes
that were supposed TO heat the homes
from the central heating plant.
Repairse Refused
In spite of this, it was declared las,
night by speakers. Mr.. Towers refused
to have any repairs made. The policy
Of the Government, it was pointed out,
has been to get every cent possible out OF
| the Government housing projects. In
| line with this policy, il was charged
| Paul Il. Boardman. village manager at
$4,000 year. was discharged about six
weeks ago, and q new manager has
never been appointed. with the result
that under the policy of running affairs
from l4O North Broad street. PhiIa
delphia, things have gone to wrack and
| ruin.
A manager is demanded by the viii
layers, and repairs are demanded to the
steam heating plant. then, it is de-
Clared, the homes can be heated eco
nOmically and not with the squanderinC
Of hundreds of tons of coal, as was
the case Inst winter.
There are now about 5000 tons of Goa
in the storage pile near the pOwcrhouse
according to residents. With eficien
management, even with present equip
ment, It IS declared, the loss could b.
cut down heavily this winter. The plan
had been running behind S3iOO Il mOntl
Inst winter, it was pointed out by resi-
dents today, but most of this lOss cease
when John COombs. n practical man
was placed in charge for while.
A pctitiop has been signed by the
families Of the village against the evic-
ti0n and has been placed in the hands
of Samuel Patton. representative on the
Republican State Committee in the
Hartman district He will give it to
Congressman Henry W. Watson. of the
Fourth Congressional District. and Mr.
Watson in turn will present it to a. ID,
Lasker, chairman of the Shippinc
Board Conditions will thus be brought
to Mr.. I.Nskcrs personal attention.
Many Out of Work
The situation is CnLpllCatcd by tn
fact many of the villagers are out q
work. They are behind in their rent
to the Government now, and have II,
hope ever of paying up If eviCted The!
cannot find the funds to move to othe
homes. buy from $40 to 500 worth 0
coal and prepare to face long hare
winter. Many Of the families, it i
said, are actually in want, every
penny earned in odd jobs gon.
every penny earned IN odd jobs goin
into food. The action of the Govern
ment at this critical time. it was lie
clared at last nights meeting, aggra
Yates the suffcrings Of unfortunate citi
zens who deserve something better a
such time.
| In justice TO the Government. how
ever, the residents say every kindnes
has been extended the families whrr
bread winners have been out of work. Ii