, 1922-11-16
HOUSING PROBLEM
IS A SERIOUS ONE
BOARD OF TRADE Is PROMOTING IN.
TENSlVE CAMPAIGN FOR BUILD.
Ing ADDITIONAL HOMES

bVVh SCttiA6 HuOlo anu IuOEe acute
every day in Rawlins for the past
year. was taken up vigorously by the
Board of Trade at a special meeting
held Monday night at the Ferris.
There was a fairly good attendance
considering that short notice had
been given and further that the
weather was such as to tempt many
to stay at home. There were Al
present before the meeting closed,
but the fact that many of the leading
business houses were unrepresented
was the cause OF much adverse COM
ment.
The Keynote" speech of the even
ing was delivered by r. E. Wertz,
who came as the guest of Harry
Breitenstein, Of the Stockgrowers'
bank, who told the assemblage in
plain, polite terms just what they
might expect of the Producers & Re-
timers corporation, of which he is
general manager. which corporation
rs at present employing more than
200 men in the erection of a refinery
at Grenville, at the outskirts of the
city.
Mr.. Wertz. when called upon by
the president. Fred w. Rendle,
stated that his company wished as
many OF its men as had families TO
live in Rawlins. provided that these
people were able to secure decent and
satisfactory housing facilities, but
that he would not ask any man to
keep his family and himself in
some shack which they are at pres
ent compelled to occupy temporarily.
This local condition was assigned by
the speaker as the cause for the re-
moval OF the r. e. RS offices and
Headquarters to Casper nearly two
years ago.
He added that there was TO be a
meeting of the officers of the corpor-
alton in Chicago Wednesday. which
he would attend. and at which this
subject was to cosle up prominently
and for n decision. If the people of
Rawlins can and will provide suitable
houses for the rapidly increasing
force of employees of the Producers
& Refiners. well and good, II not the
corporation itself Will build such
homes at Grenville. Mr.. Wertz also
expressed a wish for something
definite to take to Chicago which
could be communicated to his as
,sociates.
During the discussion which fol-
lowed Mr.. Wertz's talk II became
plainly evident that the subject of
present inadequate housing and its
%blighting effect on the future of the
city unless steps were taken speed
lily to remedy this condition. had
been given deep study by the mer-
chants and business men OF the city.
as many OF the leaders In every civic
movement were on hand and each
with an outline OF q plan OF action
or suggestions which showed that
the matter had been given the earnest
attention II deserves.
Among the speakers who took a
leading part in the discussion were
Geo. A. Bible. II. Breitenstein. H. f.
Dunlap. Hans Larsen. l.. f. Arm
strong. DR.. A. F. Thode. r. w. Rendle
and several others. In his prelimin-
airy outline OF what must be done Mr..
Wertz had mentioned the success
which had crowned the efforts OF
building and loan associations in
Casper. ut a time when conditions
there were very similar to those con-
fronting the city OF Rawlins today.
This led to a query from Mr.. Arm
strong as to how the local associa-
ton was faring and under what
terms and conditions money for the
purpose 81 building homes might be
secured through hat channel.
DR.. Thode replied In some detail
and told OF the past history of the
local building association which has
been In existence for many years.
which led up to the suggestion that
there mtGht he some expansion and
modification OF the rigid rules which
would result In n wider field Of USE
'~fulness for tho organization In the
present housing crisis. Before tho
meeting adjourned subscriptions to
the amount OF s675 per month had
been pledged for the purchase OF
stock In n building and loan associa-
tion-in the old one II the required
changes In the rules and bylaws
could be made TO III present condi-
tions-otherwise in n new associn-
ton to be formed later.
While tho meeting did not result
In my definite plan to erect houses
on anything like the Wholesale scale
demanded by the urgency of tho case
there was considerable enthusiasm
manifested over the announcements
of those who had already made n
start or were preparing to do 40 nj
once. Among the contemplated Inn
proyements on which work has al
ready been begun or will be i'm
mediaiciy are: by DR.. Thodc. one
house pnd two apartments: by Mel
land q Tierncy. n apartment and
possibly two: l.. y. Armstrong. one
house: r. w. Rendlc. ono house:
Grant Mckay. one house: II. r. Dun
lap. ono house. Il. Mosher. four
houses: Hans Larsen. two houses. al
though Il Ia extremely probable that
Mr.. Larsen vii enlarge this number
TO Ax or more ~ he has plans TO this
'.ee.oA oudnr confederation