The Washington times., 1922-04-16
ASKHENRYFORD
. To help SOLVE
ALLEYPR0BLEM
Citizens Committee Sends
Data to Detroit on Con- y,
ditions Here. "

Henry Ford will be asked TO take
a hand in solving Washington's
alley problem. ~
Congress enacted legislation or
dering the 10000 alley dwellers
here evicted by November IA next,
but so far has made no provision TO
care for them elsewhere in the city.
II was revealed at the hearing
yesterday before the citizens com
mittee Investigating the housing
problem here that the "flivver" ex-
pert would be asked To- build in
Washington a sflivver" home to be
sold or rented at nominal sum to
alley dwellers. " ~
DATA Sent 10 Ford.
For the past twelve months data
showing the congestion and insani-
tary conditions In the alleys has
been sent TO Mr.. Ford, thus laying
the foundation for the formal re-
quest that he come to the relief of
the alley dwellers here.
This announcement by DR.! y.
Milton waldron brought fortht a
vigorous plea for consideration Of
persons living in congested districts
on. the main streets. William NICK.
Clayton declared that for every
alley house that you have that 10
con ngested / can show you two houses
on the open streets just as congest-
ed"
Mr.. Clayton told of house on
Fifteenth street northwest, that has
twenty-three people living in seven
rooms and OF another that had nine
persons sleeping on nine cots In one
room. ~
Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor, member
of the Rent Commission. and also a
member OF the housing committee,
stated that she had Just compieted a
personal investigation of the alley
situation here and learned that there
are not available houses In washing.
ton TO care for even a small per
centage OF the alley, ldwellers who
will be put out Of their homes next
fall. %.
Mrs. Taylor agreed with Mr..
CLAYTON that congestion is not con
fined TO the alleys. She cited a
case where fifteen people are forced
to live in a six-room house on l.
street. The house In question "
in a wretched condition and should
be condemned and raxsd, she said.
DR.. waldron aaid that the alley
dwellers could pay q rental OF
$3.50 to SIS per month for a three
room apartment. They are payins
that price at present for quarters
without modern improvements.
He said that certain Senator's,
among them Senator King Of Utah.
who has made an investisstion of
the local situation, favored issuance
OF bonds by the District govern
ment by which the houses for alley
dwellers could be erected.
The proposed houses, DIR. Wal.
dron explained. would rent for SIS
the month. and at the end of
twenty years would have returned
the original investment TO the Dis
trict government plus per cent
interest. a
B. w. oyster. former assistant
tax assessor of the District, favored
the Issuance Of bonds by the Dis.
trict for this purpose. He declared
that rs per cent of the diseases
that develop in the public schools
originate in the alleys Of Wash
ington.
Exemption from taxation of all
houses erected to relieve the alley
situation was also advocated by Mr..
Oyster.
Wages High Here.
Yesterdays hearing brought out
the fact that wages paid skilled labor
in Washington are higher than in
any city in the United States, with
the possible exception of St. Louis.
A table showing wages paid In
twenty-five cities was filed 10y
Charles A. Baker, chairman of the
subcommittee investigating labor
costs in building projects. ST E.
There is a decided shortage ot
workmen In the skilled trades in
Washington today. Mr.. Baker report
ed. and calls to other cities for work
ers have met with scant results.
II was explained that in addition
to the high wages paid here, bonus
of 81 per day is paid most workers In
skilled trades. This. Mr.. Baker said
adds to the ultimate cost of construc
ton. =,
Brick masons In Washington were
paid 62h cents per hour in 1918 and
laid 1900 brick a day. They are pail
s1.25 per hour In 1922 and lay 500
brick day, Mr.. Bakers report
showed.
Mr.. Baker said that young men
were kept from going into the build
ing trades because of the high re
turns and attractiveneas of automo
bile mechanics and allied lines. The
decrease in productivity OF the brick
mas son, he explained, was due to the
fact that the mason is eight years
older today than when he laid 1,20t
brick a day and because OF age had
slowed up I'm his work.
Thomas Bones, chairman of the
subcommittee on finance, declared
that every mechanic and available
lot of material in Washington is al
work today.
Building st It's Peak.
Construction is at It's peak Mr.
Bones reported. and twenty apart
ment house projects for rental pur
poses are now going forward. This
being true, he sale. II IL plain thai
local finance is doing its part I'm re
lievfna the housing shortage. ,
Money is placed here at a very