Evening star., 1924-04-25
$500, 900 LOAN ASKED
FOR APARTMENTS
Proposal to Build Hotel to Take
Place of Plaza Dormi-
tories.
COLORED HOME PROJECTED
Government Funds Also Sought for
This Undertaking.

A proposal that the government
loan 100000 to aid in the construc-
tion of a hotel apartment house for
woman employees of the government
in Washington was laid before the
Senate District committee at a hear
ing today by Mrs. ]. H. Boggs. Miss
Louise Z. Tomlin and Peter A. Drury,
president of the Merchants Bank and
Trust Company.
Such a building, it was explained,
would be a big step toward relieving
the housing conditions now found In
the Capital and would undoubtedly
lead to the construction of other such
hotels.
Not Asking Charity.
The proponents Of the measure In
sisted that the woInNn workers were
not asking charity of the govern
ment; that the money SO loaned would
be fully secured; that 1t would be
paid back in fifteen years, with regu-
lar annual payments, and that 1t was
proposed to pay interest at the rate
of not more TIM 2 per cent to the
government for the use of the money.
Mrs. Beggs told the committee that
a group of the women employees OF
the government already have raised
this project; that a site has been ten
tatiyely selected, and that plans for
the building had been made, and es-
Inmates covering al costs and proba-
bic receipts were in ha&d.
Senators Take Interest.
Chairman Ball of the Senate Dis
trict committee and Senator Cope
land of New York both expressed
their interest and sympathy with the
proposal. Senator Ball said that in
his opinion it was the duty of the
government to see that its employees
were properly housed.
Mrs. Boggs said that the proposed
building and ground would cost
$500 ,720-S75, 900 for the ground,
$510.720 for the building and $4,000
for furnishings. The housing condi-
tions in Washington, she said. were
bad. She pointed out that in the
near future the government hotels
for woman employees, now located on
the Union station plaza, would be
pulled down. thus making il neces-
sary for hundreds of girls to find
homes elsewhere.
Operated BY Women
She pointed out that the praject now
proposed would not be a government
institution, that it would be owned and
operated by the woman employees them
Selves OT lHelT representatives, ana
that, as matter of fact, it was to aid
in taking the government out of the
hotel business in Washington.
Miss Tomlin said the group of
women interested in the project already
had raised $4,000; that it was pro-
tanning the loan from the government.
The proposed hotel, she said, would
have 300 rooms for permanent guests,
renting at $50 month, and fifty rooms
n n frnr rSfa M al
a day.
Revenue Expected.
The income per year from the 800
rooms, she said, would amount to
s71,520 and from the other rooms to
$4,000. A ballroom would be con-
structed which would rent, she fig
ured, at s25 an evening, probably four
evenings a week, bringing in $4,000.
1t is proposed to let out the dining
room concessions at per cent of the
gross proceeds. a conservative esti-
mate, she said, is that this would
bring in $4,000 a year. The total in
come, she estimated, therefore, at
s16S,520
Miss Tom1in said that certain fixed
sums would be set aside each year to
from $5S,000 the first year to S4l,250
the fifteenth year, when the payments
would be completed. She estimated
the operating expenses at s70,912
year.
Terms of Private Loan.
So far 166 girls have agreed TO go
into the plan, Miss Tomlin told the
committee, and 125 more stand ready
to join in as soon as they have as
surances that it is going through.
In reply to questions as to whether
funds could be obtained from other
sources for this hotel, Mr.. Drury told
the committee that only so per cent
Of the cost could be raised If the loan
was made privately.
The committee also heard John
Lewis, a colored builder, in the in
terest of government loan to erect
500 houses in the northeast section
of the city to help house the colored
population, particularly those who at
present are living in the alley dwell
ings.
Cost of Proposed Homes.
He figured that the cost Of the
houses would be in excess of $4,000;
that they would contain five rooms
and bath; that a loan could be paid
back to the government in less than
fifteen years, at the rate Of $25 a
month. He proposed that the gov
ernment should receive interest at
to Az per cent; that the loan
should be secured by a first deed OF
trust and that the funds should be
handled by a committee authorized
by Congress.
Senator Copeland said he would be
glad to help put through such a
project as now advanced. Mrs. Boggs
also gave her hearty indorsement to