New Britain herald., 1927-06-25
SMALLER HOUSES
Preferred HERE
Tendency Throughout Country
Is Toward Apartment Houses
By GEORGE H. MANNING

By GEORGE H. MANNING
(WA0hington Bureau OF the N. b. Herald.l
Washington D. c.. June c5-Con-
trary to the trend in other cities
throughout the United States, New
Britain families prefer small DWELL
ing houses to apartments.
In recent years there has been a
rapid increase in apartment-house
living In American cities, due prob
ably to the growing preferment Of
the cosy little apartment with no
grass to NOW or furnaces to tend
over the cottage with its rose BUSH
es and gardens.
But to the general rule. there are
several exceptions, and New Britain
is one of the exceptions. For ex-
ample, last year only 23.2 per cent
of the 40 families provided with
new homes In that city moved into
apartment dwellings. 1873 per cent
chose the single family type of
house and 42.s per cent houses of
the two-family type. In 1921, how
ever. 41.s per cent Of the 215 fam
lilies supplied with housing accom-
modations in that year selected
apartment abcdes, while 20 per cent
and 1871 per cent. respectively.
moved into one and two--amily
houses.
In 1925. generally termed the
building boom year in this country.
1863 per cent OF the 1919 families
provided with new quarters. moved
into apartment houses, while 11.2
per cent chose tho single family
type Of house and 11.s per cent the
double house.
In EST cities scattered through
out the country last year 45.4 per
cent Of the 462.2t4 families that
acquired new homes moved into
apartment dwellings while only 40.7
per cent chose houses Of the single
family type. This in contrast with
1921 when only 24.4 per cent Of the
2c4,545 families housed that year in
the came cities made their homes
in apartment houses and 5S.3 per
cent established their homes In
one.family dwellings. There was q
decline also in the number Of fam
lilies moving into houses Of the two
family type. In 1921, 17.3 per cent
OF the number of families housed In
that year moved into two-family
dwellings while In 1925 this num-
Der dropped to 1879 per cent
The trend toward apartment
house living has been more defined
in the larger than In the smaller
cities. For instance, in New York
city. It's per cent Of all families
provided with new homes moved
into apartment houses as compared
with 44.2 per cent Of all families
housed in 1921. At the same time
the number OF families moving
into one-family homes dropped from
31.S per cen. in 1921 to 1862 per
cent last year Then too. there were
only $3.50 families provided with
new homes in 1921 as compared
with 1925 families in 1926.
In nearly every instance there
has been a trend during the past
several years toward apartment
dwelling. Florida cities were an ex-
ceptiop to the rule. the one-family
dwelling being the prevailing type
Of residence in these cities.
The Department Of Labor points
out that this change in the mode Of
living which Is taking place in
America seriously affects the wage
earners Of the country.
THE social effect Of the change
has been frequently commented
upon. stress being laid especially
upon the fact that an increase IN
apartment living probably means a
decrease in home ownership" says
the Department. Less observed, but
also very slgr ificant. Is the effect
that such fundamental change in
the type Of building has upon the
character Of the work demanded Of
those employed in the construction
industry. Broadly speaking. the
one-family dwelling Is primarily 4
matter of brick and wood, and the
workers employed are chiefly brick
layers and carpenters. The large
apartment. houses. on the other
hand. while demanding the carpen-
ter and bricklayer also calls for
structural iron and steel work, for
concrete work on a large scale, very
often for elaborate stone, tile. and
sheet metal work, and usually for
a number Of accessory trades which
are needed very little or not at all
In the building Of small residences,
! particularly those OF the cheaper
type. AS an example, many more
carpenters would be required to
erect so dwelling houses at an aver
age cost Of $4,000 than to erect an
, apartment at total cost Of $780,
00o."