Evening star., 1937-11-27
SPEAKERS PRAISE
STERNBERG COURT
HouseWarming Crowd Told
How Private Capital
Financed Project.


Financed Project.
Sternberg Court, consisting of five
two-story brick apartment houses
grouped about large airy open court
at Third street S.W., adjoining the
Army War College, was given rous-
ing housewarming late yesterday, with
official and neighborly ceremony which
emphasized it was not Government
project.
The development, which occupies
tract between o, P and Third streets
and James Creek Parkway S.W, was
explained by the housewarmers, gath
cred from several organizations, to be
named in memory of Gen. George M.
Sternberg, former surgeon general Of
the United States Army. He was the
first president and organizer of the
Washington Sanitary Housing Co.,
which erected Sternberg Court, the
latest in city-wide series Of its
housing developments. It was all ac-
complished with private capital and
without even loan from the Govern
ment, speakers explained. All Sc apart
ments are rented, and there Is long
waiting list of prospective occupants.
The ceremonies were under auspices
of the Southwest Citizens Association
and the Clara D. Neigh Committee
for Better Housing. Cooperating were
representatives Of the American Asso-
citation of University Women, Barney
Neighborhood House, Women's City
Club and Monday Evening Club.
Canon Stokes Traces Progress.
Canon Arson Phelps Stokes Of Wash
ington Cathedral, who spoke in his
capacity as chairman of the Wash
ington Housing Association, traced
the history of the housing movement
as having started 40 years ago here in
Washington. He praised the progress
made, both by the Washington Sani-
tary improvement Co. and the WASH
ington Sanitary Housing Co., and paid
tribute to the impetus which has been
given the better housing movement
here by the Federal Government.
THE Government can't do this job"
declared Canon Stokes. 1T can only
scratch the surface, doing q few big
jobs like Greenbelt, for instance. But
the great majority of projects will
have to be done by private capital.
These companies have shown it to be
possible"
He praised that part of the Sanitary
Housing Co. report showing that for
the past year only $4,000 went for SAL
aries. He commended officers and Of
ficials of thc company and paid tribute
to the civic work being done by Harry
S. Wender, president Of the Southwest
Citizens Association. who took a
prominent part in the program yes
terday.
President OF Group Speaks.
Speaking also from a second story
rear porch, from the residence Of Mr..
Wender, from which q loud speaker
system amplified his voice for crowd
seated in the courtyard, Appleton P.
Clark, jr., president Of the Washing
ton Sanitary Housing Co., explained
the project and told why it had
been named for Gen. Sternberg. The
speaker explained Gen. Sternberg's ac-
tivity in cooperation with DR.. George
NJ Kober and other leading citizens
in forming the Washington Sanitary
improvement Co. in 1897, which erect
ed dwellings to be rented at low rates.
He had organized the Washington
Sanatorium Co. and established hos
pital for treatment Of tuberculosis at
Washington Grove, 20 miles from the
city. Later he also organized the
Washington Sanitary Housing Co., the
speaker explained, having in mind
a company which would produce q
less expensive product, and on lower
dividend basis, so that rents could
be given at lower rate than those
provided by the previous company.
The officers of the second company,
he explained, were practically the
same, as were also the directors of
the board. The first company is still
active, he said, and the two "co-
operate"
1.-THE basic idea in these organiza-
tions," explained Mr.. Clark, was to
demonstrate that it was possible to
erect dwellings which could be rented
for moderate sums, and which would
pay reasonable dividends to the stock
holders"
1904 Families Housed.
The buildings erected by the two
companies, he said, are located in
groups, two in the Southwest section
OF the city, one in the Southeast, one
in the Northwest, and one in Trinidad,
in the Northeast. They provide quar-
tiers for 1904 families, $50 Of which
are for whites, and 404 are for COL
ored families.
Mr.. Wender praised several persons
connected with the housing movement,
including the late Clara D. Neigh and
her husband, j. P. s. Neigh, now
warden Of Neighborhood House; Miss
Ellen A. Vinton, member Of the
board OF directors Of Washington San
itary Housing Co., and others. He
traced the recent development of
Southwest Washington, and declared
his citizens association was fiahtine
for the development of the whole
Southwest, so that eventually, he pre-
dicted, it would be "one Of the finest
residential sections"
Mrs. Roosevelt Sends Greetings.
The presiding officer, DR.. Leroy A.
Halbert, Of the Clara d. Neigh Com
mittee for Better Housing, announced
that greetings had been received from
a large number Of prominent officials
and friends Of the movement, includ-
ing Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who
was prevented the last minute from
| attending: the three District Conrnis-