Evening star., 1942-04-26

recalled that the A D. A. at one time
had singled out an ideal location for
1000 units only to have it requisitioned
for temporary dormitories because of its
proximity to large war Office buildings.
In other cases original estimates on the
number of houses which could be placed
on certain tracts were found to be excess
sive and new land had to be acquired.
This shows the wisdom of the A. D.
AS policy of securing sites before en-
tering into contracts for houses"
pointed out the executive officer. Had
contracts for houses been made first,
the A. D. A would now be committed to
the purchase of hundreds of houses for
which no sites are available, because,
while it will erect 4500 demountableS,
they will not all be alike. Moreover,
each kind of house must be adapted to
its site So each contractor is given
site to develop with houses appropriate
to that site in type and in number"
When Mr.. Ihlder called his conference
of citizens last week, one of the first
things they called to his attention was
the experience with the dormitories
erected during the first World War. In
reply, he reminded that most of the
buildings constructed in that emergency
were not demountable and that their
only salvage value was as rubbish.
The demountables now under consid-
Grafton, he said, are single-family dwell
ings. Even when erected in groups,
they will be constructed in such way
that they can be removed and used
individually. Their life is estimated at
35 years. Those in the city will be flre
resistant, covered on the outside by as
bestos shingle and on the inside by sheet
rock, while those in the suburban areas
will be built of two layers of material of
a hard composition, separated by in
sulating material.
Each house will be individually heated
with a coal stove under present plans.
The A. D. A. has expressed preference
for electric facilities for cooking and for
heating water, but it specified that it
would be satisfied with coal if necessary.
Lots will be from 110 to 160 feet deep.
When houses are removed, land will be
sold in lots in accordance with zoning
restrictions for the area in which it is
located.
Mr.. Ihlder was asked at his confer
ence if zoning authorities would relax
coming restrictions in the present emer-
gency. He replied that he had been
led to believe that they would permit
houses to be punched more closely than
usual, but that this would be done only
with the promise that they would be
removed after the war.
For Typical Employees.
One citizen pointed out to the execu-
tive officer that much of the misunder-
standing on the part of the public had
hinged around the class Of people to be
placed in the homes Mr.. Ihlder re-
peated assurance that they would be
United States employees of typical Gov
ernment worker type and identified as
such by the administrator of the Ma
tional Housing Authority, to which the
A. D. A. is required to report IN con-
nection with the demountable house pro-
gram.
While 1t has not been decided def
nitely, rent will be on an economic basis
rejecting the cost of the homes-prob-
ably about $40 per month. The dwell
ings will be rented rather than sold and,
under present plans, will be available
to families and not to groups Of three
and fOIIr single nerSOnS
Mr. Ihlder said after his conference
that he believed most of the difficulty
from the public standpoint was at an
end
"It all has been due to a misunder-
standing" he added. Most people are
willing to make sacrifice to aid the
war effort. But what we are doing may
eliminate the need for them to sacri-
fee to the extent they anticipate"