Evening Star Newspaper, September 18, 1926, Page 17

REAL ESTATE EDITOR SAYS SC CANNOT CURE ALL CITY ILLS Spokesman for Architects Claims It Lacksl “Sanctity.” the One Human Element Capable of Making It Servant of Man. § eannot solve the ohiems of the cities. Charles Harr hitaker. editor of the Journal the American Institute of Architects, asserts in a symposium of the insti- tnte on “Citles Old and New Mnch thinking is necessary edy exisiing evile of large cities, «; Mr. might he pure waste. sdds. mav be a pa eonsime its inheritance of natural re monrces and pass on ience unalded to rem- Human life. he Sclence Lacks “Sanctity Seience s expected to cure all flls, dec Mr. Whitaker, but it has he- o the wrong end and lacks anctity,” the one human element capable of making It the servant of man. “Has architecture any control aver communal order and serenit asks. Tt should have. It should have something very vital to do with the planning and building of a ecity but under present conditions how much of what it has to offer can he made available, or is wanted? This momething which I speak greatly transcends the personal relations of architect and ciient “Qervine. even with the fidelity, the caprices or the enforced business neecs of 4 client is noc th way 1o estohlish communal order and sarenity he present plight and ap- pearance of every hig indicates that very plainly no sensible architect wauld dispute the assertlon that if a modern city were to be laid out anew, not one of the enforced limitations under which he now works, and which ever serve 1n ag, vate the menacing problems of urban growth, would be for & moment tolerated ares o « Case of One Great City. “Tet s state the case of one great efty. It is an island. a great seaport, an ever rising pyramid of great pos gessions, an ever mounting flood of humans. What physical design it has came largely from the T-square and triangle. Along the street lines thus squared off, or, worse still, along the lines of those streets that grew ahout tha wanderings of cattle or about the simple needs and applied knowledge of the mettlers. there has arisen an unrelated network of divi- slons called party lines. “They are the most unreasonable things in_a city, and vet the most sacred. They not only induce the most ridiculous of monstrosities, in which the art and process of archi- tecture are reduced to jugglery, but they are adamant in their resistance to order and serenity the while they breed congestion and chaos. “If this island city were 1 with street areas proportioned proy erly, and then covered with five-story buildings without regard for the pres- ent arhitrary party lines, it wonld have more available tioor area than it now has and no congestion “Do these phrsical and dominating factors, underiving the building of cities rest upon science? Indeed, noth- ing could he farther removed. They rest originally upon the polite histori cal phrases of ‘taking possession,’ ‘grants,’ ‘founding.’ and so o A Very Bitter Pill. 1o the task of city the case impiv and a epianned “Yet we proceed planning, which existing cities ) moare than some pills grim and tragic “We zone and restrict: we burrow and elevate. \We solemnly anneunce donhle or triple decks for streets, and the mad remedy is choired hy the proletariat, orehestrated by the news- papers, and s will likely come to pass Just as the mad remedies of subways tunnels and high huildings have also prevailed. “Shall we still admit aleve in which we sail the jig-saw party lines layouts of which al! our filtar out. that architectt main over the process of ity build- fng> Al we can sav is that it ought ta have: that it is the one qualified art for the purpese. which means ar- chitecture in its complete sense and not the marked-off area of human ac- tivity supposedly in the possession of ects. No Way to Make It can it be made no way, at present b ng will have to be dove Many peopla must first submit them gelves to the ri of intellectual in tagrity. It mav he that such an ef fort fs pure waste. It may he that human life is a parasite, destined to cnnsume its inheritance «of natural resources and pass on. It may he that it merely awaits the rebellion of the one force of which every living ganism save man is aware, the f of which man’s science has nothing, “Ona could easily make out a plau sfhia case for sich a view. The re t report on the decline of soil vi- tality in the Tnited States would startle a less confulent race. The present hig « their passion hecoming i orfeally in- terpreted. would support the centen- tlen that we were making 1 progress to our parasitical end. But few wish to helieve in such a theory “Re the thonght conscions or lat- ant, mos. men helieve that we have it within our power to achieve some- thing hetter in the way of life. What they mean by hetter varies a great deal, but the effort in that di- rection is A popular one. often very cere. and of considerable volume. Two Groups in Clties, “As for the city, there are roughly fwe gronps: The hig-citvists and the little-citvists. The first helieve that the city is inevitable and that we must make the hest of it; or, that All nnthing in spite of the and through and street work e has do- MMectiv effective? “How X Much is ree him for E biggest buildings thousands of home: TH there's never a complaint. That's because we know our business—and put our knowledge and our skill into our work. have made us a reputation e li every joh we undertake - whether it is new work or repairing. You can be sure of it'll outlast your expectation. The bill can be budgeted—for your cowvemience im payment. 2120-22 Georgia Ave. Whtaker, though such an effort | dte. destined to | he | remost | of our | efforts | Depends Who Makes the Roof WASHINGTON, D. C., he gntning %ia‘f ‘SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1926. CO-OPERATIVE APARTMENT PLA DECLARED SOUND IN PRINCIPLE IENCE UNAIDED it is desirable and wonderful and should he stimuiated and hoosted. The second helieve that the big city means a recurrence of the eveles that have written the word ‘oblivion’ over the graves of innumerable big cities that ence flourished “Roth intend to 1 in makinz the ¢ = Aae the case may One or another of the so-called sciences is to he in-| | voked, and the gen=ial acquiescence lin this proposal shows how largely | | science has come to preside over our | destiny, if we have one. | "By ‘and large, the world believes | pretty generally. nowadays. that out | of the ministrations of science all ills | will eventually disappeir. Yet science has not only hegun at the wrong end. | but has been isolated from the one | human element that can make it truly the vant of men What name ¢ | we give to that element? Suppose ! that, for the moment, we call it ‘sanc- tity | ence either or smaller, chance has sanctity in the world of today? Do the courses in city planning mention it? 1Is it heard in the halls of the schools of hitecture? ~ No, for science has | usurped the throne. Science has come | to be regarded as hoth the realm and | the kingship of life. Things have | heen put before people, until to many |2 P it now seems that science may ulti-|™ mately extinguish all that value that | | man has really won from his long and | dear experience. | “To those who so think the one | problem in all problems is to bring | sanctity to the rescue of science.” BETTER HOMES EXHIBIT | REALTY BOARD FEATURE - Exgosition to Be Held in Washing- | ton Auditorium in October | Offers Rare Attractions. what he Fatax, apartment he reported to be approximately ASSURED BY SURVEY 3 Subcommittee of Commerce Depart- ment to Make Momentous Re- | ; port on Economy Soon. “Millions of dollars will be saved the and millions of feet of lumber now wasted will he diverted to ful purposes, if the recommenda tions of the construction suhcommittee | housebuilder, The Estate ‘d's Retter Washington Real R Homes and Building 3, | ntilization. Dey ment of (ommerce “lare followed by the consuming public.” will he a matter of interest not only | saye ement issued today by the to real estate men and builders, but | committee. o house owners and housewives. Al Secretary Hoover is | types of demonstrati to hetter [ of the committee. and Col. W. B. | home conditions will he presented by [ Gireeley, ['nited States forester, is the hoard and will be available to ! vice chairman. The subcommittee is the general public, it is announced. | compased of leadin: chiteets and Demonstrations in land n- | builders from all over the country. ning. in gardening. interior decorat- | “This subcommittes,” continues the ing and in the use of various madern | statement, “has assembled a mass of household appliances will he given material on house construction, in each day during the exposition. | cluding farm dwellings. Housewives will he given an oppor- [ by far the most complete of its kind tunity to study coloring effects, ar- | ever undertaken. and has developed rangement of draperies, the latest | methods whereby the prospective scientific methods of cleaning and home owners can specify h sizes caring for the home. The man of in many cases, would save one- the house will be given an opportunity | third of the lumber hill. When it Is to study proper methods of painting | realized that ahout 35 per cent of the and household repair, together with | cost of the average house covers lum | other features in connection with | ber, and that we have just passed | the general conducting of the house. | through a $6.000.000,000 building ac- The Retter Homes Exposition will [ tivity it may readilyhe seen that the | e conducted on the highest scale. |subcommittee's work will save a v and it is tha opinion of the Real|substantial sum the Ameri [ ington Auditorium, October 18 to the chairman '8 owner's engi- estimated that the | require concrete suffi 5 miles of road 16 feet will The Triangle . of ments and home values exceed Middaugh & ESTABI 717 14th istate Board that this may prove an | home owner. . annual affair of henefit to the general | “Another feature, perhaps even public, ax well as to those engaged | more important. is the maintenance ['in the technical end of home owning. | of reasonable Ilumber p for all The exposition is to be conducted | time to come. This. the committee be | by Clarence F. Donohne. president |lieves, can hest be done hy educating of the Washington Real Estate |the public to purchase its requir | Board: James T executive | ments cut as nearly as possible to ex- secretary and treasurer. John F.|act sizes needed, Instead of huving - Ben T. Wehster, | long lengths which can he ohtained Hedges. Thendore M. Judd | only with difficulty and at an extra Landvoigt. | cost, cutting these lengths into shorter S e " | stock on the joh. This is considered | one of the most important questions CONCRETE CONTRACT LET.|en the prosram of the national com mittee which has, for its object, to | R find a use for every inch of the tree. | Baltimore Company to Have Part “The subcommittee on construction will hold a meeting October 1 in the in Press Club Work. Department of Commerce for the pur The Raltimore Fireproofing Co., Ral. | Pose of considering the repor timore, Md., has been awarded the |iS now ready. and to decide on the contract for the concrete to he used Method of acquainting the public with in the National Press Rullding, in | its findings.” the course of construction at Four- | teenth and F streets, it was announced | | today at the offices of the National | Press Building Corporation, in the | | Westory Building. The corporation | | is a holding company for the National | Press Club'in the erection of the struc- { ture. | Ma Ernest Graves, | neer.” recentiy structure cient to build | wide, | o | | | $18,841,761 MORE LENT. | | Prudential Announces Figures for | New Financing in August. Special Diapateh to The Star. NEWARK, N. J.. September 18.- Additional mortgage loans amounting to $18.541.761.50 were made during the [ month of August by the Prudential | Insurance Co. of America, according | to a report issued here today hy Archi- | hald M. Woodruff, vice president of | that company, in charge of its ac- tivities in th Of this total was on | dwelling houses and apartments in the 'nited States and Canada for the accommodation of 3,666 $3.535.600 was on city property other than homes, and the remainder, § 5460, was in farm loans. S%%Y, ALTAEEFRLA LT LT E AT LR RS LA S AR SR RN RN E Realty Firm's Birth Anniversary. | ‘The fourth birthday anniver: the real estate firm of Maddu shall. Moss & Mallory 1« being brated today at Chesterbrook Farm, near Clarendon, Va.. the country es- tate of Maj. H Maddux, president of the company. Upon in Washington as well as s boast Rose Roofs—and Rose roofs and we live up to it in what we do--if we do it for 6700 4th G. W. Bldg., Takoma Park North 847-848 10 ted L0 Mas, Exposition, to he he'd in the Wash- | of the national committee on wood | The study is | v | a an | which | ] families. | AAETLLTRLEELLLELLHLTETELELERLEETTRARRVRVENCURENRNNSS, Inspect This TAKOMA, D. C. Bungalow —and look no further Near Takoma Theater RBeautiful corner location, with five shade trees. Two blocks from two car lines, theater and business section. Six extra large rooms on one floor. Full tile bath with built-in tub and shower. Ruilt-in refrigerator and ironing board. Everything to make a real home. SSAAI AR L SR A AN S A A causetis avenue at ‘iwe 00,000, It will be operated in con HUGE LUMBER SAVING '$500.000.000 TREASURY SURPLUS i | ! | BY ROGER W. BABSON. | BABSON PARK, Mass. | ber 1% Surely Secretary Mellon is a | great asset to this . The same | wisdom which he has displayed dur- ing the past 40 yvears in business for himself he is now showing in run ning the country’s husiness. It is a great privil for the Nation to be able to get £12,000 4 year a man| lof his ca vy and interest, Many corporations would he glad to pay | him a salary of 10 or 20 times this wunt to have him handle their| inances. It surely is up to each one interested in the welfare of this| country to support Mr. Mellon and| make his work as easy for him as| possible. For the same reasons we| | should support the President in his | latest cfforts to still further reduce ex- | penses. | Secretary Mellon's Treasury opera | tions have not only reduced expenses | greatly, canceled each year a good | | portion” of our national ‘debt and re- | duced taxation, but notwithstanding | these three things he is building up surplus. Tt is estimated that this| surplus for 1926 will _be $500,000,000 and perhaps more, Of course, some | | will say that this is due to the pros perity of the country and the fact | that ‘business, according to the Babh-| | son chart, s running 12 per cent| | ahove normal. The fact nevertheless | | remains that such conditions have | existed many times hefore, but the Secretary of the Treasury was not able to roll up a surplus. President Coolidge and Secretary Mellon have | gone on the principle that the time to save money s when we are mak- | ing it and the time to build up a sur. plus is during a period of prosperity. Tt would be well if more husiness men | followed their example. | Stock Market Conditions. | | _Of course, the New York stock | market has greatly helped the Treas. | ury situation, as we are obliged to | | pay_an income tax on stock market | | profits as well as on business profits. vents, interest, ete. Stock market | fe Massachusetts Park Washington's most beautiful residential section of detached homes. Containing seven millon feet of forest-covered land, with six miles of improved streets. Includes what remains of Increasing Values —between Connecticut, Massachusetts and Cathedral avenues Over 250 homes built and under construction. Actual improve- $10,500,000. Wooded villa sites, Jots, central and side hall homes, with lots from 50 to 300 feet front, from $25,000 to $200,000. Shannon, Inc. ED 1899 St. N.W. Sohdl STREET N Y N N S S e e s CHASE ty-firsi st IS FORESEEN BY ROGER BABSON 'Business Expert Believes New Tax Cut Will be Effected Within the Next Two Years. Lauds Mellon's Ad.ministration. ! Phone Adams 8164.8165 @ MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE APARTMENT HOTEL SOLD it dast weele by Maddi Cl, Was Do ng of hotels owned o netion with the st by this firm. | Studies in By the Associated Press. ANN ARBOR. Mich. “undamentals of the business will hey profits hava heen very large the past income tax | Gover o] | in. and the Government |iBiiniriess receipts are benefiting accordingly. On the other hand, it must be remem hered that Secretary Mellon has fore- seen this condition and, for tax and other reasons, may have used his in fluence (o keep the stock market ac- tive. Doubtless the administration will make an effort to have a rising stock market up through the election | T : f period this Heollaiig that the | Do S have the title stock market cannot be kept up in- | In ad definitely, Secretary Mellon and his 0" foo 2o on followers will probably think a econ- | b "0 o T siderable reaction is advisable during | [NT® courses e fun 1927. They then will surely make a |CItY Rrowth and real es strenuous effort to bring about a |ANd 2 heginning and follo market uplift in 1928, so that things | IN,fealty management. will look rosy for the big election |, 'he first course presen which will come that year. efples governing eity and It is interesting to note that both | the Republicans and Democrats are agreed on further tax reduction, and that the Democrats are for a greater reduction than are the Republicans: §\ hether the Democrats’ardor for tax Feduction Is in the interests of the coun- (Continued on Twenty-first Page.) Administration o students are M. | for gradn "he instructor, F. | centl | education and rosearch | tlonal Assoc fon of F ion to his work M. | estate as a commodity. course inclides surveys o fons and property ma Management, Growth and Values to Be Given at Michigan. ‘\m'\'(v‘\' of Michigan this Fall, | dition to research work, four director of the department Fisher UNIVERSITY OFFERS REAL ESTATE COURSE. City ptember 18, real yme a matter of stu- | Septem. | 1wo years for many who have cashed | dent investigation in the School of | of Uni ad- courses offered. Fisher, the n re. of the Na tate of Real of as head of will offer amentals of tate v wing course ts the prin- real estate values, the effect of city planning and | through th |zoning on real estate utilization and | the only form of community life where value and the economic aspects on real | one is afforded absolute control of th The realty management preliminary | f the ope nagement. 3 k4 ies g Architectural Designs. served us as a criterion for construcs tion in our progress. \ The Shannon & Luchs Construc- ‘tion Company have followed in their footsteps—and, to exquisite design, estate | s -| apartment tion of a brokerage office and depart- | per square foot than the cost of aper ments of mortgage and finance, sub- |ating an individual dwelling. | BY EDMUND J. FLYNN, , Anthority on Co-Operative Apartments. (This i the third of a series of articles on < auhiect.) The co-operative apartment plan home ownership, as has been oved by detailed analysis and by citing its practical workings in pre vious articles, is absolutely sound in iple and uniformly successful in 4 1t i the most economical method of obtaining and maintaining a home. We start with a group of persons of mode e means who desire to own their own homes, with comforts, conveniences and services that would impose a_severe tax.on any of their individual incomes, If they attempted to operate ax individua Yet, as rental tenants they actually are pur- chasing the homes for thefr landlords and in addition paving for their up keep and providing him with a profit on his investment. On the other hand, by combining their resources | using their collective buying power as tenants—they can purchase |operate an apartment buflding for | themselves-—own their own homes and their monthly payments are low- er than the rent for similar accom- modations Wholesale Factor Important. The “wholesale” factor is a funda- mental of the co-operative plan Ruilding a co-operative apartment is wholesale construction of This enables economles impossible in buflding the same number of indi vidual dwellings, and this saving is assed on to the co.operative pur re in the form of lower pric “h individual of those who com bine to buy an apartment building purchases his home on a cost basis and effects another sav ing. Nor does the “wholesale” fea ture end there. for the collective buy- ing power of the individuals enables each to maintain his home at whole sale rates. et us consider some of the proved advantages of co-operative apart ment plan of home ownership: 1. The occupant of an apartment is enabled to hecome the owner there- lof at a cost of approximately 60 per cent of the fair rental value of his apartment. The enhancement in value of the apartment building inur {1 of the tenant-owner. [lapse of a few vears, i | confronted with an increased rental due to depreciation In the value of the property, his apartment hecomes “‘rent free.” 1t is paid for. i 3. At all times he has a vested in- terest in his apartment that may he resold or leased by him at a profit. 4. The character of occupancy improved as the result of having a selected class of home owners, with a | complete control of future tenants hoard of directors. It is of is desirability of his neighbors. The cost of operation of is about 50 per cent an less | 6. Heat. janitor service, tax in HOME & GARDEN and | homes. | wholesale | 17 N Home Owners by Combining Resources, Purchafie Building for Themselves At Lower Cost Than Rent. surance, ete., do not require his in- | dividual attention, but are looked after | by the managing agents under the | supervision of the hoard of directors. An apartment building is of fire. w construction and is hetter built than the average dwelling hotise. S. By the “budget” svstem the building, ite reof, plnmbing and hall- ways are kept in first-class condition at all_times 9. The combined the Individual apartment owners en iables contracts wherebhy each may paint, paper or decorate his own apart ment at wholesale rates. buving power of Cost Is Lower. cost of malntaining and operating the co.operative apartment building s lower than that of the rented huilding because there are no neies, no loss th ugh nneollect ble rent nd no Infl; wn of value by resales, Vacancies and the costs of [filling them and redecorating the |largest expenses of the commercial ! e elfminat=:! st of financing the prop is greatly reduced. Loans se. cured by mortgages can he obtained {at 5'5 per cent. while similar loans on |apartment buildings owned by an in |dividual bear a much larger rate The big life insurance c savings banks ana other cus- of trust funds lead thelr re- serves readily on property promoted Iby co-operatively owned buildings. They are not only willing, but are anxious to make loans to porations owning apartments on the co-operative plan becanse of the greater s rity afforded by persons owning and 6c | cupying the The amaortization of the mort- gage is one of the gnarantees of the tenant owner that his investment is not going to depreciate. Amortization Principle Used. In financing a cooperative apart- ment the principle of amortization is used so that the princ 1 sum of the mortgage is wnstantly being reduced by monthly ments which are in- luded in the monthly assessments of the tenant owners. As a result the financial position of the project and of the individual tenant owner gets stronger every month By the application of the economic principle - of combined purchasing power, “wholesale” production and operation, and the elimination of wastes incldent to renting. the co. operative apartment has been made the least expensive in price and main tenance cost of any form of home ownership. 0. The Realty Active in Falls Church. An active realty market in Falls Church property is reported by M. E. Church, Virginia realtor. A number of farms and country estates in Arlington and Fairfax counties also have been negotiated recently through | Mr. Church’s office. Approximately 30 properties, rang- ing from homes to building sites, have changed hands, he announces Many of the purchasers were from ! this eity, it was stated These delightful early American Homes are lo- cated in Beautiful 14th S 1 ( treet Terrace on the 4th Street Car Line the Best Surface Car Service in Washington City)‘. They contain a large living room with ‘open fi replace, from which entry is gained to the spacious The d living porch. g room is well ghted and so designed that there is a place for every piece of furni- tu man’s room. kitchen ire. There is a cheery he model fully and is modernly equipped. —the Founders of Our Nation took time to create and execute exquisite These have P P h they have added scientific construction, modern appointment and conveniences that today are in- dispensable to our mode of li ving. 1333 INGRAHAM ST. (Sample Home) The result is— front to the charm of these There are four hed- rooms, two baths (one » closet space on the sec- ond floor. ith shower) and ample Double rear orches, one a sleeping orch — and a large ing porch—add Price $16,500. omes. 14 Street TERRACE ~QQMP YOUR INSPECTION WILL CONVINCE YOU THAT THESE HOMES ARE THE BEST HOMES IN WASHINGTON, REGARDLESS OF COST SHA I p—e—— NNON' INC Members of the Operative Bujlders' Assn. of D. C. & LUCHS