Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/475

 THE FIRST GERMAN MUNICIPAL EXPOSITION 457

large four-story buildings. The association was incorporated in 1886 as a stock company. Its purpose is to build houses which shall rent cheaply, but at the same time give sure, small returns to the stockholders. The stock was 300,000 marks at first, consisting of 1,500 shares at 200 marks. This was later increased to 600,000 marks. Thus far 258 dwellings have been completed, consisting of two rooms and kitchen, or of three rooms and kitchen. These rent at 160 to 316 marks per year at least one-third less than the others in that locality. The association declares 4 per cent, annual dividends, besides keep- ing the buildings in good repair; and has now, at the end of its sixteenth year, a reserve fund of 80,000 marks, which is to be devoted to the erection of more such dwellings. The tax valu- ation is nearly 1,500,000 marks. Duisburg, Gottingen, Han- nover, Kiel (fourteen four-story, two-room dwelling-houses- cost 392,000 marks), Plauen, and Worms have similar building associations. In Worms eighty-eight dwellings built since 1897

rows of story and half houses, each with a garden at a cost of from 6,300 marks to 7,900 marks. The "Ostheim" in Leipzig has built twenty tenement buildings at an average cost of 72,000 marks. The dwellings are intended primarily for families with children. For the benefit of the tenants there are, among other things, a nursery, and a compulsory savings bank.

Municipal dwellings for those employed in various services by the municipality. In this undertaking the municipalities are doing no more than are many other employers for their employees. Of course, as the community is here the employer, the activity looks more like a communal one. The citizens have the satisfaction of knowing that the portion of their taxes paid to city employees will presumably be spent within the city limits benefiting the community and that there is some saving to the municipality in balancing the rent against a portion of the wages paid. Frankfurt a. M. has tenements for the street-railway employees, and others for city employees. Essen, Duisburg, Darmstadt, and Kiel furnish further examples of this activity.

Kiel has a four-story double tenement for employees of the street-cleaning department two-room dwellings; cost, 56,000