MORGANTOWN, W. Va., February 28, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Washington, D. C.: Thirteen houses erected to date. Reasonably certain of 19 sales in next 4 months. Thirty sales in next 12 months. Potential maximum for next 12 months, 40. Can do better in 1950 and thereafter because satisfaction of present Lustron owners' skepticism of steel home has practically vanished. Negligible maintainence. Acceptance of many future Lustron owners that Lustron is tops in all features including structurally. W. W. LOBDELL, FAIRLAWN HOMES. NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 28, 1950. Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Have sold a total of 12 Lustron houses. Reasonably certain can sell 6 houses during next 4 months and 18 houses in 12 months. All present owners are completely satisfied and boosters for Lustron. O. J. FARNSWORTH. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Erected and sold 12 houses in the last half of 1949. Mr. Fausett out of town. Heard him say that he expected to erect and sell many houses during 1950 if production is continued. 6 FAUSETT & Co., INC. A. A. MOSLEY. W. W. LOBDELL, MADISON, Wis., February 28, 1950. Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Twenty-four houses sold to date. Minimum of 19 next 4 months and also start 150 project. Possibly 15 houses next 12 months. Maximum potential unlimited up to 250 this year. Houses standing test of first winter in this climate. One hundred and fifty-house project approved by FHA. Good local publicity: Owner acceptance. No dissatisfied customers. No depreciation or expensive upkeep. J. H. FINDORFF SON, INC. EAST ST. LOUIS, ILL., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Sold and erected 23 houses, sell and erect 12 more next 4 months. Reasonably certain of 50 next 12 months. Potential maximum 75 next 12 months 1950. Improvement because of Newport. FINE HOMES, INC. WABASH, IND., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Lustron Dealers Association, Question No. 1, two. Question No. 2, four. Question No. 3, 15. Question No. 4, 15. Increase due to livability in house and owners acceptance of home. FINE HOMES, INC. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: PORTAGE, WIS., March 1, 9150. Retel Matheson. Ten houses in 1949. Sales in next 4 months should run about five units. Sales in 12 months approximately 10 to 14. Do not expect too much increase over 1949. Adverse propaganda and additional advertising main factors for success 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, FIRARI MACHINE CO. PLYMOUTH, MASS., March 1, 1950. Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: In answer to Matheson's telegram Question No. 1, sold and erected eight houses to date. Question No. 2, five to six in next 4 months. Question No. 3, 12 reasonably certain in next 12 months. Question No. 4, 30 to 35 potential in next 12 months. Question No. 5, due to new models, lower prices, better public acceptance evolves from satisfactory conclusion to present problems and cessation of unfavorable publicity in paper and radio. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, THE FORGES CONTRACTORS. PITTSFIELD, MASS., March 1, 1950. Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Answers to your questions are as follows: No. 1, 6. No. 2, 12. No. 3. 20. No. 4, 30. No. 5, started late last summer; houses up during winter months; new models. W. J. BEHR, Lustron Sales Manager, Peter Francese & Son, Inc. PIQUA, OHIO, March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Five houses erected to date. Eight sales sure of in next 4 months. Fifty sales next 12 months. Unlimited potential next 12 months. Groundwork has been done. Erection difficulties overcome. New line will broaden market. Potential buyers are anxiously awaiting the outcome of Lustron. Unfavorable publicity has cost us at least 15 sales. A. M. FRY, Dealer for Miami, Shelby, Darke Counties, Ohio. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association. PHILADELPHIA, PA., March 1, 1950. Senate Banking and Currency Committee Room, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: The Greater Northeast Home has erected two Lustron homes today. We expect to erect 10 houses in the next 4 months. We will sell 30 houses in next 12 months. The potential in the next 12 months is 100 homes. The reason we sold the two is that we have just started in Philadelphia. We believe that the future will hold less adverse publicity which delays sales. Wider acceptance of the Lustron homes in townships surrounding Philadelphia close competition with conventional homes due to the current rises in building-trades wages. Public interest is shown by the fact that on one Sunday afternoon 8,245 people inspected the first Lustron home. THE GREATER NORTHEAST HOMES, E. M. WALSH. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: CAMERON, Mo., March 1, 1950. Re Atheson telegram, have erected five. Anticipate two by July. Potential eight maximum this year. Six thousand have seen our dwelling and majority agree this is the coming construction. No other materials can match low costs. Major bottleneck is FHA valuations in making 65 loans on costs. J. CHARLES GROOM. BECKLEY, W. Va., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Question No. 1. Eleven houses to date. Question No. 2. Six next 4 months. Question No. 3. Fifteen next 12 months. Question No. 4. Twenty next 12 months. Question No. 5. Better known direct advertising. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, H. & B. PERMANENT HOMES, INC. COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, March 1, 1950. Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: We built two Lustron homes last year; had great hopes for future of this fine product. Expected to build 10 or more this year with 25 houses as maximum. HARMONY HOMES, MARION, IND., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Six houses erected to date; six to eight in next 4 months; about 20 in next 12 months. Potential maximum 30 houses in 1950. Consumer interest in Lustron best ever. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, HAROLD BROS., INC., PITTSFIELD, ILL., March 1, 1950. Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Have sold and erected 18 houses to date. Certain of eight in next 4 months.. Thirty houses in 12 months. Fifty potential sales in next 12 months. Next 12 months will exceed sales to date. Can do better in 1950 due to public acceptance of Lustron houses and more models. All our customers perfectly satisfied. Receiving many inquiries daily. HARPS BUILDERS, INC., ALBANY, GA., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: Answer to No. 1, 10; No. 2, 8; No. 3, 20; No. 4, 30. No. 5, satisfied customers. and favorable publicity and relief from RFC harping the sales over in big way. over radio, etc., will put HAV-A-HOME, INC., TOM MALONE, President. W. W. LOBDELL, OLNEY, ILL., March 1, 1950. Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel: Have erected and sold 10 houses since May 1949. Estimate we can erect and sell 10 next 4 months and 40 in next 12 months if production not interrupted. Estimated increase based on splendid acceptance of house to date and enthusiastic satisfaction of present owners and occupants due to efficient design, minimum of upkeep, and economy of heating costs. HERITAGE HOMES, INC., Secretary-Treasurer. W. W. LOBDELL, Mayflower Hotel: BRISTOL, TENN., February 28, 1950. Question 1, 25; question 2, 20; question 3, 60; question 4, 72. Additional models recently made available doubles market potential and satisfaction of present owners expected to aid greatly. Many prospects awaiting outcome present uncertain status of Lustron. HOLSTON STEEL STRUCTURES, C. S. WILSON. AURORA, ILL., March 1, 1950. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealers Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. LOBDELL: It is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to assist the Lustron Corp. We have sold 10 Lustron homes and they are all owned by people that are very well pleased with their homes. We are of the belief that we can sell and erect many Lustron homes during this year if and when the air is cleared of all the bad publicity that we hear over the radio and the press. The prospective purchasers do not know what to do. We have lost money on our sales up to the present time, but we have the groundwork all laid for a good year's business, that is, if we will be able to get shipment on the Lustron homes that we can sell, especially with their new and large selection of eight different floor plans, especially the smaller and less expensive homes, but the public must have the assurance of the Government that they are not going to stop the manufacture of the best house on the market today. We are confident that we will not be able to erect all he Lustron homes that we can sell if we can have the proper feeling that the Lustron homes will be manufactured for a long period of time. If we can assure the public of the fact that the Lustron home will be available at all times there will be no limit to the amount of homes that we can sell. In fact we wired the factory this past week asking for shipping dates on two three-bedroom houses which we wanted at once, but received a return wire with the reply that they did not know when shipment could be made. This is not good and we shall lose quite a sum of money if we fail to get the wheels turns and soon. Thank you. We have constructed 20 Lustron houses to date. Number of sales certain in next 4 months if houses are available, 12. Number of sales certain in next 12 months, 30. In our territory, if company is put on a basis whereby they don't get all the unfavorable publicity as they have been, believe we could sell 60 houses in the next 12 months. Think the house has been out long enough for public to accept it as a good product. We had open house last week on our first threebedroom house, and from this received three times as many actual prospects as from our first open house in May of last year. People that are living in Lustron homes tell me every day they receive inquiries as to the heating and livability. There is a tremendous potential in our territory if project is given a green light. HUGHES MCOLLUM CONSTRUCTION Co., By C. N. MCOLLUM. W. W. LOBDELL, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: INDIANA, PA., March 1, 1950. We have sold and erected 6 Lustron houses to date. We are reasonably certain of 12 sales in next 4 months if Lustron continues to function. We are reasonably certain of selling 20 houses in next 12 months. Our potential maximum sales for next 12 months is 30 houses. Because every house sold to date will be the basis of at least five sales. In 1950, we can double these estimates if FHA can be induced to guarantee same amounts in relation to cost for Lustron as for conventional houses. W. W. LOBDELL, INDIANA HOMES, INC. ERIE, PA., February 28, 1950. Care, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: No. 1. House sales to date, 22. No. 2. Sales next 4 months, 10. No. 3. Sales next 12 months, 50. No. 4. Possible sales next 12 months, 100. No. 5. Better sales in 1950 because of know-how to build and sell. Potential excellent here. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Associaton, M. V. IRWIN HOUSING CORP., WILSON, N. C., March 1, 1950. Care Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: In answer to wire from W. A. Matheson we have sold 61 houses; 21 houses and 4 garages erected from January 1949 to January 1950. (2) Approximately 40 houses certain of next 4 months. (3) Next 12 months, 100. (4) Potential maximum sales in next 12 months, 200 to 250. (5) We can do better in 1950 because houses are now genuinely accepted by public. We have more models and sizes to offer, prices for various income brackets. Our period of schooling for erection is passed, as erection hours are approaching a minimum. We have just received commitments from FHA comparable to conventional construction which we have not had to date. VA now granting 100 percent house and lot commitment this area as of February 1, 1950. We are training more crews to handle additional volume to afford even earlier occupancy. Our franchised territory has been substantially increased. Twenty-one satisfied customers are boosting our sales. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealers Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: 1. Last year erected 8 houses. JONES WHITEHEAD HOME, INC. RICHMOND, IND., March 1, 1950. 2. About 4 next 4 months. 3. Eighteen next 12 months. 4. Maximum potential 24 next 12 months. 5. Have trained crews, have public acceptance due to 1 year's test, new moderate priced homes will be acceptable to many smaller income buyers. W. W. LOBDELL, Lustron Dealer Association, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C.: V. H. JUERLING & SONS, INC. ASHTABULA, OHIO, March 1, 1950. (1) Eight homes sold and erected to date. (2) Three homes sold and under contract to be built before May 15. Expect two additional sales. Total 5 sales next 4 months. (3) Expected sales next 12 months to be 25 homes. (4) Potential maximum sales next 12 months about 50 homes. (5) Two thousand dollars paid into advertising past 12 months plus 8 families living in Lustron homes and public acceptance beginning to take firm hold. Expect to really sell Lustrons this year if still in business. R. H. KEYES, Owner, Keyes Construction Co. |