University Offers Autos Home at $12 per Month

It will cost 12 dollars a month to keep a car-owner out of the Cambridge police courts according to a University plan to park College autos in its lot on Western Avenue south of the Business School. Administrative Vice-President Edward Reynolds '15 made the proposal in a letter to John K. Lally '49, who is investigating the parking problem for the Student Council.

Unless 500 students agree to use the open-air lot, Reynolds said, "we would not undertake the project." On the basis of 500 cars, which must patronize the lot "for the full period of availability, including the winter months of January, February, and March," Reynolds estimated that it would take 12 dollars monthly to cover annual operating expenses of $13,000.

Hard Surface Needed

The land is newly filled and, Reynolds said, would be very soft and quickly cut up in bad weather unless a "reasonably hard" and expensive surface were provided.

Further expenses in the University project include 24-hour attendance and shelter and heat for the guard. "We also feel it would be necessary to fence the area," Reynolds told Lally.

Council Unenthusiastic

Student Council reaction to the plan was unenthusiastic. Councilman Lally called the Western Avenue lot "unsatisfactory" and said he would submit another proposal at the Council meeting Tuesday. "Parking in the open air should not cost the student more than two or three dollars," he said.

Lally's report will recommend that student vehicles be admitted to the Soldiers Field parking lot for overnight parking. He admitted that owners would have to evacuate the lot on Saturday afternoons during the football season but pointed out that no expensive new surfacing or fences would be required and costs would be nothing like 12 dollars per car.

A survey of outdoor parking lots currently in operation around the Square shewed that five dollars was the prevailing charge. For this fee some of the lots even provided all-night attendants.

Heated garages ran from 7 dollars nine blocks from the Square to 20 or more close to home.