From time to time, the Red River Lumber Company struggled to keep up with the demand for housing. There was a lot of debate, especially the cost. Initially, the life-span of Westwood was to be twenty years. Fletcher Walker, the resident manager had different ideas.
On September 12, 1922, Fletcher wrote his brother, Gilbert, who resided in Minneapolis, to convince him for his support. Fletcher wrote: “Additional houses would very well materially build up the morals of the crew as it is a conceded fact men with families to support will take more interest in their work and in making good than single men who have gotten into the habit of wandering from job to job and no particular responsibility or care to work steadily. A campaign along the line to build 200 houses and as soon as they are completed build 200 more, if the demand still held out as we could fill 200 houses at this time, if we had them with men of family. Two hundred houses would add more than $200,000 to the annual sales of the mercantile departments as it is impraticable for an average family to get along on less than $1,000 a year. The $1,000 being less than a year’s salary and minimum pay and usually there is more than one employed out of each family.”