Sorry. I haven't read any of the posts on this thread, but I know the answer.
It was the Heath family who paid for them. They also provided the funds for Beth Sarim and probably Beth Shan.
Rutherford had two v12 Cadillacs and a Lincoln at his beck and call. That we know about. He also had five homes at his disposal. And two yachts. And he boinked women who were not his wife. And he was drunk a lot of the time.
And he was a FALSE PROPHET. And a sham and a shameless liar and self-promoter. But worst of all, he was a bully who hurt a LOT of people to glorify himself and allow himself to live like a KING with the money of poor (and I mean POOR because he made SURE they stayed poor) Jehovah's Witnesses.
I've already written exensively about this, but will not provide links because I am accused of shameless promotion of myself for writing about OTHERS. Isn't that a hoot?
Farkel