Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-11

The correspondent OF the Rochester Democrat
writes:
eve NAV first contemplate the plain, respecta-
bic dwelling of three or four stories, neatly but
not extensively furnished, with a front Of twenty
feet or perhaps TWENTY-FIVE and this il in a NOT
too fashionable street, need not cost over $685.
900. You can purchase lot and have such
house put up by builder al his price, or YOU
can make your contracts separately wi differ
ent mechanics, and in either case you will be
cheated. II any man has the sole control he
VIII shave You as mucn rs he thinks you VIII
bear, while if there be a number OF bosses each
will he inclined to throw the blame of any neg
lect on the other IL you are building tirS-class
house, costing from $4,000 TO S7j,O0O the
chances are in your favor in point of style You
will get irst-cass work at first-class prices. On
such job builder will expect to make a large
sum, perhaps S5000 and this is shown bv the
fact that all of oar best builders get rich rapidly.
This class is composed of firms whose mem
bers work adrotly in their different speclalties.
One man is purchasing lots, on which he paws
a small inslalment and gives mortgage for the
remainder. This man also spends large part
Of his time making purchases of brick, lime
and other materials, and also efecung sales of
houses and obtaining loans at banks He is the
gentleman Of the concern, while his partner is a
knavish mechanic who understands how to get
the most work ont Of his men at the lowest
price, and also how to finish job in the most
specious and superficial manner. His attention
is entirely fixed in this department, in which he
displays a skill which is almost marvellous. He
will run up a block Of dwellings, with strange
rapidity, and Will display in each degree Of
finish which all must admire. The limited space
occupied by each will be neatly proportional,
the plumbing work (where visible) will be silver
plated. The stairs will have graceful sweep,
and the plaster cornice and lret-worl of the
ceilings will be in highest style. A brown
stone vencering will give fashionable
aspect, and outyide the French roof will
have 4 full display of gingerbread work.
As soon as these buildings are completed they
are crowded into market, and their elegant
finish attracts unSuspicious buyers. A few
months residence, however, will reveal the fact
that Il systematic fraud has been carried out in
every point. The foundation settles in fearful
manner and the hard-fnished walls crack be-
voud repair. The CorniceS tumble down, and
both floors and ceilings cease to be horizontal.
The roof leaks, while the doors and mouldings
shrink, aud soon the house has Shaky shabby
look which no expense can remove. 1t is like
painted beauty changed into the reality of nat
ural u9liness. The experience of winter adds
a further degree of internal DISCRIMINATION.
One now may write up the worst miseries of
housekeeping. II your gas leaked you could
use lamps. If your bath room became useless
you could make a sponge and a wash tub take
its place; but what shall you do when the
"crotOn" ceases to flow? Country folks can 90
to their neighbors' pump, but in the city we
have no such privileges.
This class of men make money fast, and their
dishonesty is one of the scourgeS OF city lite.
They are in collision with the builder, and ppt
in defective works which soon call for reJalfs.
When the boiler begins to leak yop 51nu for this
man, who puts on a mass Of 5Uuer, which, from
the charge, you might sappose 10 be silver 1t
is right again: but how long does it last ?
Through negligence of the cook, or somebody
else, this hGler is allowed to 70 empty and gets
runr5. The plumber is sent for, who tells you
tbJt il never was uOO1 for anVI hinp and il is n
wonder that it has lasted so long, AMI you sadly
learn that a new boiler will cost fifty dollars.
When winter comes the plumber has great
harvest. Ii must be understood that for APP
pearance's sake the croton water pipes are car
ried up behind the lath and plaster You have
been assured that the water never freezes; but
ut the last snap it did freeze and bus st the pipes
You send again for the plumber, who cuts his
way to the pipes and thereby demo.ishes tine
plaStering and fills the place with dirt and inc
dust. How this gently permeateS the house
and leaves its trace on pictures and furniture!
When the plumbers job is done you must send
for the plasterer and after he wall is neatly re-
nalred YOU may await the next attack of Jack
Frost" You will also enjoy Cleaning up" es-
pccially as the pasterer has Spattered every pos
sible spot on floor and panel. When the plumb
er's bill comes in You smile at his eredulity in
believing you millionaire, and therefore
charging you at a rate that might surprise an
Aston.
luG illthS MDlCu IulS class resort 10 III OTuer
to get up an architectural sham ale almost in
credible. | once watched the erection of
fragile skeleton which went up on a small lot
between two buildings, using their walls. This
skeleton, which was about thirty-four feet
broad, was finished INTO two small but elegant
dwellings. But how little did the buyer dream
that the center foundations were simply posts
set in the ground 1 would hardly have be-
lieyed this had | not seen it. The sham was
successful one, but within year after its com
pletion it began to settle and crack until it be-
came hardly tenantable. Enormous profits are
made in this manner; and yet these knaves do
not seem TO prosper. Occasionally the wind
viii Oyerset u block of these "man-traps" be-
fore they are finished, an instance of which was
proved about year ago in the catastrophe in
Thirty fourth street. But rogues seldom pros
per, and these men are always driven by their
creditors, and often fail outright. The most
successful builders in this city are those who
have maintained Il course Of strict honesty, and
we presume that this is a truth OF a general APP
picatOn.