New-York tribune., 1874-04-09
sTAGNATloN IN THE BUILDING TRADES.

STAGNATlON IN THE BUILDING TRADES
IARGl. REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER or BUILDINGS IN
PROCESS OF ERECTION-THE EIGHT-HoUR SYSTEM
--OPPRESsIVFNESs OF SOCIETY RULES.
From every source of information depressing
accounts are received Of building operations in this city,
Most OF the principal builders of NewYOrk declare that
they are welnIgh idle and they do not express any
lively hope that there will be an encouraging revival
OF activity for several months. Compared with last
Sming-which was considered a dull seasOn-the dis
parity in amount of building marked, but the depres-
sion is vastly striking when comparison Is made
with the activity of preceding years, during which
many expensive dwellings and other structures were
pushed forward for the purpose of salo The number OF
projected bur dnss and OF buildings which have been
begun, Is increasing considerably, chiefly In the
XIXm Ward There is also activity in the Allth
Ward. and in number the structures under way
do not fall far short of those contemplated and
in progress at this time lest year, but there
is great difference the character and cost Of the edi-
fees Iu estimated cost those of 1874 along ss0Oo
$4,000 and 1000 and the structures costing $4,000 and
g. are very few, while there are absolutely none OF
the very costly houses which have occupied the atten
ttOn largest builders IN former years. No plans
FOR new business structures OF large size and high cost
have been submitted to the Department OF Buildings
since 1874 and on several buildings which were
begun last year work is going on slowly. In the new
wards many cheap buildings are going up. or will soon
begun but disposition is shown 10 launch out lho
big building schemes there
Tho plans OF buildings and OF alterations submit
ted to the Department Of Buildings show what has been
the condition of the bnidng trades during the quarter
lust passed and furnish for reference as TO It's
near future At the opening Of the year there were In
progress G7l buildings and 6S alterations OF buildings
The estimated cost OF proposed buildings in December
was sG95OO In that month there were IA buildings be-
gun and l47 new buildings completed. In January
there we're $40 new buildings in progress and 70 atera
tons The estimated cost Of proposed buildings was
sssOO0 and OF alterations Sl2S7 In that month there
were 81 bindings completed and 81 begun; there
were alterations completed and IS begun. In the latter
part February noticed marked increase in the
amount of building operations. In that month there
were 6O3 new buildings in progress, and 2l alterations;
s7 new buildings were finished and 46 begun while 81
alterations were begun and 80 finished. The estimated
cost OF the buildings proposed was $17l455O; OF
proposed alterations the estimated cost was S25345
In March, Plans submitted for 1876 new
buildings, and for 197 alterations The estimated
cost OF these buildings is $l,272,o25; Of the
alterations, sN4C37. The total number OF new build
ngs represented by plans submitted during the first
three months OF this has been S2O the total number
% plans Of alterations have included $40 buildings. The
estimated cost of the buildings comes in the aggre
gate 10 S. 515 of the alterations to S7s529 In that
quarter there received 2S special applications for
frame and other buildings Buildings projected within
three months include frst-class dwellings separate
dwellings OF the second class, ~ frame buildings in the
annexed portion Of Westchester County, 10 French
ats separate stores 70 separate tenements of brick
and stone % tenemeuts with stores, manufactures,
i6 workshops, p stables, hotel, school-houses Zone
OF tho South Reformed Church, the other of the
Church of our Lady OF Sorrows engnehousc han for
amusements and the carhouse Office &c. OF the Chris
topher-st Railroad Company No single one of these
buildings will cost 500 cOO as the estimates co.
CAUSES OF DUIINEss IN THE BUILDING TRADES.
One OF the largest builders in the city declares that
the amount of in the building trades not half of
that which was in progress at this time last year Nearly
all builders say that they employing only small
part of the whom they had last Spring II Is est'
mated that one-thrd of the carpenters in the city are
idle thai larger proportion OF the masons ana plas-
terers have no work. that over one-half the paint
ers arc out of employment, and that not more
than one-third OF the stone-cutters are at work.
The prevailing assertion Of the builders and
tie masters in the building trades is that
all this depression is not due TO the effects Of the crisis
OF last FALL or TO the uncertainty which has prevailed
concerning naucia policy Of Congress- but that the
eight-hour system and the exactons Of the trades
unions, 10 considerable degree are 10 DO
blamed for the want OF activity. They say
that with the eghthour system they cannot make per
cent on the capital they invest and often not so much as
per cent. Capitalists kept back from building enc
terprses by the unreal and exravagant cost Of labor
and prepared materials which also delay the compile
tion of several large buildings which have been begun
IN some cases the bosses have made arrangements TO
carry Oh building operations on the plan OF receiving
peroeDtage as they are unwilling TO run the risk Of
taxing contracts with the chance Of heavy loss from
strke or some other difficulty with their men, In this
WAY the heavy burdens imposed by the trades-unons
are brought homo directly to the property holder and
"a boped that they will be induced to help in restoring
the tephour SYSTEM The master carpenters have been
tue foremost Of the bosses to take action toward
ipg the hours OF labor, and several prominent
employers among them ahrm that they VIII
extend their hours soon, even all the
building trades should not unite to break down
the eighour rule. This determination Is by no means
universal among them, however. Some few are OF opn'
ion that the system is not great injury to them, as
in several months OF the the daylight Is too short
70 allow more than eight hours outside work. Such
masters say that the factoryowners are the most siren
uous 20 Overturn the eighhour SYSTEM because thei:
employees readily labor ten hours per day through
out tho year. Others shrink from conflict with the
jOurneymen II althe trades work together The
opinion of the majority, who are bent upon reform IN
the hours Labor that there will be less opposition
journeymen carpenters than from Journeymen
other trades because machinery has released them
OF late years from the hardest part Of their labor so
that occupation much less Of such
trades as the paerer and stonecutters. There too
10 their society large element OF the sober and
able sort OF workngnen, who. 1t expected, will readily
aRrae TO additional hours II their wages are raised An
increase OF wages with increased hours most employers
are willing 20 cOncede.
The painting and the plasterlng trades are remark
ably dun, and many OF the employers complain that
the cight-hour system is IN fault AT TINS season
there are usually more than thousand plasteIefs
engaged upon Job work; nOw there are onlI wv "
Sgj. Rusnes5 not only prevented from re
uair!ug anu improving their stores by slack sales, bh
by observation Of tue mcaHer hOars, the Itte sVoo.
plisaut no the high pay Of jOurneymen carpenters
pastefsrs and painters In past years there nave peer
very mauY more painters employed upon JOD "olA a.
tins season busy now. .
Among etOIccutIcrs, espccldily the DiO"H