New-York tribune., 1874-10-28
BUILDING PROSPECTS.

BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN EMPLOYERS
AND THE EMPLOYED RECOMMENDED - THE
TRADES UNIONS CRIPPLED.
The several branches of the building trade
in this city have before un:avorabe con.
dtion as now since the beginning Of the panic OF last
year. Tho experiences OF last Winter to all who were
in any way connected with this business a.
| 20 discourage many OF the larger builders, and
practical lesson to many OF the skilled ana uu,
skilled Iaborers who came to the conclusion that was
| better to work for reduced wages than to
| depend upon the Unions and souphouses fos
| sustenance and acquire habits OF idleness. Tho
| building improvements for the first half Of
this year we're greatly than for the time Of
1879 and the gradual In the trade since the be-
ginning OF Summer has been a. well In the direction
OF cheaper houses as fewer of them. More tenement
houses more stores and tenements and more French
fats built In proportion to the whole number OF
houses than formerly. During the quarter ending with
Sept 80 the report OF the Superintendent OF Pubic
| Buildings shows that while less than haf as many
| buildings we're planned as In the three preceding
months there were only one-thrd as many nrstclass
dwellings but three-fourths many tenements The
calls attention 10 the fact that the char
acter of the tenements IL gradually improving and
speaks OF the French fats "arcnitecturaliy ana
hygencay creditable to the city, being spacious, con-
yenient, weil-lighted and wellyeDtated" Inc plane
| submitted for the quarter represent 2'I new
buildings OF which only rstclass dwellings aud
| the remaining IA tenements The estimates for
these buildings reach t303495o The highest estimate
for any one building 100000 for that OF the Ersn'n0
Post at Broadway and FultOn-st Tbs IS 10 DO Iou
stories, feet, In hight. frontage on Broao~o VI
81 10 feet Futon-st 1925 feet and is 10 DC cou
sructed wholly Of brick. stone and iron four-stov
brick building at Broad and Tweutythirdst with
frontage Broadway OF 1o2 feet aud on Twentytnrd
st OF II feet estimated to cost tOOoO Ihe rtn MA
tional Bank building at Third-ave and Twen
ty.tbird-st, Is estimated at $4,000. since the
| MIA
have been fed many as during the same portion
of September and OF August and the whole OF July
Among these the highest estimate Is Soooo for no'e'
at Fifth-aye and Nnth-st. Most OF this number arc
ordinary brick houses. the most valuable OF which Is
estimated at $4,000
The greater part OF the building for this winter 10
| already begun. Builders almost invariably declare
that when their present Jobs finished they have no
! further plans " There no prospects, SAID ono
| builder either remote. We cannot count on
per cent upon our and no one Will be
| foolish enough to extend operations" Said an
| other: "The outlook in the building trade 10
| utter stagnation Those who have houses on their
| hands must hold them sell at sacrifice, and tue
aborers have nothing before them except the lowest
wages, and long hours, or idleness.' Ine cost ot
building has greatly lessened by the reducuon IN
the cost of material This reduction is estimated to
average from per cent Laths are seng at only
little higher gure before the Lime Is IL per
cent less year. Brick are bringing only " now
which brought 80 to t17 last year. Day aborers are
working and receiving fifty cents less tor he
DAYS work last year. In the stone line the price OF
material is unchanged as yet out Is eApec'eu W m W.
\ fore the ends
The number OF unemployed men in the city Is already
| very large and the willingness Of thousands OF Union
men indicate that the working classes nave pronIeo
Immensely from the seventies OF last Winter Then the
Union men easily counted who we're elmer VIKING
or dared to work under the established rates Now II
1 half tha W.
York are willing labor for what they can get and
fourth part dares accept that are offered them
without consulting the powers that direct the affairs OF
the societies This Is said by the authority OF employers
rather than Of the employed since many OF the latter
prefer to have their rates Of wages matter oil con-
ndence between the parties to contracts Certain OF the
societies. however recognize, as societies, the dncul
flea which surround and threaten the aborng man. and
are inteligenty allowing their rules TO be as dead let
ters and their memb exercise their good Judgment
in the light OF existing Should this good
sss ssnss eIeress iS her M Se that Il will greatly
Of business and very mgsn % ser
Said one who s PROMINENT The In arbitrary ows OF
the various unions must broken down. or every part
the work that can POSSIBLY be done OUT Oh tne CITY
will be- In all Of the States around New YORK wages are
low aud men work ten hours instead o eight az here,
aud the result must be dimnution OF business mere
and its removal TO surrounding States Nearly an tne
large Jobs in sonecutng for instance are worked out
side Of NewYork The same is true Oh other & depart p
difference Of IS to 80 per cent the cost OF production
In favor Of neighboring states -. 49,, ,,oo,.,,,.,
| Said another, we-known member OF the Mechanics
| and Traders Exchange: Builders are generally des-
There OF the heaviest builders IN the
hand partially nearly completed and they pave noth
ing further in view, and are not doing oneourtn tue
business that they ought The same Is true OF every
builder in the city In my opinion the labor unions arc
y 'fsssy and
capitalists are thoroughly ana s .es pTo T
lem is settled The increasing uncertainty as TO the
| cost of labor Is making builders more ano
more cautious about investing. Should times improve
now within a few months the unions would dOuDtiess
their demands with increased PERSISTENCE anu no
ali i'm their power to create another III the la
borers should be out Of work for few years ana por
tion of them likely 10 be. they VIII become con-
WINGED that the unions nuisance ana better un-
derstandng between employers and employed VIII re-
| suit, to the advantage Of BOTH =. ...o,. ,ou,.
ndenendent of the rates established by their society
They are generally intelligent class OF men than
ia found In many other branches and when not able 10
| do as they would are willing to do as they can. Tho
greater part of the carpenters now employed are
Ing for 81 50 per day, whereas tney receiver ss az
"a 5 per day. Now they not only glad 10 WORK AZ
these but TO stretch eight hours INTO
nine or ten. The rules OF their Union are inopera
apparently effort being made 10 ENFORCE tleu iro
hrckayers are working hours and instead or "
per they receive only g. The Union mas ttie 10 say
he Stonecutters' Union however determined to en-
force ire rnes 70 the letter; a for days labor 10
the fixed price and none OF the members dare 10 have
known that they work for anything less "nere pr'mo n
terms are made some cases they nave oeen, TUG
sonecutter trusts to his employer 70 Keep the secre.
Under no circumstances can they work 10 hours Eaen
yard is Of course observed and epore1 10 cas- hs tS
Pasterers' Union; Is the price and eghthours tns
time and no deviation - endured I'VE can change az
that seems TO be Impossible We should have to close
our yards until they would accept our teIs auu h,ch
would be done at great temporary ssctes % wnen ner
few willing ITO make even with prospect VI Poi
| manent relief.