Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-30

Il believe that building i don" cheaper
in Springfield than in any other city in
Ohio" said a gentleman VIII" recently moved
Ia this city from Cincinnati. Il have no
tlcrd several buildings m Springfield which
were put up for
JU~T U\E-HAIF TIIE rEI'F
They would have cost in Cincinnati. or
other ohio cities. The Springfield c"ntra"-
tors rut and cut in prir" until they hardly
leave themselves more than days wages
for their own work. The lumber dealers
seem to have the same tendency also. and
hy the time an estimate on a till "t lumh"I
has gone the grand rounds OF the lumber
firm~ in Springfield it i figured down very
near to cost prices Try Ia make list of
ih,. lumber dealers and builders VIII" have
made fortunes in Springfield and N"u Will
lind great diflIruty in finding more than
one or two. if you find that many. I" show
the difference in the prices of building he
tween Springfield and Cincinnati let me
cite an instance. \ double frame house
with eight rooms on a side was built in Gin
cinrat this spring at what WAS considered a
very low price. That price was just 5000.
| showed the plans OF the house L. Spring
field contractor and asked him what II could
hc put up here for. After examining the
plans carefully he said The house is an
ordinary double frame with total of sin
teen rooms. Any Springfield contractor
will undertake to build it for SS. 500, and by
taking it around Ia all the builders in the
city. have no doubt that a contractor might
be found who would undertake it for 81.
200. have known instances during the
past three years Of where such houses were
put up for $1,000
Now look al that, Here is a margin of
from 81, 200 Ia =, 900. between Springfield
and Cincinnati prices. The ruinou>ly low
prices of building in Springfield has proved
an immense advantage To capitalists and
persons desiring TO build, but it has ais"
crushed many carpenters and contractors
out of business, and has been the means of
heavy losses 10 our lumber dealers. If a
contractor takes building al a price where
he cannot help but lose money, somebody
has Ia suffer for il, and is not usually the
man who supply the materials, the lumber
'alrrS, building supplies, dealers and
o hers. Two years ago prominent Spring
held lumber firm footed up its losses for
one year from bad debts, and from builders
who lost money on their buildings, and
consequently couldn't pay their lumber
,b.. 4
Springfield capitalist said the other day:
MY advice to any one who has money tu
invest, would be 10 put il in real estate, or
To buy lots and put up houses. They may
not rent at first, well and good Just hold
them and they will be sure Ia rent in time,
if they are put up in tirSt-claSS convenient
style Springfield i> bound To grow. and
all Springfield real estate will surely ad-
vance Ii may be depended upon ais"
that the prices of building will advance.
Contractors will get sick of toling night
and day on buildings which they have con-
trlctrd to build at such rmn"uSly low
figures that when they come To settle up
they find that they are only ahead as
carpenters; OF else have come out
with positive loss. Inside OF
the next live years. look for the price Of
building in Springfield TO advance from -
to 40 per cent This will also cause 4 cor
responding advance on all buildings in the
city. For this reason believe that no bet
ter investment than in real estate with
buildings on il can be found at the present
time II Is true that ihe cost OF building is
slightly more this year than il was last, but
| the advance is not great. There has been
some terrible throat cutting among Spring
| field builders in the past, and no one COM
| plains OF it more than the builders them
selves. 4 man would decide on plan for
| his house, get estimates on II and then CIR
! culatr il among the builders for bids Every
| builder would be 50 much afraid that his
| rival would get the contract, that he would
| figure his price down I" the last cent, and
consequently 10 the lowest bid, which
would I've the one accepted would be 81 low
| that there. could not be any profit i'll ~. y
| Springfield builder who had put up don't
! know how many houses III the building
SEASON. counted up his gains at the end OF
| the wear. lie found that he had made just
enough a. amount 10 carpenters wages dur
ing the year.
| Some few Springfield builders have don,
we'll, however Onp think Of, has alway
adhered to good round price, for his work.
! lie made it point 10 always do the bes
and most solid work lie absolutely re-
fused TO take jobs at cut-thr"at prices, an'
the result is that he has made money an'
A handsome competency, while his com
petitorS some of whom built four time
As many houses As he did, hardI.
made days wages for himself. Some day
ALI the builders will solve this problem Il
TIE same way a. this one. and then i""i
out for a big advance i'll the price of build
ing, one of the reasons why the price o
building is ~ low in Springfield Il btcauS
MANY carpenters are willing 10 undertak
the erection uf buildings on their own h0oi
and at prices very little more than thel
own wages would amount for the time III
waived. An effort was made not long az
to start Builders Exchange in Spring
field such a. they have in Cincinnati. Day
tnn and other cities. but it did not succeed
Such an exchange or organization Of I'll
huiIders and dealers in lumber and hulldln
supplirS. would be a great advantage I" il
m,.rlbers. II i probable that the ENciang
will yet be organized. Lumber is sold
!, low or lower price, in Springfield A.
any city in Ohio. The dealers tormcrI