Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-28
NEW BUILDINGS.
ROANOKE LEADS THE VAN In
BUILDING OPERATIONS.
Whist BUSINESS MEN HAVE TO SAY
a Times Reporter Interviews Con
tractors, Builders and Others on
the Subject Outlook for the
Future.
Roanoke is a ra ttler.

Norfolk and Richmond are larger.
and all OF the towns of any impor-
lance in the state are older.
There is not one, however, in which
as many new buildings, for business
and residence are being erected as in
Roanoke, nor one in which the out
look for growth during the coming
year is brighter or more encouraging.
In support Of this statement the
TIMks prints today number Of In
terviews with contractors. builders
and persons acquainted with the build
ing business here. The list was gath
cred by reporter of the TIMES, and
will be continued tomorrow. The
interviews that he succeeded in OBJ.
tanning give some idea Of what Roa-
noke is doing in the way of building,
and are unanimous as to the encOur
aging outlook for 800.
h. J. Shomo s. Co: Our business has
increased $40 per cent. since this time
last year, and 1t is steadily on the in
crease. AT present we have under
contract seven large buildings at the
West End furnace for the Roanoke
Iron Works; six dwelling houses near
The driving park for the Melrose Land
company; one fine residence on
Terry's hill for DR.. Cannady, and also
one in the Edgewood addition for
Grinberg & Morris; We are building
Two residences on Mountain street for
the Roanoke Investment company
We brake ground today for the foun-
dalton of our sash, door and blind
factory on Gilmore street, which will
be pushed to completion as soon as
possible. There is a scarcity OF brick
in Roanoke now as has been the case
for several years, and this, together
with the heavy rainfall this year. has
retarded our work to II great extent,
but Notwithstanding al this our bust
ness has been very heavy all the year
and is gradually increasing. We have
built siXty-two houses in Roanoke
since January /, 1889, snd keep forty
five men employed all the time. AS
to the prospects for the coming year,
| will say they are very bright indeed;
and think every indication is that
there will be more houses erected
here in 1890 than in any previous
year.
Z. C. Oakley The most important
piece of work that have on hand at
this time is the new Allegheny insti-
tute, which will be completed in u
short time. | also have several other
large houses in course of construction
So far as my observation goes there
is a greater amount Of buildings being
erected now than at this time last
year, and the beauty Off is that the
work is of a better class | have a
number Of contracts in view for the
new year, and SO soon as l get well,
will have a large amount of work
to do.
W. H. Grove: My business has
been steadily increasing for some
time past, but at this time have only
three buildings under contract; the
Commercial bank, three story bus
mess house for Mr. A. s. Asberry, and
the building of Mr. c. Markley, on
Salem avenue, near the market
honse. have had mum.
Der of contracts offered Inc in the last
several days, but when | complete the
work | have now on hand I will not
do any more till spring, unless the
weather remains warm like it has
been lately. l ain certain that 1890
will be the biggest year in all branches
of business that Roanoke has had
since il was hamlet of 400 inhabi-
tants l would have done three
times the amount of work did &C.
complish if the weather-prophet had
had not ssnt us 70 much rain
+. F. Brinkley, of the Land I'M
provement Company: Not many
building permits have been issued
lately, but the contractors all seem to
have as much as they can do to finish
up the work now on hand by the first
of the year. AS regards the business
outlook for 1890, will say that it is
extremely encouraging. l know OF no
city in the South whose prospects are
brighter than Roanoke's. l had g.
conversation last week with President
Kimball, of the Norfolk and Western,
and he is very enthusiastic over the
future of our city, where he has a
large number of investments. Mr..
KimbalI is in position to know what
he is talking about in this matter, as
he lives in Philadelphia, where reside
so many gentlemen who Lave invested
their capital in Roanoke enterprises
To my certain knowledge there will
be three or four new enterprises start
ed up the first part of the coming
year, that will employ large mum
Der of hands and will be of great ben
eft to Roanoke. The plans and SPEC
itications of these have not been made
out yet, however. In my opinion Ro-
anoke will have a boom in 1890 in
comparison with which all others will
dwindle into insignifcance.