Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-22

2AAtll1A bllsAFs HtA tLlOubALlus wv tsOy
la the fret item--carpentering work, the
figures t6j belong to 30 or Az years back
instead OF 1881, the price at that date being
about 800, AT present 1t is near 800 tho next,
digging esllars-the price has been about
ID cents per cubic yard for the past 10
years, SO that both quotations are lncor-
rect: stone, per perch--it was never 40
cents, and the average Tor the pust 10 years
has bsen 8i.l5; masonry labor, per perch
lin 1881 was IS cents not 81 cents, and now
s1not So cents; bricklayers, labor per thou.
sAnd-in this item the NeUS table shows
extreme error, the wages in 1881 being
only about 10 per cent less than this year
showing daily wage mistake OF over 80
per Gay plasterSre, per day--ineteHd OF get
ting only Sl.75 as stated these men cot IS
per day gs now-the only difference being
one hour In the time OF days work, IL
should be added that Just In 1881 plasterer5'
wages went up from $780, which they were
before, to the rate OF IS per day which rate
they have held to since 1881 /; pressed bricks
per thousand were $40 Ia 1881 not SIS as
stated, they are at the same price now.
about 1896 the price ran up to S22, but
dropped again this year; In the last Item
both quotations Gre Incorrect, 1875 figure
should be ts rot IS and that Of this year
not 81 out IS, the fact being that the quot !.
ton on this article has not changed for the
past decade. In 1871 1t was $3.50.
Alter making the above corrections upon
the papers statements the builders COM
mented upon the assertions:
III the cost OF building here now was the
same as 1t was in 1881 our builders would
probably be doing as much WORK as they
did IA that year.
1.-THE figures certainly show that the cost
OF living In this city II increasing, and that
Ia not wholly favorable sign. Good llv-
Ing at low rates Is Il good thing for the
mechanie aud good thing Tor the maui
| tacturer."
Ths members were very emphatic Ia de-
| nounciation OF the inference against their
reputation that they have been Ios ponsiole
la the alleged excessive increase ia cost OF
/ house construction. They assert that while
/ the he'Cs figures ars grossly misleading,
the writer, In addition, entirely iorgets that
conditions iii the building business are
/ greatly changed to what they were 10 years
ago. A slxroomed house rs IL was con
structed AT that time would be sne1rod III
| nowadays, and the citizen who wanted one
| built now would require the convenlenc95
of "a bath, hot and cold water, water closet,
ornamental mantels, vestlDule ans othst
| additions which now are considered nsG1s,
sary, but which 10 years ago would be-
looked upon ~ luxuries In sucn house.
"Ihe papers statements" remarked a
builder, fare ridiculous. Why ava ready
10 build house, and any number OF them,
OF the kind and at the psiea that they were
built ~ years ago. But no man would live
III them now. Even the most ordinary
mans taAtes haye undergone radical
change In this lust 10 years. Then they
had none OF tie Accommodate s they have
now and Of course the houses could be built
cheaper. Anyone ought to understand
tliat. Tho new ideas and demands on
house construction that have gone ABROAD
everywhere in Wilmington make the six
roomed house of to. day relatively palace
oil hYglenic, tasteful and beautiful con-
structlon compared TO the plain six roonet
dwelling Of 1881. 1t is these facts that hAv;
caused the increase OF cost tits the puhiit
fashion and taste and not the builders who
are In no wise responsible. They mus
build according to speciacat ons and con
tract for which the man who has his houst
built Is equally responsible.
Ifpublic has undergone n radical change
which fact the present discussion demon
strates 10 ordinary intelligence the bIild-
Ing trade should not be blamed for CON
dl'ion OF things which they are forced te
follow and which they have by no mean.
Initiated. Indeed 1t Is a question whether
this Improvement In general public tastj
and the erection OF superior class OF resi-
dences for the everyday citizen is not
matter for general pride aud eongratulgtiol
rather than for animaiversion,