Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-01

ZEE PROSPECTS NOW ARE THAT THERE WILL BE A
LIVELY TEAR IN BUILDING cIIsCLEs-INrER-
VIEWS WITH ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERs-LABoB
AND MATERIAL.
There is no subject that is OF more interest
TO a large proportion of the city's population
just now then the prospects for the coming
building season. The building trades, the real
estate brokers and the dealers in building sup
plies of all kinds discuss this subject in all its
phases and endeavor to make forecast of the
situation few weeks hence STAR reporters
have interviewed number Of architects and
builders, and. while many of them are Of the
opinion that it is rather early yet to speak
with certainty as to the prospects of the coming
season, still their views are of value and are
given below
Mr.. wM. N. PoISDExTER.
Mr.. Vim. VI. Poindexter said that he thought
the season would be prosperous one; that
everything pointed now that way. He added
81 think that it is a little early vet
for an accurate forecast. but there is
enough to base a prediction upon to enable
me to say that i see no reason why the season
should not be as successful any one could
desire. have no especially large contracts on
hand as yet, folks being little later than this
usually i'll making up their minds as to what to
build. do not really think that the enforce
ment of an eight-hour rule for the District
would have any mar ked effect on the price of
buIldlng-lt Is high enough now. 1 believe
that the builders will adopt the system OF pay
ing their workmen by the hour instead of the
day, and that will have the effect of equalizing
the matter. There Is nothing In sight that
would indicate any unusual increase in the
prices of labor or of material"
MR.. =. f. SCHNEIDER.
In the opinion of Mr.. +. F. Schneider the
coming season promised to be one of great
activity in building. He said that there seemed
to be plenty of money seeking Investment and
real estate has offered advantages which could
be readily appreciated. He had q good deal of
work already planned for the coming season.
not only his own but that of Others. AS far as
ne knew there was nothing to interfere with
the present favorable prospects. Materials
would probably be no higher then last season
and he was told that there would be no change
IN the scale OF wages paid to wOrkingmen. He
thought, therefore. under these favorable cir
cumstances and with the necessity of meeting
the needs or growing population the coming
season promised to be prosperous one for the
building trades.
MR.. b. B. BRADFORD.
"What seems to be most remarkable" said
Mr.. Il. Il. Bradford Of the firm OF Pitney Il
Bradford. is the amount of building that has
been done this winter. The remarkably open
weather has allowed work to go right along
and even clustering work has not been stopped
AT any time. An encouraging feature in the
building III this city has been the steady growth
OF feeling III favor OF putting up better class
OF buildings You will notice that there has
been a constant Improvement in this line /
am busy now and all architects are. l am en-
gagged on large store building on the corner
of 9th street and Missouri avenue and a store
on 18th street just below +, besides a large
amount OF other work. No. | do not see that
there Is likely to be any change IN the prices of
building materials, although bricks may. and
hope they VIII. be cheaper. l apprehend no
trouble with reference to the eight-hour law
L am sure Al Will all be peaceably settled and
VIII hot affect building prospects III the least"
MR.. JAMES @. HILL
When STAR reporter asked Mr.. James G.
Hill. the architect, his opinion of the outlook
in the building world Mr.. Hill said: Il can
only speak of my own share in the business,
but that | must say is satisfactory 1 have
never been buster than / am right at the pres
ent time. and the prospect in every direction
seems most favorable. If ANYTHING | think
there IL less being done in the way of dwelling
houses than would be expected. but large build
lngs are going up all around / am kept busy
working on the extension of Woodward 4 Lo-
thrOps store and the large ONCE building to be
erected on the southwest corner of 9Th and f
streets. and / also have a number of other
buildings on hand. 50 you see I'm anything but
In prices. AT any rate there has not been a
sufhclent quantity of work contracted for to
justify that opinion. II seems to me there is
no indication OF any labor trouble or contest
over the eight-hour law"
MR. ". BRUCE GRAY.
Il think the prospects for busy season
in the building world were never better" said
Mr.W. Bruce Gray in answer to the reporter in
ouiries. Il am not able to speak for others. of
course, in this matter, but as for myself can
say that was never so busy as | am now /
never had more plans ON hand than have in
my Office at this time. Here are both working
plans and architects drawing. Not all OF
them will materialize in the form of buildings.
but the prospects are certainly encouraging
In a week or ten days l could speak more def
hiteIy OF contracts made than i can now but
am sure shall be kept very busy The rela-
tons between contractors and laboring men
arc highly satisfactory. and. SO far as can see
there Is no prospect OF any trouble arising in
that quarter to interfere with building ill.,
terests.
Mr.. ROBERT /. FLEMING.
Mr.. Robert l. Fleming said that he really
thought it too early to make Trustworthy pre-
diction to the building prospects for the
coming season. Folks are Just making their
plans. he said, land there is nothing further
10 say than that II now looks as though we are
gong TO have very fair season. / think that
II Is about as lively just at present it ever is
al tins time OF year. or perhaps even more so.
ana from some other vague causes i believe
that L can discern signs pointing to a very
prosperous year. | might say that bricks are
very high, ON account Of the wet season last
summer, which prevented the handmade
brick manufacturers from competing with the
machines, but do not think that there is go
ing 10 be any marked advance in any commod-
lily that Is used IN our work, either materials or
labor. The eight-hour rule will probably. if il
should become reality during this season. not
have any effect other than to cause a change to
the hour system OF payment, which will be
good thing"
Mr. A. b. MULLErT.
Mr.. A. B. Mullett said: Il do not see how an
architect or builder can express a very salts
factory opinion on the matter Of building pros
poets SO long as the question of the worlds fair
remains unsettled There is a large amount of
work depending on that decision. STILL the
building prospects are certainly favorable We
ourselves do very little IN the way of small
work and do not seek that class, We have sew
eral large buildings on hand but am not at
liberty 10 discuss them now can think of no
reason Tor any increase III the price of building
materials and know of no concerted move
ment among mechanics to procure an advance
OF wages should there be any increase it will
be because the demand for labor is greater
than the supply. There is no chance Tor any
labor troubles. Ny relations with working
men have always been friendly. and think
should know II any troubles were brewing but
have not heard OF anything OF the sort"
NE MOTLEY ANDERSON
Mr.. Motley Anderson, the builder is of the
opinion thar everything i'll his line of business
- IN n Tnn.f