Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-31
THE LOCAL BoILDrsa TRADE.
The Boss Builders of Washington
Complain of u Sfagnati0n This
Season.


The Boss Builders of Wiimingt0n
Complain of u Sfagnati0n This
Season.
Building interests are are very dead
this year." remarked prominent con.
tractor and builder to GAZETTE re.
porter yesterday week. ''It is not by any
means an good as last season. Is is
hardly up to half cf it. There have
been few big jobs done, but not the
general building business that con-
tractors look to to make money on. Last
year we had hopes that this season would
be one of the Best
The brickmakers are not doing enough
in tue city. They are sending large
quantities Of SriokB out of town.
Lumber men make tho same complaint
in regard to local work. The big shops
are also sending large quantities OF
material out Of town.
Slach work with the painters follows in
the wake of the other building interests
Another prominent builder contested
the assertion that it might possibly be
ascrlbed to the reduction among eRrpen-
ters to nine hours time daily.
"That has nothing to do with at all, !"
he added. "The change OF one hour can
affect general building matters only to q
very small degree--exaotly not more than
one-tenth OF one-tenth OF the total OF any
given expenditure. For instance lob
for which the contract price is 100000
would be efestsd 10 tine extent OF only
800. tluch rate Of figures Yon zee
could not iufluanca Wilmington building
interests generally"
There has bseh no agitation in our
branch of the busineHs,n boss piabtefer
told the reporter, $40 that doss mt sc-
count for tho htagnstiop. tbink, Aew-
ever, ha continued, 'that Che real ssasoa
is simply that Tho hsst building sgagon
comes on in September apa October. a
1Test many penpis are away OH taeir
holidays ut this time sad they don't
think of buildinR."
'lts oil true about tho afsgnation, !"
added suother contractor. ,Phese have
bten only two big building jnha This ysar
GRACE pargonsEe and Mr.. Lobdell'5
heuae. The Oity Railway Company in
its new work at Middle Depot gave az
something to do also About o half mil
lion bricks were used there. Qlita q
number Of bsinklayers have had 10 leave
town Tor lack OF work"
a Ns~AaR tAAb ASE+ttdu bk htl LUlH III CfbE-
production. There's no demand for uew
houses hara jl+t now. All the people
who reed row bonsas can get whist they
want already hniit, II BSslns to ms that
capitalists don't put tEer Iuanoy into
house building in Nii.niuRton. All The
new building duDe is by small individual
capital as rue"
II don't aee any prospect jus. now of
any Frightening in the horiz u OF build
ing Interests. The big new gquieabls
Building will mako work for sums one.
Nnmbars Of bosses in all tha varioos
branches OF the building trsde arc doing
very little and would he doing abso.
lntely nothing but for the stons work in
haDd.n
Building estimates are very low this
year. Builders are taking jobs at any
price they can get SO ssas to keep
their hands at work. In fact the
present 10 the harvest time for the pri-
vate individual who has the money
and wants to build house for himself.
He can get it done dirt cheap. Such an
opportunity may not occur again in 10
years.