The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-25
BUILDING OF THE YEAR
Four and a Half Millions Spent
in improvements.

HE extent and character of the
building done in Salt Lake city
during the year just closing makes
decidedly satisfactory showing.
There has been no boom here, there has
been no boom anywhere, for 1891 has not
been year Of booms.
In this city there has been gradual and
steady growth which in the end Is always
better than any spasmodic and short-lived
effort.
About $4,000 expended in improve
ments in year which has generally been
called a year of depression, is surely
nothing that Salt Lake need feel dis
couraged about.
The number of large and handsome bust
ness blocks which have been either com
pleted or begun this year is remarkable.
Chief among these may be mentioned the
Knutsford hotel, the Board of Trade build
ing, the Morgan hotel, the Telluride block.
the Dolly block, the New York Trust
Company building, Brooks Arcade build
ing, Odd Fellows temple. the Mccormick
block, Simondi & Ingersolrs block, Walker
Bros. & FLYERS Mercantile block, the M
H Walker terrace, the Hooper building,
the Commercial block, the Constitution
block and others. In this class of build
ings, too, may be placed the new Congre
gational church.
In material and architectural beauty
these buildings would do credit to city
of any pretensiou. They are of brick aud
stone, and some of them not only imposing,
but strikingly handsome.
Considerable progress has also been made
during the year on that monumental struc-
ture, the Temple, which in unique de-
sign, magnificent proportions and his
toric environments vies with any
in the country in point of interest
The records of the building inspector
show that permits were taken out during
the year for 80 buildings of all classes, at
an aggregate cost of g, 292, 1873. To this it
is safe TO add 10 per cent. that have not
been ported in his Office. These figures
moreover, represent operations only within
the city limits and not the extensive i'm
provements made in the suburbs, which
would enhance the showing very mater
tally. Careful estimates, indeed, show that
thenumoer of buildings, chiefly residences,
put UP in the suburbs aggregate 100 at a
cost of $4,000. There are also great
many buildings for which permits were
taken out last year, but on which very
little work was done until the spring of
1891, hence most of the money has really
been spent On them this year, and they
properly belong to this years building
record. AS instances of these may be
mentioned the Dooly block, Walker Bros.
& Fyler's building, the Knutsford hotel
and others which were partly constructed
and completed this year. Altogether it Is
conservative estimate to place the sum so
invested at 1926, 600. Again, the cost of
buildings as returned to Mr.. Grant, the
building inspector, is always less than the
actual money expended on them, since the
fnishings, decorations, ETC., are never in
Guided in these estimates.
Careful comparison between the esti-
mated and actual cost shows that the
former is from 20 to 30 per cent less than
the latter, so that % per cent. would be an
inside figure to add to the building record
as returned TO the inspector.
Hence we have according to the inspec-
tors books:
Number OF buildings, $50; estimated
292 189
ADD 10 per cent. for those not returned,
fascinated cost------------------- 2a.a18
Suburban buildings, 100, estimated
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1872, OOC
Cost underestimated % per CENT 67S, 359
Total buildings, LOIS; estimated COST $780, 751
Returned in last years report, but
really belonging to this year--- 925,OOO
Total for the year 1S91----S4 ZIG. 75l
An analysis of the class of buildings
shows the following: