Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-20
FIGURES ON NEW BUILDINGS
Facts Shown by the Records of the Building
1npeotor.
COMPARISON MADE WITH OTHER YEARS
Permits for First Half of 1897 Prove
that the Sum of sGG2,o07 Is Going
Into New business blocks
and Houses.

On May 0 The Bee published an article il.
Illustrative OF the gratifying amount OF build.
ing which was in progress and prospective
This elected an open letter from one Of the
officers OF the Central Labor union, in which
he questioned the figures taken from the
records of the building inspector, and chcse
to regard the publication of the facts in re-
gard to the quiet boom in building operations
as an injustice to his clientage.
The article in question did not allege that
every workingman in the city was employed
nor did it state how many were employed
on the various buildings then in course of
construction 1t simply gave the facts in
regard to the amount of building that was
going on, which was largely in excess of the
record during the same period of the two
previous years. Since then the Improvement
in the building business has continued, and,
taking the record from January l to June
10 OF the present year, still better showing
is afforded. The total estimated cost of the
buildings and improvements for which per
mits have been issued bv the building in
spector since the first of the wear is exactly
S622 This is nearly equal to the ag-
gregate of the same period of the three pre-
ceding years
The total estimated value of building i'm
provements from January 1 to June 16, 1891,
was S3SS. 4S5 In the corresponding period of
1873 the aggregate was 1864 652 and in 1896
Sl69.672 Compare these figures with the
record for this year and the Improvement
is at once apparent. The figures given for
1871 include the new union depot, but they
do not include any of the buildings which
are to be constructed during the summer on
the exposition grounds, and for which no per-
mits VIII be required.
MANY GOOD BUILDINGS.
.- Of the amount credited to the present year
S5S5 900 represents the estimated cost of new
buildings, and the remainder that of repairs
alterations and other improvements. or the
permits issued during the corresponding
period in 1894, only S341, ,7S0 was for new
buildings; In 1895, 1894 70S and in 1896, Sll2,-
SSl. 1t is consequently apparent that the
proportion of new buildings to the total vol
ume of building is also materially greater
this year than in any of the three previous
Years: The total permits issued during the
period under consideration were 4O5 in 1894.
435 in 1895; 295 in 1896 and 256 in 1897,
lhese hgures indicate that while fewer build
lhgs are peiEg constructed than in previous
years, the average cost is nearly quad
rupled. 1N
Among the big building operations already
begun the union depot, which involves an es-
timated expenditure of $35O,OOO, stands first.
Next to that comes the new block at Fiji
teenth and Farnam streets the construction
OF which is rapidly progressing. The esti-
mated cost of this building is s65 600. The
new building which will be added to the
Boston store will cost at least Sac. 600 and
the four-story and basement addition to Hsv-
den Bros. store will cost fully S25 600 The
various brewing companies are making large
improvements on their properties in view of
the coming exposition. OF these the mcst
notable is the new building of the Schlitz
brewing company at 6li North Sixteenth
street, which Will cost upward of So O0O The
Pabst brewing company is putting up n
S2,5O0 building at 1912 Farnam street and the
olnaha Brewing association has expended an
equal amount on a brick shop in connection
with Its Sherman avenue plant The Omaha
Gas company has nearly completed two
brick tanks at Seventh and Leavenwortb
streets at a cost of SO 200, and numerous
smaller business buildings swell the total
TO an encouraging figure
. SOME FINE RESIDENCES.
The new residences largely consist of small
dwellings, and pretty cottages costing from
u 000 TO $1,000. There are number of more
elaborate structures in process of erection.
however, including the new residence of
Henry Hitler at 1921 Farnam street. which is
TO cost $4,000, and that of Edward Reed at
24ll Pierce street, which is estimated at
$500. There are fully dozen very hand
some residences being built which will cost
from $4,000 to 81, 500
The following table shows the total value
OF the building improvements for each month
of 1897 up to date and the value Of It'd
buildings for which permits were issued dur
ing the corresponding months of previous
years: