The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-18
The LocaI building outlook.

''Is it too early to tell anything about the
building prospects for next year?' was
asked of Mr.. Gibson, architect.
''It is not too early to know that certain
important schemes will be carried through.
These, of course, one does not care to
speak about specifically at this time. Then,
again, it is not too early to reason about
what will naturally be done because of gen.
eral business conditions We know that
certain large portion of the center of the
city in time must be rebuilt. We know that
a large portion of this work will be done
when the business conditions are fairly fa-
vorable than in times when they are less
So Then, again, there must be a larger
amount of small building than in the past.
When concerns like the Dean Brothers
pump works, the Atlas engine works, the
Indianapolis Stove Company, Nordyke-
Marmon Company and the Indianapolis
Foundry Company report improved business
and fair profits, it means the employment
of large number of men, the distribution
of larger sums in wages, increased pay
ments into building associations, greater
hopefulness and more building of homes.
All these conditions have their ramifica-
lions. The stores feel the effect, the build
ers and their employees have money to
spend and in turn the storekeepers and
their help build. Money from large crops
goes into building. Thus, we have a visi-
BILE prospect as well as reason for great
hopefulness for the future"
VIII not this make prices higher and
cut off certain amount of building?
Not necessarily so. Prices OF material
rarely make appreciable advances after
they have been on low plane for con-
siderable length of time. After prices de-
cline, because the supply is greater than
the demand the producers seek to change
a existence
IL not prOnt from the low values. Thus
we no longer have the carpenter shops of
the past, with the carpenter and his elabo-
rate tools, the showing OF planes and other
evidences or handicraft. Most OF the car
penter work of the past is done in large
WOODWORKING establishments by machinery,
and the carpenter of the present day goes
to the building with a box full Of tools and
puts up the woodwork of the machine which
1t was once his pleasure and profit to work
cut by hand There is no longer the brick
yard ana its labori0us processes. 1t is now
8 brick factory The brick factory has be-
fore ii an immense fund of scientific re-
search and has working for 1t great
technical school. This means high-class
product, without waste or labor, fuel or
other forms of wealth IN material and labor.
The same general principles apply to the
manufacture of metal work the quarrying
and cutting of stone, the production or paint
ard plaster, and to the economy with which
these things are sold and distributed. Even
the waste of former years would mean
immense profit with to-days methods.
There can be no large increase in the prices
What class of building do you definitely
see in prospect for next year?
Investment building. They viii be sim
pie but none the less elegant, beautiful and
well constructed. Those who build for in
vestment realize that all work must be done
economically. / speak OF economy in this
connection in the highest sense 1t must be
substantial. There must be no supernatural
ance of material. 1t demands the highest