The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
ALL CONTRACTORS BUSY
MORE NEW HOUSES THE PAST
YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE.
NO SIGNS OF DECREASE IN GROWTH
The Prospects are that the Coming Year Will
Show Still Greater Activity, Four
teen Permits Granted Dur
ing Senfemher.

Not in the history of many years has
the building industry in Raleigh display
cd so gratifying an aspect as during 1898
and 1899. Building has been active
standing the difficulty which has been
experienced in obtaining material, archi-
tects and contractors have been unusually
busy. The number of permits granted for
new buildings shows an increase almost
every month, and at no time since the
crisis in '93 has the record shown more
satisfactorily.
The new Tucker building. which has
just been completed, the Cathedral Of
the Church of the Good Shepherd. the
First Presbyterian church rebuilt. a
number of houses in the heart of the
city, and handsome detached residences
in every section, either in progress or
that have been completed during the
season, mark the activity in building
and the prosperity of the city. 1t is
a noteworthy fact that many of the
more substantial improvements have
been made in the northern and western
parts of the city, or what may be called
the older residence sections. While
building has q natural inclination to-
ward these older sections, extensive inn
provements have been made elsewhere.
and building has not been confined to
any especial quarter. New buildings are
going up or remodeling has been done
III almost every part of sthe city. The
records in the city Office show that dur
lug the month of September permits for
new buildings have been as follows:
Remodel frame house, North Dawson
street; Phil THEM, Jr., owner and A.
j. jackson contractor, 81 900.
Five-room cottage. East Cabarrus
street; Britton Pearce owner and NJ.
Upperman, contractor: 5000.
Three room frame house, corner Blood
worth and Worth streets; Frank Stron-
ach owner and Eaton Williams, contrac-
tor: $3oo. hi $50
Remodel frame building, South Nc
Dowell street; G. b. Edwards owner
and J. S. Allen, contractor; $500.
Addition to frame building, Green
street; Ellington & Hicks owners and
Chas. Ford. contractor; $500.
Three room frame house, Bloodworth
street; Frank Stronach owner and
Eaton Williams contractor: $500.
Repairs to Sherwood Higgs & Cos
store, Fayetteville street; Mrs. Il. Il.
Haywood owner and J. ID. Briggs, CON
tractor; $50.
Dawson and Hargett streets. w. w.
Wynne owner and Faucette contractor:
81. 800.
Dn,a;re ~ f,a,,,o ha,co Co,,tb p1ao1
worth street; w. II. Blake owner and
contractor; 500.
Repairs to MacRae drug store, corner
Wilmington and Martin streets; Mrs.
j. w. Myatt owner and VIM. Mitchell
contractor: $3.50.
-Four three room cottage, Cary street:
Harvard & Hunter owners and Il. 7.
Coffied contractor; 81 200.
Six room two story frame house, Cary
street; Harvard & Hunter owners and
r. p. Coffied contractor; 500.
Repairs to Bobbitt- Wynne drug store,
Fayetteville street; w. H. Robbins
owner and r. Gidinger contractor; $500.
Repairs to Norris store, corner Mar
tin and Wilmington streets; Mrs. II. S.
Tucker owner; SO.
Some new and desirable territory for
building purposes has recently become
available to home builders through the
sale of ummproved lots. These lots are
principally on Blount and Hillsboro
streets, thus opening up building lots in
two Of the prettiest localities in the city
Another equally eligible building locali-
ty, which il is hoped may soon become
available to purchasers is Cameron prop
erty beyond st. Mary's school. All Of
the above mentioned property will doubt
less undergo early improvements, as it
haslong been coveted by parties desiring
to build, but these parties have been
unable to procure it for the reason that
it has not been for sale.
Another noticeable fact is that the
buildings now being erected are of 4
better class than formerly. Those
building homes have built them in sub
stantial manner Where in previous
wears 81 800 to $1,000 was expended III
building a home, seldom less than $1,000
to $500 has been the outlay for the
average dwelling this season. true.
material is higher, the advance In ali
classes having been unusually marked,
and having added considerably TO the
cost of building but times are also fasler,
men are making more money and are
therefore willing to invest more lie i
comfortable home. This latter is espc-
cially the case with the man in mod
crate circumstances, and the tendency
for this class of men to build homes OF
their own has especially characterized
the past season.
While the majority of houses built this
year are residences and are intended for
the use of the builder, many equally sub
,stantial and also equally fashionable
are intended as investments and will be
occupied by the best class of tenants.
As was the case the previous year, a
large amount of remodeling of old houses
has been done. in fact many houses have
been practically rebuilt. The greater
norton of this work has been conflne.,
TO tenement houses, especially those Of
the better class. The old time box
houses, which rented at comparatively