Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-17
BUILDERS ARE KEPT BUSY
Hundreds of New Structures Erected During
the Last Year.
ALL PORTIONS OF THE CITY FARE ALIKE
Construction of business Houses, Fac
tories, Dwellings and Churches
Furnishes Employment for an
Army of Skilled Mechanics.

Although the building season OF 1899 was
late In opening there has been erected in
Omaha this year more buildings than during
the same period in any of the ten years pre-
ceding. In 1898 the new buildings erected
numbered 1913, the aggregate cost approxi-
mating $1,36l, 257. This included more than
100 buildings on the exposition grounds,
costing. In round numbers, S750,000. The
Union Pacific Railroad company also took
out a permit in 1898 for the erection OF its
$25o,O00 passenger depot, so that 1t becomes
apparent that less than 5000 900 went into
business blocks and dwellings in the city.
This year the amount invested in new build
ings largely exceeds this, with fully two
months of the building season remaining.
What is most remarkable in the building
operations of the present year is the num-
Der of new dwellings. In the office Of the
building inspector the records show that
since the beginning Of the year and up to the
middle OF September permits were issued
Tor the erection of 207 dwellings, ranging in
cost IRON a few hundreds up to thousands
OF dollars. In the majority of cases these
buildings are of wood and are neat and COM
modious cottages. Some are to rent, but
the majority have been built by the lot
owners to be occupied by themselves. Such
houses nave been built by men who hereto
fore nave been boarding their savings, but
who now, realizing that times are more
prosperous and that Omaha affairs are on
the upgrade, are putting their surplus into
homes.
To give a better idea of what the new
dwelling houses mean so far as the growth
Oh the city Is concerned 1t may be we'll to
draw upon the imagination. If they were
all located upon one street and placed side
by side without leaving any space between |
they would form a solid row of Abs feet.
or nearly one mile in length. /,
Few business houses have been built in
the central portion of the city, yet in the
outlying sections forty-six such structures
have been erected. Nearly all are brick, i
two stories in height. There are a few that
are three stories and some one story. Place
these In a row and they would form a solid
block 1850 feet in length.
Three brick school houses have been
erected. Two of them are for the accommo-
dation of the pupils of the public schools
and cost $4,000 each. The third Is at the
Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, and cost
The Omaha Medical college has
been enlarged by a brick addition, costing
900.
The church people have not been idle.
Since the beginning of the year four new
of worship have been constructed
and betterments and additions have been
made to two others.
The railroad companies have kept pace
with the times and have expended consider !
able money in building. The Omaha Bridge
and Terminal company has erected a freight
at a cost of $12, 900, while the Omaha
road is expanding $780, 900 in charging it's
depot at Fifteenth and Webster
streets.
In the factory and wholesale district seven
new buildings have been erected, at a cost |
Of nearly $4,000, not including machinery,
fittings or furnishings required to put the
plants in condition for operation.
Investing Their Thousands. =
Since the beginning of the year two new
have been erected, the Metz Bros
brick and stone building, at a cost
of $4,000, and the Nebraska Brewing COM
pany's building, at a cost of 500, 900. The
krug Brewing company has also expended
81, 500 in the construction of a bottling plant.
Many permits have been taken out for
small buildings, repairs and betterments,
so that in the aggregate they reach 295,
the cost of construction of all struc-
lures to be 1921, 1870.
1t Is a well known fact that the permit
Issued by the building inspector represents
but about rs per cent of the actual cost. :
The other 25 per cent all builders recognize
as being the amount required to put the
in condition, pay for extras and
So it will be seen that instead
Of the buildings having cost 1921 1870, ST.
)36, AIS must be expended before they are
completed and ready for occupancy.
Many new firms have come into the city
Turing the last nine months, including Deere
& Co. of Moline, ILL.,, and Wardner Bush
hell & Gleasner, two of the largest imple-
nent concerns in the United States. These
have gone into the wholesale dis
riot and will make this their general head
quarters for the handling of the western