The San Francisco call., 1899-09-12

IL | have been reported during the past
M week. but there is a marked and
V growing demand for good invest
u ' ment property, especially in the
wholesale district, and a number of good
sized deals are being negotiated, with
every prospect of early consumrnatlon.
Sentember's poor showing thus far is in
a large measure due to the fact that lhere
have been too many holidays, the effects
of which were felt In all lines of business.
What with Labor day, the Jewish re-
ligious holidays and the preparations that
have been making all week to celebrate
Admission day, the brokers have been hard
nut to get the ear of prospective buyers
long enough to convince them OF the mer-
It's of their goods.
The work of laying the rails Tor the
new electric railway on Montgomery
street is progressing rapidly, while all the
rails are down on Sansome street from
Market to jackson. The track on San
sorne is TO be extended to the seawall,
and the work of laying rails from the
nreseut terminus at Jackson street will
begin in ten days or two weeks:
There has been noticeable falllng on
in the number Of building contracts. but
ten having been recorded during the
week. representing an aggregate outlay OF
s47 432 The largest contract recorded dur
ing the week was that of John r. Boyd
with ]. w. Miller and Ingerson & Gore
70 make a four-story out of three-story
building on the northeast line OF Steuart
street. 1894 feet northwest of Mission
street for s9567. The next largest con
tract was that of A A. Russell and j. J.
Stahl with Julia Sullivan, to erect Two
two-story buildings on the north line Of
Seventeenth street, 1903 feet east OF Guer-
zero street, for $9450. Mrs. Rosalie
Greenebaum contracted with J. Round
tree. +. c. Jones and j. G. Peterson for
work on a house on the east line Of
Franklin street, 1874 feet south Of Wash
ington, to cost $5400. Felix Marcuse con-
tracted with Marcuse q Remmel for a
two-etorv frame building on the west line
oY Sianvau street so feet south of Par
nassus street, to cost $4,000 The other
contracts of the week ranged in value
Undoubtedly the principal reason for
the falling off in the number OF build
ing contracts is the present unusually
high price OF building material On TINS
subject the following from Thomas Ma
gee & Sons Real Estate Circular will be
The prices of building material have
RAPIDLY advanced of late. Lumber has ad-
Vanced about % per cent within the past
two years. In 1898 rough lumber was
$40 so per thousand. while on august |,
and now its price is about SIS per thou
sand; surface lumber is from $50 to S35 per
thousand; pine stepping is S3S per thou
sand landlord told us the other day
that had he built a building for manufac-
turing purposes a year ago he could have
saved about $4,000, but that he had been
repaid for waiting because he had been
able to make a favorable lease lately,
whereas a year ago ne Would not nave
been able to lease at all.
"The price of iron and plumbing mate
riais has also advanced 40 70 70 per cent
in the past two years. Bricks nave ad-
Wanced from about Sc per thousand to
60 81 per thousand. Lime and cement have
advanced about 90 per cent within year
The price of glass has greatly advanced.
1,hsre is no material advance in mechan-
ics' wages from union rates, carpenters
Getting IS per day and bricklayers $5 per
day" ,..ps,.,s. ,,,o.o,.;o, .os
bad temporarily depressing effect, Au-
e1ist certainly held it's own with record
Of III contracts lsd rspressntbng 9 an nse1 ag
syYoeeded : but once during the present
YEAR when the contracts filed represented
an outlay of ss71, 1888, and which is the
largest for tho month Of August in any