The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-22
Cost of Building High.

There is one factor that is making
itself felt this spring in the develop
ment of the city as it has not been felt
before since the boom times of the
early '90s. That is the unusually high
cost of building. A number of buildings
were planned last fall to be built this
spring and summer, notably the large
warehouses projected By several of the
wholesale houses Of the city. All pro-
gress on these is stopped and the ex-
cuse given is the exorbitant cost of
building material and all that enters
into the cons truction of a modern build
ing.
1t is felt that this is greatly inter,
fering with building activity this spring
and while there is much work going on
it is as nothing compared with what
would De done if prices were what they
should be. Local dealers maintain that
they are not responsible for these con-
ditiOnS: that the goods come to them
loaded with these heavy prices and that
they must charge accordingly TO save
themselves.
There is another feature of the local
situation that is impressing itself with
force on all close observers. This is
the unusual demand for houses and the
rapid rise in rents. It is stated that
many small families are boarding be-
cause of the impossibility of finding
suitable houses. This is taken to in
dictate that the population of the city
is increasing very rapidly this spring
by the influx of families from the east
and from the surrounding towns.
There are houses going up in all
parts Of the city and later in the sea-
son this surplus Of people may be taken
care of with suitable houses but at
present there is a famine One real
estate man said yesterday that he never
knew a time when there were fewer
houses for rent in Salt Lake than at
this time. He also said that he could
rent fifty good houses in the next ten
days if he had them. Other dealers
make similar remarks.
Real Estate Active.
There never was time in the his
tory of Salt Lake when the real estate
business was better than it is this
spring. There is no boom such as
proved a curse to the city ten years
ago and wrecked many good men while
it crippled many others to such an ex-
tent that they have been ever since
trying to get their affairs Strengthened
out. But the business this spring is
safe and conservative and prices are
based upon solid values
The difficulty that dealers are now
experiencing is in getting property of
the right kind to supply the demand.
1t is no trouble to find the customers;
the TROUBLE is to induce the present
holders to let go Of the property at the
prices they themselves have fixed. The
records of transfers show a good degree
of activity in spite of these drawbacks
and the outlook is considered good for
the best real estate business year in the
city's history.
Work on the large buildings in
the course of construction is going for
ward satisfactorily and rapidly and
there is nothing to indicate that this
will not be a great building year in
Salt Lake except the high price above
referred to. Labor is plentiful and the
brick makers say that they have facili-
ties for turning out twice as many brick
as has ever yet been called for by the
local trade.
Permits to build and to make i'm
provements were issued last week as
follows by Inspector Ulmer:
T. Auerbach & Bro, 147 South
Main street, repairs after
fire ....:......:.. -:........,......s 5000
cottage .............. -. 1000
Home Investment company, cor
ner Third and N streets, brick
cottage -. :..:-....,.. 1000
street, brick cottage ........... 1000
George Mueller, rear 252 South
Main street, brick addition -. 1000
j. w. Hanes, street between
Fifth and Sixth, brick cottage. 1900
Spencer Clawson, trustee, IS Com
mercial street, alterations 49,. 1900
E. w. Hunter, $50 South First
West street. brick cottage 80. 1000
H. B. Elder. 566 West Second
North street, brick addition. 1000
Mrs 5. c. Sherrell, 1925 South
Ninth East street, improve
ments ........ ................. 1000
Henry Wallace, 426 Sixth street,
brick cottage .....,.......... 900
E. w. Lehman, 125 Q street, brick
cottage .....y..,.....-..... goo.
Mrs. w. c. Peterson, 1873 South
Seventh East street, frame cot
tage .......->.. ............. 500
Minor permits .-.................. 1,400