Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-17

From the best sources of informa-
ton at hand. the data being gathered
from architects, real estate owners and
contractors, it is safe to say that more
than one million dollars will be put
into real estate improvements in the
city of Wheeling and its immediate vi
cinity, on this side of the Ohio river,
during the season now about to open
a record that has not been surpassed
for about a decade. 1t was in 1892, we
believe, that something in the neigh
borhood of a million dollars was thus
expended in this community, but since
that time there has been an annual
heavy falling OF, for easons n be-
cause OF conditions as various as they
are well understood. The semi-panic
of 1888 put a quietus on improvement
enterprises, and the Discrimination to
embark in building continued for sew
eral years. Later in the nineties con-
ditions improved, but last year, again.
the increased cost of materials caused
LAduy W uCICI LAC vi
| plans until a more favorable time
should roll around. During the win
ter months, however, it became early
apparent that the tide could no longer
be held back, and for months past
| architects have been literally flooded
with requests for plans and estimates,
while contractors were kept on the
jump to keep up with the tendency OF
events and in making preparations for
a busy season. Almost every available
draughtsman to be had was called into
requisition, and for some time past it
has been no unusual thing to see men
toiling over the drawing board far into
the night, while Offices were Uttered
with plans and typewriters busy with
estimates. Although business contin.
| ues brisk, the rush OF work is about
over-at least so far as to enable a
! comprehensive grasp of the situation,
| and hence the very reasonable estimate
of a million or more for the embellish-
ment of the city during the coming
year.
OF these improvements, as a matter
of course, the new Board of Trade
Opera House stands at the head in cost
and Importance. From this structure
the buildings range down through fac
tories, business houses, apartment
houses, and pretentious residences. to
homes of the most modest nature-but
| they all count in the totals and attest
the enterprise of realty owners and
capitalists, while ensuring plenty OF
work for many sorts of craftsmen. The
Register has, from time to time, noted
these coming improvements, with more
or less detail, and the general facts are,
therefore. pretty generally known. 1t
has been deemed proper, however, 20
make a sui of at least the more i'm
portant things in contemplation, that
| the full measure of the building boom
may be the better appreciated, and as
a matter of record for the future.
The Riverside additions and i'm
provements in upper Benwood cannot
be definitely estimated, but the enter
prise now under way is an immensely
important one, and may involve a sum
larger than the total of all other enter
prises in this section. Much of this
! work has been already done, and It
may not be entirely completed for q
year or two to come. 1t is not in
Guided in the total given at the outset
of this article, although its Importance
is not at all underestimate.
OF city buildings proper, the Opera
House structure easily comes first,
with an estimated cost of perhaps 1925
900. 1t promises to be the handsomest
building in the city, and in size will
not be much inferior to the bulk Of the
Mcclure House.
Second, perhaps, will be the joint
structure to be erected by the New
Publishing Company and the Locke
| Shoe Company, on the east side OF
Main street. south OF alley II, upon
which something like $40, 900 will be
expended. and the George E. House
residence and apartment houses, at
Main and Ninth streets, will cost at
least as much-possibly a few thousand
more. The new barns, ETC., OF the
Wheeling Traction Company. on the
Island, will involve an expenditure of
$50, 900, and the Improvements 10 be
made by the Reymann Brewing Com
pany will call for $40. 900. About $685.
900 will be expended by George NJ.
Shook & Co. on their new Main street
business building, and the new Child.
ren's Home, near Woods Run. will re-
quire the expenditure Of $50. 900. and
the T. s.. Riley apartment house, on
Fifteenth street. the same.
Buildings projected to lost between
s10.o 900 and $50, 900 are many, among
them being the Wheeling Mold &
Foundry plant on the Peninsula, $40
900; the w. B. Hicks apartment house
on Eighteenth street, 500, 600; the How
ard Hazlett residence. on North Main
street. 500, 600; the j. G. Hoffman q
Sons new tannery building. $50. 900: the
Adolph Bot business house, on South
Market street. SIS, 900: the Sweeney.
Burdatts and Quarter residences,
about s12,500 each; the Bader &
Maurer business house. SIS, 200; the
Held business building. the Blum Bros.
business house, the August Meyer bus
mess house. the Second English Lurh-
eran church, the st. Alphonsus Re
formed church, and the George E. StifeI
Improvements to the Rhodes dry goods
building. the DIR. Eskey building and
the mammoth addition to the Neon
nell box factory viii each require an
average expenditure OF SO. 900; the
Andrew Ritz residence on Sixteenth
street calls for 5000. and so ii goes