New-York tribune., 1902-04-28

BUILDING OPERATIONS on \ LIBERAL
SCALE IN THE CITIES OF
THE SOUTH.

William Henry Given who has for dozen
years made a study of building operations all
over the continent. has just returned from an
extensive tour of the Southern States and hnds
an aggressive boom in building construction IN
various parts Of Georgia, Alabama, Florida and
Virginia. Building operations in the South are
on q more liberal scale than ever before in many
Southern cities. Jacksonville. Flortda's busy
little metropolitan city, is disburstng millions
to replace the S2O0O0O 600 fire loss sustained last
fall The entire burned area will soon be en-
tirely recovered with substantial brick ana
stone business buildings Of a grade superior TO
those destroyed. From the swiftness with which
these new improvements are coming forth ana
being pushed toward completion there seems 10
be ample capital at hand to finance them and
no dearth of skilled labor wherewith to execute
the work.
Il found business very brisk at Atlanta and
Birmingham" continued Mr. Given. Atlanta
is the Southern home OF the 'skysCraper' anu
they have them there almost as large as the
best OF them in our cities Of the million PopuIa-
ton class although Atlanta's population can
scarcely exceed 10000. = new hotel now unuer
construction there is a ten floor. steel frame
terra Gotta structure which will cost S5ooOoo
The apartment house idea is very much 10 lhe
fore down in Dixie and especially IN Atlanta
and birmingham. where several are scheduled
for construction this season, to cost from S-0o'o
TO S15O000 each.
There is evidence of a house famine In BIZ
rningham and there is scarcely sufficient cap
itaI IN sight wherewfth to finance the many
building improvements which are demanded In
fact dozens of families have been unable TO
locate there this season for lack of dwellings TO
house them. The openings there for young pro
fessonaI and business men, and those skilled
=, the useful arts are many. and Birmingham
has much the advantage Of Atlanta IN lts more
avon topography and general municipal sight
Illness.
Coming northward I found knoXvllle con-
snIcuousIy busy and thoroughly impregnated
With rho anartnert house idea; but the buslest
nlara between Atlanta and the national capltal
l. Norfolk which is a kind of pocket edltloh Oh
New-York Norfolk is forging to the 'front.' with
rapid strides and the immense snlppulIdlns IN
1ustries and other activities which centre tIeIt-
nout are all contributing TO swell her oulidins
o0erations I understand that the site OF tIIe
recently DESTROYED Atlantic Hotel there Will ps
,,+iIized for the erection of a huge office and
bo+aI caravansary after the manner OF the <Au.
l7itori,,r77 in Chicago. I learn that upWdru OF
haI< a million dollars will be expended this year
on this projected structure. .---.
.sThe Vitality of building activity at R1cnrono
- 1I1f+e remarkable also" added Mr. Given
'-ra na Ia tial Jefferson Hotel which Louis Yin
Tor buiIt 10 stand as of the show places Oh
tbe Virginia capital. proved an excellent invest
roent and when ii was destroyed py nre recent
iy the trustees decided to restore It IN IFS en-
tirety. which is now being done. IS, iiIios
ynond too is down to expend several r1llIons
FOR new buildings in 1907 and ROANOKE Dan
-,iiIa and many other Old Dominion points are
participating in the boon.