Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-07-01
BIG BUILDING BOOM.
LARGE CITIES OF THE COUNTRY
NEARLY ALL BUSY.
Millions of Dollars Worth of New
Structures Going Up--High Wages
Paid in the building Trades-Some
Interesting Figures.

The United States can boast of a
building boom. From practically every
section of the country the reports indi-
cate that never before was there so much
construction work under way as at pres
emit The rise has been gradually dating
notably from 1898.
The percentages of increase in the
large cities, while indicating the general
movement do not represent fairly the
re i gains, for the reason that the great
est ratio of Improvement is to be found
in the country aud smaller cities. from
which exact figures are unobtainabe In
Chicago architects complain OF lack of
local business, but say their out-of-town
work compensates for it. TO the general
rule of prosperity there are some excep-
tons among the large cities. Chicago
building for May of this year fell 81 per
cent from the figures of May, 1902, and
smaller decreases are reported from some
other cities.
In Chicago, in the first five months Of
this year, there were erected 2.334 build
ings. at n cost of Sl3093.3t0; in the
same period last year there were built
2,522 buildings, at a cost of S24, G0I. 2a5.
Labor and material prices during 1908
in Chicago have been higher than at
any previous time. and this has tended
to keep down the figures Fear of labor
complications has also entered into the
situation. In spite Of all these consid-
erations an immense amount of work has
been done.
Labor troubles IN New York I'd Oma-
ha have had a very depressing effect.
For the FIRST quarter of 1903 Manhattan
erected 2B3 new buildings and spent 500
5t3,014 for new structures and the al
terations Of old ones The corresponding
quarter of 1902 showed $40 buildings
that cost S2l5S7,552 In New York
there was a big change in the number of
buildings, the sky -scraper flats taking the
place of smaller buildings.
In Brooklyn in 1903 there have been
erected 1,l9l buildings, AT cost of ST..
366,315 Last year, in all the Twelve
months, there were put up BIB build
ings costing S1S,54s,0G2.
One of the cities showing the gresdest
gain is ST. Louis There have been few
labor troubles in the Worlds Fair city,
bat many delays in securing structure
steel. No less than 1912 buildings have
been erected in I'VE months at a cost of
S6,297 ,GTO. Washington has built 1853
| buildings this year, costing S1,116,370
Birmingham mt up los buildings at a
cost of Sl.S00 900. Cincinnatis expendi-
lures are S323, 705 for the five months
Baltimore erected , 437 buildings costing
8,9l2S1l; lndianal oils 295. costing
| $4,000; New Orle ms 15S buildings
costing Sl34.000 and Omaha 100 build
ings at a cost Of S3441G2 Boston makes
the worst showing with only 90 build
ings at cost Of SOB 500 This is the
smallest number Of buildings erected in
the Hub in many years.
Wages in Building Trades.
II Is Interesting TO note the wages paid
! in some of the building trades. Here
is list of the rates per hour
! Masons--Chicago. 60 cents; Minneapolis,
| 80; Cleveland. 80: pittshurg, CO. Denver,
| d21a TO 6Sal st Louis, 30; Kansas city. 20
| 70 e2i9 Tacoma, 621a: Cincinnati, as to
| 5612: Philadelphia, 30; New York, CO. San
! francisco, 10; Buffalo, 45
! Plasterers-Chicago. 56R: Cleveland, 30;
Minneapolis, 56A Plttshurg. 56A Denver,
| City 80; St Paul. 5Gl4 Tacoma. 6219 Phil.
! adelphia. 45: Milwaukee, 10: New York,
! 6242; Providence, 43A San Francisco, 6T&;
| Buffalo. SO
Plumbers Chicago. 5eA: Minneapolis, so:
! Cleveland. 43A Pittsburg, 30; Denver,
5S1s st. Louis, G2la Washington, 80; Kan,
sas city. 50 Tacoma, 561; Cincinnati,
| 43& Philadelphia 80; Milwaukee, 43A
| New York, 531s San Francisco, 56A Buf.
falo, 37i9
| Carpenters Chicago, 90: Minneapolis,
| 3T52 Cleveland. IS; Pittshurg, 43% Den.
| yer, 4J; st Louis, 10; Washington, 405s
Kansas City, 81 to 37la; Tacoma, 45; Gin
! cinHati, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, 35;
! New York 56A San Francisco, 80; Buffalo.
| 33ls
Painters Chicago, 40: Minneapolis, IS;
! Cleveland, 30: Pittsburg, 40; Denver, 43A ;
st. Louis. 40; Washington, 37l5; KansaI
City. 30; Tacoma. 37l2 Cincinnati, 35; Phil
| adelphia, 81 i Milwa' kee IS; New York.
| 56A San Francisco, 4S% Buffalo, 37Ia.
Elect rieians Chicago, Cleveland. Pitts.
burg. St Louis and New York pay 30 cents
per hour. In Denver the rate is As and 9th.
er cities pay as follows: Minneapolis 30;
Washington, 43A Kansas City. 3TlA ia.
| coma. 373a Cincinnati, 34@s Philadelphia,
| 40; San Francisco. 43A.
Lhhorcrs and IIod Carriers - Chicago, so;
! Minneapolis, -; Cleveland. DTS Pittsburg.
| aiA Denver. 3Tla; St Louis, 371a; Wash.
ington, ~; Kansas city, 30 Tacoma. 2s14
70 37Ia; Cincinnati, 70 TO 80; Philadelphia,
| 1874 to -: Milwaukee 25 10 30; New York,
- TO 403s San Francisco 3lh TO 43A Buff
falo II to 70