Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-11-27

house will be modern in detail. III !
ever get il finished. whether the con-
ditions have changed by that time or
not, | may learn what is the nature
of demand for desirable residence
buildings. ! have seen good deal in
the newspapers about the need of
more houses and something of the
conditions affecting building during
the past year or more, but have
failed TO find where the newspapers
have gone to the bottom of the situa-
ton"
We'll. then said The Herald rep
resentative, I'VE will let you give US
start. Go ahead"
Mr.. Eldredge continued; without
discussing the fact that Durango has
suffered longer than any other part oil
the state from the disturbances aris-
ing from labor difficulties, there has
been plenty of money ready for in
vestment In Durango II the conditions
were right. Let somebody go out and
try to build house now, and see If
after having a contract signed for the
completion of building at given
date, 1t will be possible in two or
three times the length of time to com
plete the structure. The building !
have under construction should have
been completed in five weeks from
the time 1t began, and it now looks as
II it will require four months to com.
plete 1t.
And this is not attributable alone
to one condition. but to several. You
length Of time by paving the highest
wages In the state. You are frequent
| ly delayed for the absence of one
building material, or another. or sew
eral. All building materials are high
and while have read about the high
price OF local brick, | consider that
the cheapest material we have to buy
Compare the quality of the pressed
brick and the price with the brick
product and price anywhere else IN
Colorado, and you will find the Du
range brick the cheapest Many who
discuss the brick subject have had nj
experience with the manufacture o
|
no idea what II costs to produce this
brick; they do not know how many
brick can be sold in a year here Of
what number should be sold to war
rant the sale of brick at the presen
price, $l1 per 1000. have had muci
10 do with brick making in Durango
and the number we have sold yearl,
/ t.,- i 4 M
Could we sell yearly from 100000 t,
100000 we would he justified In ou
investment at the present price. Bricl
made at Denver and sold as kiln rui
are inferior to the Durango product
and Denver brick of something nea
at $16 per 1000. Nobody has mad,
any money out of the manufactur,
and sale of brick in Durango for sew
eral years. The public nas little idei
of the cost Of skilled labor in produc
ing the Durango brick. We pay from
$3.50 per day for ordinary help t.
$500 per day for the skilled labor
Ask anybody who has been in thu
brick business IL they have made an,
money.
Lumber has advanced more rapid!
in price than any other material W,
must employ in building, and this ant
the cost of mechanics labor are tn,
chief elements OF cost In my expert
ence I have paid 81 and $3.50 per da.
without getting an equivalent, and
think II you will look around you will
find others who have had the same ex
perience.
Study the conditions yourselves
and think You will not fnd the stu
alton very encouraging to the build
ers. i am willing to pay a good wage
II | can get an equivalent but like
other builders have talked to. dt
not feel like tying up money three ol
four times as long as I should to ge
any return. understand that nearl,
all the buildings now under construc
tion are overdue on time called for il
contract"