The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-18

houses, wineries. manufactures Of many
kinds are going up here. while much OF the
big Wholesale trade 10 moving into Mis-
sion and Howard streets. which are nearer
TO the terminals Of the Southern Pacific
and the Santa Fe railroads.
All this district must nave foundations
OF piling or soow bottom, which greatly
increases the cost Of rebuilding. but despite
this there is no block which 10 not being
improved. This section will soon be oc-
cupied by the Wholesale merchants who
are now doing business In wooden shacks
in the mission.
The fire demonstrated that the business
OF a big city may be lone In cheap wooden
buildings il il is necessary. Certainly
San Francisco has lost none Of her jobbing
trade since the disaster and the bank clear
ings prove that in general business she has
held her own despite many ha~ndicaps.
RESTORING MANY sKYscRAPEBs.
About a score OF tall class A Office build
ings were Quilted by the fire. In some
cases the walls were left intact. but In many
cases part OF the walls had to be taken down
and rebuilt and on others the stone facings
were 30 much damaged by heat that they
had to be replaced.
Or these buildings more than half have
been restored and are now occupied. Among
these nay be mentioned the Merchants
Exchange, First National Bank. Crocker
Building, Mutual Savings Bank and the
new Chronicle buildings.
The Claus Spre%els Building. St. Francis
Hotel and Sloane and Shreve buildings
have been delayed by a three months strike
of granite and sandstone cutters which
has tied up work on many buildings. This
strike is now ended.
OF all the Office buildings the Kohl Build
ing. formerly the Hayward. was the only
one hat escaped the fire. owing to the fact
that there were no tall structures near IL and
also to the metal window castings.
Use OF
The new class A buildings that are going
up in the business district will be largely
OF reinforced concrete, some with steel
frames n others without. Before the
fire the labor unions refused to permit the
use Of concrete and they even went to the
length OF refusing to work with concrete
workers. The fire has changed this rule.
and now "a Francisco will profit by the
general use Of concrete.
Among the finest Of these new concrete
buildings are the Balboa office building,
at Fourth and Market streets. on the site
Of the Jennie Flood Building; the new hotel
at Geary M Taylor streets. the Humboldt
Bank building and half a dozen buildings
on gore corners OF Market street. Mission
street. which promises to rival Market
street in its fine buildings. is lined with con-
crete structures from Sixth to First street.
In most OF these buildings the steel frames
are massive and special attention has been
given to the bracing Of the beams to guard
against earthquakes.
Despite many changes caused by the fire
Mark ct street still retains it's prominence.
From the waterfront to Ninth street il is
being rebuilt very rapidly.
In the old days il was lined with the IRON
front four story buildings which we're
mainly constructed from 1879 to 1880. These
buildings had no architectural beauty.
They are being replaced by skyscrapers
and by. concrete buildings OF from three to
six stories in height. with ornamental cor
nices.
Cream colored brick is largely used.
The most imposing building on the street
will be the new Phelan office building, at
the gore corner Of O'Farrell street. This
building will be thirteen stories in height
and will have a frontage Of 800 feet on
Market street. 1t is to be OF cream colored
terra Gotta. The foundations are
now nearly completed and it Is expected
that IL will be finished by June, 1908.
EXCESSIVE Cosr OF LABOR.
or course the rebuilding Of San Francisco
has been greatly hindered by the hish
prices Of materials and the exorbitant wages
by the variou labor unions.
the fire bricklayers have been getting
81 q day. carpenters 50, stone masons IS.
concrete workers SO, plasterers S., fathers
30. plumbers 50. hod carriers S., and 30 on.
The rates have exceeded the maximum
scale in New York by at least one dollar n
day.
The labor unions have justified their
high wages by the great demand and by
the heavy cost OF living in San Francisco.
il is a fact that living in San Francisco
Ia cheaper than in New York, and the de-
mand was largely artificial because many
Of the union put a prohibitive price on
admission.
This ia what has caused the shortage In
Of fathers and has caused all builders /
70 pay 80 a day. to these mechanics, who are
not worth more than 81 or S.. Several at
have been made TO get the labor
inions to fix a maximum schedule, good for |
three years, so that builders could take con-
with some assurance Of making a
profit. But the leaders OF the unions re-
'use to meet the contractors half way.
They say their men refuse to suffer any
reduction from the present high wages.
The result has been the postponement of
Of buildings the plans for which
are all ready.
In the meantime the cost Of materials
9 steadily declining. The price OF lumber
Q now cut in half and there has been a
reduction in the price Of cement
lime and other materials. II the
abor unions can be induced to make 4 fair
schedule, this fall will see an enormous
Increase Of building.