Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-28
Many Handsome Homes

Handsome homes are multiplying, at cost ranging from $4,000
to $4,000, and as high as $4,000, and the proportion of the latter
types Is not by any means small. These residences are fast changing
empty landscapes to spots Of beauty with graceful adornment. Among
the great middle strata of citizens the notion for artistic homes, with
individuality of their own, is spreading in contagious degree, In the
newer suburbs, where the jewellers can afford automobiles, building
material is being converted into pictures as fast as cunning artficers
can work out the ideas of clever architects, inspired in their work
by men and women of original initiative who pay the bills.
In this climate, winter-so called Just. to keep the seasons
straight-no longer halts the building contractor in his, labor. He
has learned to make. mundane things fit in with the climatic humors
Of the weather man, as casually noted heretofore in this article. Com
mon labor is not altogether taboo, except on rare days, while the
skilled mechanic keeps everlasting at It. as a rule. Every job in
course Of construction at this time will bear testimony to the fairness
of this assertion, and will bear the same testimony at Christmas time.
OF the probably 1000 men now busiy engaged In construction
within the city limits, 80 per cent are of the skilled class of workers.
Ironworkers shin up cold columns and tread their way over wet and
frosty Orders regardless. Masons work with warm mortar and brick
kept from the frosty influence, Lathers do their stunt behind temper
airy sash. in rooms supplied with enough warmth to permit of work
in shirtsleeves, and plasterers and wood hnishers follow close on their
heels.
Right at this time about 500 real carpenters and 200 handy
men" who assist them, are busy as bees on large and small buildings.
During the whole time until spring flowers again bloom out with a
cheering "howdy," 90 per cent Of these carpenters will continue at
work. Besides the carpenters, some 16 mill workers are engaged on
woodwork and will be so engaged steadily. Bricklayers at work this
week number about 200.
cept the handy men, but even these are we'll paid. A fair average
payroll will show the following schedule of wages: Bricklayers. IS a
day; ironworkers, $3.50 to So; stonemasons, Sc a day, and their
helpers, 3d. laborers, 81 to $3.50. Few or none work over eight
hours a day, except in emergencies, when extra pay is forthcoming.
Considerable night work has been done this season on several of the
larger contracts underway.
On the City National Bank building job the present payroll
totals $4,000 a week. The monthly estimate for material and labor
reaches SIS, 900. Sixty men at work here average a wage of 81 a day.
One hundred men. half of them skilled. are hustling things
alcng o N the Brandeis job, and the average wages will be close to
that of the City National workers.
On the Morris theater thirty men are at present engaged, about
the same number on the Clifford Bridges-Graham building at Nine
teenth and Farnam. This number will be increased on each Job,
On the.court house job seventyfve workmen are hard at it, and
this number will hardly be cut down. All Of the big jobs are taken
nowadays with a time limit in the contract, and forfeiture of consid-
cradle sums stares the contractors in the face at the far end of the
work If they overlap.