Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-20
HEGIRA OF OLD DWELLINGS
Moving Houses, Like Flies, Go No
One Knows Where.
THAT IS, NO ONE BUT PETR1E
He ~ the Mar who Moves Them,
and Buys Many and Sets Them
wherever the owner
Tells Him.

Where do all these old houses go7"
asked a visitor to the office OF the bu1d-
ing inspector.
They're like the files said Dick Grotte;
they go no one knows where, unless 1t
might be Petrie."
Petrie is a housemover and when asked
the same question that was fired at Grotte
he woke up with enthusiasm.
They go any place that people want
them to CO." said Petrle. when C. N.
Dietz told Gould Dietz that he could have
a costly brick house II he would take 1t
away we were called in. Gould wanted the
house set on certain lots he owned in the
next block, but the way wasn't clear. So
he bought a lot right across the street and
we put the house there. Fixed up in good
shape, it represented probably better tina
$4,000 and when c. NJ. Dietz saw what we
had done he wondered why III hadn't
thought of that himself.
This house we are moving now from
Farnam street to Twenty-flfth and Mason
was built probably twenty or more years
ago. You will notice that the joists are
dry and sound and are also a full two
inches. This was bought by Judge Neville
for about $3.50, l believe, and we are taking
it to some lots he owns at the location
hahiNAs ~ WIN bd Hlhue mIO q very Kline
residence when placed on the new founda-
ton.
OLD Her Home Goes West.
The OLD Her home at Sixteenth and Jack
son we bought ourselves. We will place II
on our property at Thirty-fourth and How
ard, making it into a double house. We
bought all the houses on the Her property
for $3.50 and we figure that the small ones
| fltra In Wravahnr u~fl ratw,hVrHa. AV,. 80
inal outlay. But, Of course, such a lucky
deal isn't made every day. TAX this
present job, what with removing obstruc.
lions, cutting wires. raising cables and
one thing and another, will very likely pu.
us in the hole before we get it to the new
location.
Petrie Bros, like other house movers
buy a good many old houses, take them Of
their foundations, fix them up in gooC
shape and then sell them on the skids
letting the owner say where they are to b.
taken.
THE best bidder takes the house." sale
II. +. Petrie. I'VE never set a price, let
ting the people who want the houses d.
that"
The houses now being moved from tn
site of the new Morris theater, at Dougla
and Eighteenth, will be taken to Twenty
first and Paul streets, where the clrcu
ground has been for years, and the DR.
Grossman residence, from the corner be
low, will be taken to the same place. Johi
Swanson is the buyer and he will rearrang
and put his purchase in shape for renting
Many i'm the Business.
1t will surprise some people to know tina
: a good many men in Omaha find it a YER
profitable business to purchase old house
and remove them to new locations wher
they own vacant property. Within the las
4 two or three years. will the remarkabl
q growth of Omaha In a business way, hun
| dreds Of substantial residences have bee
4 sold for little or nothing, moved and re
e finished until their original owners wouldn'
: know them and rented for good prices. ]
I is a fact, too, that these old-time RES
: dences of the early settlers, and of som
who came later. are as a rule built niue
e better than the houses Of today. The
- were constructed Of good material. by cor
a scientlous mechanics, usually working b
the day. and they stand moving in goo
n shape.
I'VE don't even disturb mantels or any
r thing else." said Mr.. Petrie. w NOV
d them any distance over rough roads {
smooth, and set them down just as the
were before we lifted them"