The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-04-05
HIGH COST OF BUILDING IN
GARY IS ACCOUNTED FOR.

The high cost of building in Gary Is
the result of labor restrictions. 1t is
estimated. says the Iron Age that
union restrictions at Gary add all the
way from $3.50 to $1,000 to the ordinary
cost of the workingmans home 1t
says:
Buildings operations In the city, of
Gary, Ind, afford an unusually favor
able opportunity to compare the cost
of labor in the building trades. under
closed shop conditions, with the cost
In other cities where the workingmen
do not by organized effort, endeavor to
amount of work which a man may per-
form in day.
The contractors who are building
homes and stores at Gary come from all
parts of the country and have had ex-
perience with every degree of union of
restrictions In building operations.
some of them coming from Chicago,
some from other cities in Indiana and
some from other States. The new city.
where the United States Steel Corpora
ton is establishing the greatest steel
plant IN the world. is attracting enter
prising men to share in It's growth
and prosperity and thus brings to a
center the experience of the entire
country in building operations.
How Much Is Added to the Usual Cost
1t is estimated that union restrictions
at Gary add all the way from $3.50 to
$1,000 to the ordinary cost of q work
ingman's home. This brings to light
tangible data on a subject that has not
been given the attention 1T should re-
ceive from experts on modern indus
trial conditions. 1t shows what the
extreme development of unionism costs
the workingman himself; the tribute
which a worker in the steel mills mus
pay to those who in the building trade.
are working contrary to the natura
development of industrial economy.
On the cheapest kind of home, such
as a common laborer would buy or rent
the increased cost is estimated at $3.50
On q story and a half cottage Of Ave o.
six rooms, with water, gas and a cheaI
bathroom, the increased cost is esti
mated at $3.50. On g. good, comfortabl.
home. such as a skilled workman coult
afford to buy or rent, with a furnace
good plumbing and other modern i'm
provements. the additional cost growing
cut of union restrictions is estimate,
at $1,000 by contractors OF wide expert
ence.
Due Not to Wage Scale hut Restriction
1t istnot the scale of wages that fixe
the cost, but rather the restrictions OF
the amount of work that a man ma,
do for his daily wages Careful in
quiry among contractors fails to de
yelop any complaint against the rate o
wages. Bricklayers and plumbers ar
paid SIS cents an hour, carpenters an,
painters SIS Ia cents and other trade
in proportion. The men work hour
a day in all the trades, with a hal
day off on Saturday, making "A hour
per week. except in the cast of tn
brickiayers who work AZ hours. Thes
wages are undoubtedly high for a cit
the size of Gary, being equal in mos
cases to the scale paid in Chicago. TIL
arte however. is rot objected to b
contractors. who as rule are not seri
ously concerned regarding the wage
they pay If they can be free fror
sympathetic strikes and other useles
Interruptions to their work.
The increased cost to the working
man who buys or rents a home is tn
result of the mistaken policy which dis
.courages efficiency in the bui1din