Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-16
BILLION GOES IN BUILDING
Record of 1903 for Cost of COnstrue-
ton Shows New Mark.
THREE.FoURTHS FOR FIREPROoF
some Interesting Figures Gathered
by the Government on Building
in las Principal cities
of the Country.

WASHlNGTON, July 1o.-Auhoihe "PeAo-
lions in 12s cities of the United States dur
ing the calendar year 1900 represented ex-
pendltures close to $1,000 OOO,O OO-or, to be
exact. according TO statistics compiled by
the United States geological survey, $780,
520,71S
That result is taken to be one OF tho
principal indications that during 1909 the
country recovered from the financial panic
of 1907 and 1905 for the building record for |
1906 was beaten 10 per cent comparison
OF increases and decreases Of the operations
OF 1909 with those Of 1908 is held to be UNI
reasonable, because, It is said. 1905 was not
normal year Chicago. which led the In
creases in. 1908 with a little more than
s. 900. led them again in 1903 with an in
crease of more than S2S,0O0OoO. New York,
which was second in 1908 with an increase
Of a little more than s4OOO,OO0. reported an
increase for 1909 of s6s,OOo.COO. Brooklyn,
which had reported decrease of more than
S25, 100000 in 1908, came third in the 1903 in
creases, with a growth OF SIS, 4O2061.
OF the cities that showed decreases in
1903, San Francisco had the largest S5,4s4,-
49, or 1872 per cent? Dayton was next, with
! 81, 5S3 $50, or 47.42 per cent, the largest pro-
portional decrease, and Oakland was third,
| with s1002,05 or 1885 per cent. The de-
| creases in these cities may be ascribed to
local causes.
San FranciseO's Decrease,
The explanation of the decrease in San
] Francisco, which at first glance may be
surprising when 1t is recalled that they
apply to city not long ago almost de-
stroyed by an earthquake, is that the build
ing in Ban Francisco has probably reached
q point nearly normal, for the first time
since the catastrophe of 1905. The annual
cost of building operations for five years in
San Francisco was: 1905, s1S,2 7bS; 1906.
1885; 1907. $56,574s44; 1905 $s1, SOS, S4t;
1909 $26,1S4,O6S.
New York. in 1909, had the greatest num-
Der of new brick buildings; Chicago took
the lead in stone structures. 1t also led in
concrete buildings, which were reported to
be 1791 in number in seventy-nne of the
lS cities reporting, considerable gain
which is taken to show the growing us,
Of that material.
n Seattle had the largest number of new
wooden buildings. Chicago built wooder
buildings which cost more and they alon,
were valued at more than $13, 900, OO0 whil
Seattle first in numbers, was third ii
, values. Reading, Pa, was the only cit!
that reported no wooden buildings erected
: New York reported the construction o
y fire-resisting buildings at a cost of S1S1,
. 91SSS7; Chicago was second, with cost o
$40 $500; Brooklyn third, $54.6 721; Phila
Is delphia fourth, $4257O,77O; ST. Louis, fifth
% $22, 422,929, and San Francisco sixth, $12124
9@. The average cost of new fire-resistin
p buildings in the fifteen cities reporting tn
+ greatest cost for this class ranged fror
1851 in Philadelphia to $65. SS4 in New Yorl
d. In new brick buildings Brooklyn was sec
m ond, Chicago third and Philadelphia fourth
In stone buildings, New York was secon
and San Francisco third. In concrete build
ings Seattle was second and Philadelphia
third,
w Number of Permits.
The number of permits issued in fifty-on
y cities increased from $l74,594 in 1908, whe
there was q decrease from 1907 of 1851 /
2lS,49S in 1903, a gain of 3S,sO4 or 22.2S Dc
cent. The number of permits or building
20 does not seem to bear any definite relatio
ID to the cost of the operations, as severe
lie cities showing increases in cost of builC
At ings showed decreases in number Of permit
or buildings, while some of those shown
NJ decreases in cost showed increases in nun
Der of permits or buildings.
A The average cost of operations under Ii
total permits issued in fifty-one cities wa
al SS,6l6 in 1909, as against SS,24S in 1908. ]
an New York the average cost per buildin
d. was @140ot IN lSVS, against SIy,5Oo IN lSO
n; in Chicago It was 81, 341 in 1909, against S6S
@. in 1908; in Brooklyn, s4,672 in 1903, again.
ca .259 in 1908; in Philadelphia 81. 4S0 in 100
against S2,1O7 In 1908; in San Francisco, $40
Of in 1903, against s4,7O6 in 1908.
e. For the first time an attempt was mad
tv to collect statistics of the building oper
re lions by character Of buildings and also /
tn additions, alterations. and repairs to eaC
An class OF buildings. Figures reported fro
on 1S cities gave details showing the kin,
err OF buildings erected and the additions, a
terations and repairs 81 per cent.
More Fire Proof.
- OF the cost of these new buildings, 70.
per cent was for fire-resisting buildings. {
IN the total cost OF additions, alterations al
repairs 65.55 per cent was for fire-resistir
J buildings and 3A45 per cent was for wood
OK buildings. The average cost in 1909 4
tie new wooden buildings was s226s; for ne
ed brick buildings, S9,522; for stone building
es, 81, 679; for concrete buildings, Sl7 800, al
OF for miscellaneous fire-resisting building
an $3.50.
no