The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-05
WUVL ~ IUTENH
Fifty Families Came Here in the
Past Month.
Houses for Rent Becoming
Harder to Find.
THE TIME TO BUILD
Contractors Say Material Is Less
Expensive Than Formerly.
Items Of General Interest in
Real Estate Circles.

The transfer men have handled the
household goods of fifty families NOV
ing into Topeka in the last month.
This is fine showing Tor the mid
summer dull season. when activity is
never marked in any line, but of
course does not include the scores of
people who have moved to the city
who are members of the great suit
case brigade"
The influx of population has given
the realty men something to do to tide
over the dull season and the present
condition of affairs is that good houses
in Topeka for rent are scarce. and the
outlook isn't very bright for the hund-
reds of people who viii! move to To-
peka in the early fall to educate their
children and will be looking for mod
ern homes. However, many new dwell
ings which are now in the course of
construction will be completed by that
time.
Rushing Work.
Contractors are rushing the work on
T a number of the buildings in course of
construction. The pouring of the con-
crete for the first floor CT the G. A. R.
Memorial building is IN progress and
will be completed by Tuesday. Almost
all of the granite has arrived and the
contractors, Leeper and Smith, expect
to push the work rapidly forward TO
completion.
There are as men at work on the
$4,000 storage building which +. M
Spencer is building fer the Topeka
Transfer & Storage company and all
| is now in readiness for pouring the
concrete for the first floor.
The interior work is being done on
the L. NJ Penwell building on Quincy
street. and the third story has been
reached in the construction of the J. G.
Gordon four-story building on the old
/ Copeland hotel site.
Work has begun on the new $4,000
/ Mount Olive NJ. E. church at Twelfth
and Buchanan streets, and 1t is ex-
! pected that the building will be COM
pleted by October.
Permits were let this week for sew
eral new buildings, which goes tc
show that not even the dull summer
season can stop the building activity
1 which was started early in the spring
by the builders of homes in Topeka.
The Time to Build.
Contractors say that now is the time
to build, as materials are cheaper thar
they have been in five years. They
further contend that this is a gooC
time to build as there are not as many
large buildings being erected in th'
city as has been the case in the las
two seasons and consequently builder
have more time to devote to the con
struction of dwellings and other build
. ings, and would be willing to bid a lit
tie more closely for the work.
The cost of building is 10 per cen
lower than it was a year ago or fou
years ago." said a dealer in materials
l''fIow is the opportunity for the hon
owner or the investor"
The prices of lime, sand and hard
ware are about the same as a year age
but in the majority Of other lines ther
has been a drop. The following is
comparison of the prices of 1910 an
\ those of 1911:
Year Ago. TODAY
Common lumber, per 1000 feet. .s22 90 sI9.(
Oak flooring, per 1000 feet...... 5000 40.C
1ath, per ], 600 ...-----.-..--...-... 4.50 81
. Window sash. 2 feet 5 inches by
6 feet inches. 2.30 Is
Cement, per barrel. l.-..--.-..-----. 1.60 II
Common brick, per 1,000---.-.--.. 100 6.(
Set ordinary plumbing fixtures. $500 55.(
Crushed stone, per yard. 160 IL
Lime, sand and hardware about tn
same in price as a year ago.
The sales of recent date for the mos
part have not involved q large amour
Of cash although they have been com
parativclY numerous. The realty firm