Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-04
ACTIVITY
NOW PICKING UP
Many Large Jobs Being
Rushed Through; Smaller
Ones Delayed; Houses
Lacking
BIDS ON NEW PLANS
READY TO GIVE OUT

Building plans and contracts are be-
ginning to come through" a little, Il
is announced by contractors and
builders here after a period Of dull
ness In practically all lines OF build
ing activity. This does not mean any
clearing Of the situation, II is de-
clared, but simply that business activ-
ity has temporarily eliminated at one
point for the time. Reports from archi-
tects, however. ind lcate that there Is
still plenty OF work on hand plans
and specifications being prepared by
many for consideration and erection
at some future time.
The past week. II Is declared, has
been much more active than the sew
oral preceding ones. In Wilmington
impetus has been given TO work by
the announcement Of several good Jobs
expected and contracts TO be awarded
soon. In the meantime work has
been progressing on all the old Jobs.
The labor and the building material
situation In many cases is peculiar.
Many OF the larger jobs have been
rushed through In record time where
as most OF the smaller contracts have
been delayed. The recent cOmplet on
OF the addition to the manufacturing
plant OF the Wilmington Leather Com
pany in phenominally quick time is
declared a case i'm point. The work
was completed by Joyce and kerri-
gan. On the other hand. many build
ing operations that have required let
ting of q few small contracts have
dragged woefully in construction.
Complaint about lack Of houses con-
tinues with little prospect OF being
satisfied in the near future, II is said.
The trouble is that houses for rent
at prices expected cost so much to
build at the present timo that II viii
not pay to rent them for the prices
people wish to pay. The result Is
that builders are not supplying the.
demand. Many good houses are being
built but those OF $4,000 to $4,000 or
less are in great demand The $l2 to
$50 n month which people wish TO
pay as rental for houses of this sort,
rs declared too low TO make construc
ton of such houses paying invest
ment. Formerly houses which were
intended to rent for s12 to $40 a
month could be erected for about
81 200 to 81 500.
Announcement is made of proposed
alterations and additions to the build
ING Of the Wilmington Furniture Com
pany at Ninth cnd King streets, Just
across from the building OF Miller
Brothers Bids will be opened next
Thursday. w d. Haddock & Co..
Vansant and Sons. w. Howard May
and Charles II. Tindall & Sion are
bidding on the work Plans and speci-
flcations are being completed by Ed
ward CANDY May, architect. The work
includes putting a new front on the
building. removing and enlarging the
bird floor. placing terra Gotta details
VI finish on the outside OF the build
ing and n general overhauling Of the
Interior
J. A. Bader & Co. has commenced
construction of the concrete footingg
for the new warehouse of the Security
Storage Warehouses Company at Six
teenth and King streets. The new
warehouse will be five stories high,
strictly fire-proof. with columns, floors
and roof Of reinforced concrete. The
Bader Company, however, is doing
only the concrete work.
The Bader Company also Is prepar
ing for immediate work on the new
big warehouse IN the rear Of Hilles
a Jones Co, where the p, b. & w
Railroad CompCny, has been remoy
ing the tracks there preparatory to
starting work by the Bader Company
The new building win be of rein
forced concrete and two stories high
The large concrete foundations for
the electric towers for the American
Railroad Company at Woodstown. n.
j.. are nearIng completion by this
company and the huge concrete an
chorage for the electric service cable
across the Delaware river near Deep
Water Point Is being finished. The
cable will be placed by the Whining
ton & Philadelphia Traction Co. to
supply electric service on the Jer-