Evening journal., 1916-07-22
PAST week QUIET
IN REALTY CIRCLES
Midsummer Season Causes
Slow-up for Architects;
Contractors Busy
WORK ON HOSPITAL
TO BE STARTED SOON

~ LIZ ~ AAAN IL ~ ~ '
The past week has been quiet one
in building circles, it is declared. not
90 much in general activity as in the
matter Of new work Very few new
contracts have been signed, and there
has been a slight falling off In the
number Of inquiries for buildings. This
is due mainly to the coming of mid
summer and the continued high prices
of labor and materials, il is declared.
The labor situation is troublesome
now, it is declared. Ordinary laborers
are now receiving as much pay for
four days work as they did formerly
for six days work, so that they work
four days in the week and quit, or they
work double time for a week and then
quit. Contractors declare it is diff
cult to complete any piece of work
because Of this. They just get things
going well when men quit and leave
them in the lurch.
In spite Of this, however, it is point
ed out there has been no cessation in
activity on the part of contractors,
most of whom declare they are about
as busy as they can be- Most Of this
work is so-called old work that has
been under contract for some time and
has not yet been finished.
The most important new contract let
recently is that for the reconstruction
Of the jewelry store for Baynard
Banks & Bryan. at Fifth and Market
streets. Work on this was started on
Monday by George S. Mckee. Jr., gen
fu ~
require considerable time for COM
pletion. E, l.. Rice, Jr, Company are
the architects.
The next most important piece o.
work to be undertaken includes i'm
provements and engagements TO th'
Homeopathic Hospital. Bids for tht
work are due today, and it is expected
contracts will be awarded next weel
and work will be started Immediately
The work includes an addition of tw,
stories to what is known as the neN
building and an addition Of one st0r,
TO the old building. The total space L
be covered will be 4Oxs0 feet. The cos
of the changes will be about S75.0Ol
The new building. with the additiona
stories, will be completely fire proc
The old building will be given a fir
a number of important hospital fea
lures including maternity wards fo
white and colored women, and man
features which will increase the facil
ties Of the hospital materially. roor
for doctors will be one of the feature
and there will be number Of add
tional wards and special rooms for tn
nurses.
A. S. Reed and Brother Company re
port a great deal of activity in gener'
building. but most Of the work on ol
Jobs. The building at Seventh an
Shipley streets is being bricked in an
the floors are now al lon. Work is pre-
crossing slowly on account of lack {
labor. The new high school building
also progressing slowly.
Charles IT, Tindall & Son report wor
started for the new apartment buildiu
to be erected at Twelfth and Mark,
streets Workmen have started 10 ties
down the old building in preparatio
for the new one. Roscoe Cooke linda
is the architect.
Excellent progress Is being made o
the new apartment building bein
erected at Shallcross avenue an
Broome street The building now
nearly completed
John r. Healey and Son report n
the old work progressing. The built
ing being erected for the Packar
Motor Car Company at Ninth an
Tatnall streets. will be complete
next week. The Hardesty apartmer
building at Thirteenth and Washinl
ton streets is now ready for plaster
ing. The new dwelling for Josep
Bancroft on the site Of the old Riddl
house and the dwelling for Robert
Cooke on Grant avenue near Par
Drive are both nearly complete
There are plenty of small Jobs
keep the men busy IT is declared, bI
IL is difficult to get laborers to do tn
work
John Dockery Thompson, Jr., arch
tect. was to receive bids today for az
ditional buildings he is designing fC
the Wilmington Steel Company. Al
nouncement OF awarding the contra
for buildings will-be made the ear
part OF next week. u is declare
Work will be started at once. Biz
we're 10 be in yesterday at o'cloc
The work includes construction (
sanitary tOlletS anu idNdlolieo ioi VI
company's plant. Bids were TO
submitted by a large number Of col
tractors.
The mill Office building designed
Mr.. Thompson Is now well und
way. The excavating and brick wol
has been completed and the lathir
will be started early next week.
Excavating for the new police, er