Evening journal., 1916-11-25
.HOtSE PROBLEM
NOT FOR BUILDERS
Manufacturers Must Build
Houses for Own Employees
Under Present Conditions
RESIDENCES DECLARED
POOR INVESTMENT

IOOk In NES / MEN /
] The solution OF the house problem
for Wilmington lies with the manufac-
turers who are bringing men here to
work, is the statement of many archi-
tects and builders here. who declare
the situation is rapidly becoming
acute. and that it is practically i'm
possible for people to find houses
either to rent or to purchase.
The reason more houses have not
been erected by builders or real estate
brokers. it is declared, is that prices
OF both material and labor has been
SO high that it has been felt il would
not pay to erect in large numbers new
houses costing from 50 500 TO SO 600
each, and renting for $40 10 S25 a
month, and then when there is a fall.
in prices after the big boom is over
find their property deprecated and
rentals low.
Building houses for speculative
purposes will not pay now, a we'll
known builder declared 10 a repre-
sentative OF THE EVENING JOUR-
NAL yesterday. The manufacturer
who needs workmen can afford to
build hotses for them, not as an in
vestment, but as a part of this busi-
ness. He knows about how long he is
going to need to employ men, and can
take the cost of the erection out of
his profits, which probably are higher
than for many years.
This is what was done by the du-
Pont Powder Company and at Marcus
Hook, and has been contemplated, il
is said by other companies. Certain
" il is unlikely there will be any
great amount of house building done
for speculation until there Is drop
in prices or some firm assurance that
present prices Of materials or cost
Of labor are going to continue Tor
long time to come"
Reports of builders and architects
indicate that all of them have about
as much as they can do. NUMEROUS
large Jobs are coming up and plans
in the hands of arch tects indicate
there will be more business in the
near future. The past week has hao
little to d distinguish It there being
plenty of calls for new plans for con-
sideration and builders and contrae-
torres continuing on work already lald
out.
wallace Eugene Hance, arch tect'
is preparing plans and specifications
for a large garage for Morris Cha ken,
owner OF the Renu.t Dye Works. to
he erected at the corner of Fourth
and Orange streets. The structure
will be 6Ox6O feet in ground area
three stories h gh and with a base
ment The walls will be OF brick
and the floors of reinforced Every
thing about the building will be fire.
nroof The building is expected 70
cost between $4,000 and $4,000. IL
will contain many unusual features OF
construction and is intended to form
as up-to-date a garage as can be con-
structed Plans now are being pre-
nared bv Mr. Hance and these VIII De
ready for bids in two or three weeks.
II is intended to push construction OF
the building as rapidly as poss'b BILE so
that work of tear ing down the old
structures on the build ng site VIII
he started as soon as plans are in
condition to show what is to be
| lone.
plans now are ready for the new
forage warehouse for the Security
storage Warehouse Company. having
Seen prepared bv John Doekery
Thompson. arch tect. The building. TO
he located at s Sixteenth and King
-treets will he four stories 'gh with
4 basement and will be arranged ac-
ording to the most modern ideas OF
| forage warehouse building. Ihere
will be separate storage rooms and
ample elevator service. The build ne
will be os brick and fireDroof.
John J. Kennedy. arch'tec'. repor's
work on the Mrs. Victor DUPONT house
IT Guvencourt. being completed The
! new stone road 20 the house. over
mile long and one OF tho finest nos
sible to build has been lad out and Is
rroqre ting in construction Scores
OF shrubs and trees arc being planted
about the place until It resembles n
large grove. New and add'tio m Il
work for interior finish Is arr wing
every dav and being nut into place.
The interior plaster cornice work IS
be'rg done by Togarrelli and Voigt, OF
Philadelphia
Mr.. Kennedy also reports that c. ].
Doughertv is carving forward the
work on the alterations and additions
TO the store at 1920 French street as
rapidly as possible. The undernin-
Ming has heen fn'shed and the stone
walls are now under way. The cut
stone work is being done by John L.
MALONE
Work will he started on the de-
molish'ng OF the old buildings on the
site OF the new building to be erect
ed for the Wilmington Leather Com
pany at Third and Greenh'll streets
next week. Just as soon as the old
buildings are demolished the new