Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 30, 1873, Page 12

3 B b} i 3 I 2 2 5 n 5 El o n n B w® s i3 it 10 12 M ‘B CIIICACO NDATTV MDD InETATe CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, MARCH 80, &873. BUILDING. Experiences of the People who Re- built Chicago, * Among the Arclitects- ;Their Peculiarities --How Contraets are Hade. The Plan, and How It Is Car- ried Out. Interesting Facts About the Work of Stone-Cutting. The Pains, Perils, and Pleasures of a Building Enterpriso. The deperture of the City of Chicsgo, during the'year 1871, in & cheriot of fire, waa an event which not only the citizens of tha devoted town, but the whole of the civilized world, appeared to regand 20 an unparallcled disaster. The wiping ot of the whole of the material wealth of s great metropolis was indeed an_event for which wo a8 » community wero unpropared ; and if the enor- “mity of the calamity was not brought homo to us *at once, it was principally because we lost our Bomes simultaneously with our city. Thero have not been wenting many to illns- ~rate the extraordibary gain to tho city conso- quont upon the fire. While meny pulpits clearly demonstrated that the fire was a consequence of ,tho laxity of our morel code, the daily papors that it was the immediate result of faulty con- *etruction, and one obscure journal that the In terrationals wero responsiblo for it, the archi- tectural and contracting fraternities have reaped zo abundant harvest, Property-owners have gained byit. The eito of tho New Jerusalem Church on Adams street has risen in valuo ‘greatly. " A very largs number of unspesksbly ocond-class boarding-honses on Wabnsh ave- auue hiavo given place to some good aud substaus tial marble-front edificos. Aud, above all, a grest maoy gontlemen of va- rions means Lave become the owners of large, -2nd in some cases substantial, buildings. 1tis ‘true that they havo achioved this wonderful ‘pro-eminence at great expense to themselves. {1t is true that many of them have epent sleop- {1osn nights over thetr unlooked-for position. It fisoven estimated that if the slocpless nights they spent were consccutive, a wholo dismal decado could be constructod out of them. HOW IT BEGAN. . Whon a man takes it into his head that he has "® lot, unencumbered with mortgsgo or building, ‘then be is to be pitied. Just after the fire, many o our distinguished citizens found thomaslves n just this predicament. Thoy owned lots, but ‘thers was nothing upon them of any particular 'valuo, oxcept brickbats and cinders, and the market waa g0 complotely glatted with these ommodities that they were mot selable, @roperty. It being & necessity that build- dings . ehould " be - promptly erected to ‘moet b the demand, ~ many substantial entlemen were thrown into the slecpless con- (dition alluded to by a desire tobuild. Maxy of ithem had built before, and knew something of Jthe Iabor they undertook. Others had not, and {£o thess the future had opened out an entirely new sot of possibilities. “Toowna building— to rent it—to pay for it, and enjoy the balanco, director, for many men have not the crudést idea of Inying out ‘oflicas. And this desire for Bovelty is not only a weak exhibition of porsonal Janity, but is sometimes detrimental to tho builder's own intereste. Ho wishes for somo- {bing that vill shock A tenant, and will, in the Doesiliy noar future, render his stracture utterly unsalzble. [t sometimes happens that the architect, in cautioning bis client againat such extravaganco, inenrs his displeasure,nad tho lot- tor disappenrs without pasing him ' liw fes lor “preliminary drawings,” which is 1 pér cent of the cost of the buildinge, Sometimes a client will evo ‘the eketches du- biously and sy that thero is something nbout them he dods not like, but cannot tell whe it is. The architect promises to modify tho first or drawan_ ontirely new set, and, upon prosenting them for inspection, bis client approves of tLem, with or withous further change. Having ne- copted the plans Lere rougbly blockod ont, tho arclitoct cliarges nothing for them, but, consid- oring that he i employed for the work, elabor- ates his rough drawing into a Iarger plan, Let it bo understood that our friend of tho compass and ruler does not take it for granted that ho is compoling for o plen against some others, unless such ia declared to bo tho condi- tion provious to starting, Tell him fraukly whether he is compoting or whethor ho is work- ing for you, or he whi tumn round mpon you for his poy, and so will all his com- petitors, with every argument on bis sido and theirs aleo. ~If he learns of this boforeband ho will genorally enter tho lists boldly, but not otherwiso. He caunot afford ta waste his time any mors (han a Iswyer ; nor can ho give sou instruction gratis when s dis- inguishod loctarer chargos $200 an hour for his counsel. TOE WORKING-DRAWINGS. Satisfled of sour good faith, tho architect pro- pares lis -+ working drawings,” making thom upon a acale of 4 feet to tho inch, which is a con- veaient sizo for * figuring” upon, Llis working drawings are nearly a dozou in number, being: & basoment plan, firat floor, second floor, third floor, fourth flocr, and, when nocessary, & fifth floor}; a frout elovation, rear elevation, side elovas tion, aud scction. Then he makes disgrams for the differont classos of work. ‘Ahero fa s diagram for the irofi coutractor, known 88 firop-disgram;” & ‘“stono dis- ram” for the stonc-cutier, snd a distinct ist of “specifications” for each department, setting forth sizo, quality, and tho rest of the thousand and one foquisites over which tho con- tractor pnzzles on his pieco of dirty paper. Bupposing that the owner now comos o the conclusion that he bas roceived all the outside help roquired, ho cun dismiss fho architect by peving bim Bis percantago, snd win up by lot~ ting the contracts_ himeelf, tho srchitect's ducs, after gatting everything info shape, would be 21¢ por cont for a dwelling-houso or residence build- ing of any kind, and 14 per cont for Atores or oflices, tho charges being based, until an aotual estimato has beon made, upon the proposed cost of the work. Theso estimates are uever sup- posed to bo exact until tho contracts aro nward- &d, nor aro they by any mesns binding upon tho architect. THE BUGILDING SUPERINTENDENT. It you propose to_dismiss tho architect at this functure, you do_im an ivjustice, especially if, by meuns of hard toil and constant succoss, ho bas achioved a reputation. Tell him what your intention is boforo he draws & preliminary skotch, for, if o bo an_architect of long stand- ing, e will decling to work for you. His argu- ment is sound. He seys: If I fornish yon with these drawings, I sm the architoct of tho building, and s such the outside world will hold mo responsible for the success of the buildi If Iam to superintend the erectfon, I am ing to sssume tho rosponsibility; but, if somo thizd paty is to do the superintending, sud Lm to tako tho rosponsibility of his ignorance or dishoresty, then I am at & disadvantsge. clino your proposition. I must do all or noth- ing. I_caunot afford to risk tho good neme I havo ‘earned st such oxpenee. Go to gome of thoso irresponsible, Eungry young cheps who never andertook o big_job in theirlives, They'll bo only too glad of the per- contage, and I would not ke to rob them of it.” pes thongh the Iast bit of sarcasm would bs characteristio, thers wonld bo s grest desl of horse sonse ‘in his refusal. If bo is s good architect, let him finish what ho has commencod ; if hoisa bad one, don't lot him commence it. i THE CONTRACTOBS. * Tho architoct notifios the contrastors as soon 85 the specifications haso boen mado out, and Iwere words of such portent that Hamlet's fmoliloguy faded into insignificance before it. As it was then, 6o, with certain modifications, In it ito-dsy. Theman who buildais a creaturs tor- {mented by more furies than the miserablo {Orestes. The want of monoey pursues him with iunrelenting sconrge. The fear of waking an error looms up In the witching hour, !2nd ghadowy ontlincs of frandulent contractors {hurrying from boneath the falling walls of un- ; finished buildings people his dreams with phan- “toms, by the eide of which tho nctusl ssistant “of the Town Collector is & symbol of perennial peaco and quietude. RAISING THE HONET. But when the family have contended that its head owes a duty to society, and that that duty ‘fs the immodiate erection upon such a lot as he “owns of » fine fonr-story and basement stone- :front building, there is really nothing for the poor msn to do but obey its mandates, and commence bulding st once. His title to the lot "is cloarer than anything else in his mind. He certainly owns that, if ho owna nothing else, And, o general principles, he doea own nothing ‘else—nothing thut will ensblo him tc puta handsome building uponit. His lot is a valu- oblo one, perbaps. It may be worth §25,000, or perhaps more. On tho strength of thia he ap- lies to loan agent, states his case, and wishes o borrow money. ‘The ngont eatisflos himself of the value of th property, and sgrees to let him have the worth of it on & loan, on the execu- tion of a mortgage, the money to be forthcoming ssitis needed. Tho agent agrees to let him hevo this full amount st & bigh rate of in- terest. Our friend supposes that £20,000 will scarcely cover his wanta; ' he Toay want threo times that amount before his structure is completed. The Joan agent tells him that when this much is exponded 8 mort- goge of some kind on the building will secure more, in proportion to the value of the building. Thus by instaiments the moncy ie raised to com-. pleto the structure—or is ready to be raised ‘when needod. SECURING AN ARCHITECT. Having satisfied himeel? boyond the possibill- £y of & change of mind that he wants s building, wnd that the sooner ke is in possession of it the better for bis peace of mind and tho harmony of Lis domestic relations, the landed proprictor be~ taxes him to an architect—a professional gentle- man whose fundamental principls is to regard every rival architect an ignorant, worth- less” follow whose smattering of knowl edge is calculated only to _deceive. The architect genersily is » man of emooth speech to client, but intolerant of everybody calling himself an architect. Of {ho represent- atives of the profession in Chicago, it is onl fair 1o 2ay that a8 a class thoy are refined, cul. tivatod, pleasunt, snd enterprising—o all 'who do not infringe upon their domain. They never &ee any merit in anotherarchitect's work, sharing with artists the peculiar faculty of discovering fiaws in their fellows’ composition, When & building dosigned by Mr. A sottles, then B, O, 2nd the balance of the alphabet mark down éne Ecore againat him, shrug their shoulders and say “'ho is no architect.” When B gets bimself into difficulty by resson of weak piers, instantly the fraterity denounces him as a fraud, and when C's building becomes s scandal for the press to comment on, the fraternity solaco the miserable designer by telling him that, for an amateur, bis mistake would bo inex- cussble, every architect's spprontice having more sense than to risk such & wretched mate- rial or to run up such fire-trap. 2 To ono of theso gentlomen, o hesitatingly introduce our ambitious friend, who wishes to have bis name in lotters of stons, high sbove the sidewalk, for coming generstions to admire. The first sfop heundertakeaiato tell the archi- tect that he intends to erect a building, specify- ing its pr o—for offices, let us suppose, He Fusnishen tha dimensions of his lot, gay. 45x100 feat, and suggosts that he wishes it Iaid ont in the fnost profable manner, And with the least possible expense. THE FIRST SRETCH. And here he generally falls into s grievous ervor, ¢ which he sbould be cautioned, The hears what hoe hea fo say, and romizes to give him on such & day s set of pre- iminary drawings, which being executed in pon- cil can be altered ‘and modified at pleasure. On viewing theso preliminary sketches, the owner fancies he can_improve upon them. Perbaps the etyle of building is too showy for his pur~ poses, and =0 ho tells the architect. Perhaps 1he cost is a trifie higher than a man of his meane can sfford, and he mildly declares himself in favor of somothing chesper. In the de- sign for the internal arrangement he bas eome quite original suggestions to make. Ho does motwant tobe aslave to foshion, but would prefer to have the offices ar ranged on some new principle, and 80 novel is his pring le occasionally that the architect looks in s day or two there is s perpetusl swarm of these gentlemen buzzing rotind hs office. The contractor applios to the office of the architect to learn what work he may have in readiness, and, boing shown the specifieations dravn up by thst ommipotont personsge, * fig- ures” upon what s before him, or, in the more Itelligitle semacales, Eroseads Io sinke oot mates. It is not unusually the case that a stranger finda eome five or six earnest-looking, ‘but not over-cleanly, gentlemen clustered roun: & document on an architoct’s table. It is noticed that they all have littlo stumps of poncil, whose abbrevisted dimensions are shocking to & well- ordered reporter. Each has s little pieco-of - paper in front of him, and the party rosemblos 3 knok of overgromn schoolboys copying a sum from & more proficient companion. They look too carnest for sohoolboys, howover, and thers does not appear to ba very much friendly feeling lost smong them. As a reporter enters’ an_architect's offics, all the contractors cease figuring, regarding him with universal abomins- tion, o the supposition_that there is one more competitor i the field. Whon ho ia discovered to bo a more scribbler, the ayersion becomes obsequiousness, for evershody knowa the value of 8 line of “local " indorsement in business, or thinks ho does. Tho amount of * figunng " done by the contractor is sometimes astonishing, but ho finally arrives 8¢ & conclusion, und 8 world of snxioty suddenly is lifted from his mind. Should the specifications call upon the contractor to make = bid in the lump for tha whole building, our friend with the corrugated brows snd stump of - load-pencil proceeds with the following montal qualifications : Tho excavations for the foundation will cost 50 much ; then the dimension-stono sud rubble for the foundations ; then thero is tho brick re- quired forbuilding, labor in building, carpenter- swork, plumbing, painting, iron-work, glazing, and overything in » building. This tho contract- or sub-lets to the various branches of building industry. But this system has not been n fa- vorite i Chicego. ' Daring tho grost rebuilding contracts wero tracta ho ,::ses, To do this ho propsros departments, and leta contractors of all kinds figure upon them separstely. Thus the ‘mason has nothing to figure upon but the exca~ vations, the material, and the laborer. Tho carpontor has his work boforo kim, and knows just what he wants. Tho plastorer is responsi- o to no contracior, aad, if tho architoct a as Lonorsble a8 ho ought to bs, the owner can fecl certain that he is not being the treasury for desiguing persons to draw dpon. DIVISION OF LADOR. It is eometimes the caso that a builder reccives 8 contract for stone, Horo i & margin of profit for him, for he will make his contract with tho quarTymen, and thus two profits aro made where ono would be sufficient for all practical pur~ poses. Contractors prefer the latter method of mak- ing agrecmenta. Ancthor form of contract sometimes made {8 the commission system. This naturally has ita defects, eapecially from the owner's point of observation. That it was practised oxten- sively just after the firo will bo understood by all ¥ho are femiliar with building matters and pricos. When the_price of brick wea rang- ing anywhere botween 915 and 820 & thonsand, and the price of Iabor was ad uncerteln nait st him , 2nd #ays it will not do. Well for bim if he takes the advice of his axverionced was opprossive to the employer; when, indeod, all neemed chaos, withont s voicoto command tho existenca of order, contractors would not risk their few remeining dollars in the ordinary way. Hence nearly all the earlier buildings Were erected on commission, he mason asking sometimes ns much as 15 per cent of the cost, mstorial excepted ; the average, howover, being 10 porcent. reckoping the risk of building by s strict contract during a severo winter, the masons wero vonturing 0n_an unknown fes, with mot evena clear sky to guide them in 'their voy- 2go. Noons knew then how much could be dona in the way of building during one of our rigid winters, and the success of the oporations of the wintor sesson of 1871-2 wa a exuzco of a8 great surprise to the experts of Chicago &8 to e mondering worid beyond. 62 * But o return to our friend of the stump of wood sud plumbsgo. Haring, like his compet- itors, made his figures (and having secracly rid- icaled and condemned all those who were sim- ilarly employed), he gabmits them to tho archi- tect for inspection. T2 o law Iprariabl i In public matters the Iaw invarisbly requires {50 oficer in chargs of any pablic work to awerd the contract o the lowest respansible bidder. Of courss the architect is under no cspeéial command to_follow out this principlo toa liter~ slly. In fact, ho generally inquires of his client ‘whether he has any special favorite contractors, or whether he cares to gi tract to any of them. As the client is the party most interosted, the architect is generally ided by his preference, just s in tho prepara- fon of designs. The contract is signed by the conmtractor, the architect, —and the owner; but the sigoature of the epecifications of all necessaries in tho various | erchitect is ot jndisponsable. It docs 1ot diffor from such_documonts generaliy, and, of course, varies with the smount. of work re- quired. ¥or & four-story building, 100 feet squaro, for instanco, stons front, the contractor agreeing to supply all the brick needed, to make thio excayations, sot'all the cut-stove, sot all tho iron columna, ail the brick work, aud all other worl ponteeted with the masonry of a building, £ho cost would bo akout £33,000 on a corner and £30,000 in the middle of a -block. oxclusive of cut-stone work, It not uufroquently bappene that an fudividual er norporation sbout to build appointa o figent or sperintendont to inspeck tho plans, mako the contracts, and suporintend the building of tho new structure. In this case tho architect merely furnishes dosigns for tho building, and receives in psyment thercof B¢ or 2 per cont. An instance of this i8 found in the constrnction of the Erening Jownol Dnilding on Denrborn street, a few doors south of Toz Tamune Bilding. What smount wis paid to the archifect wo do ot pretend to gny. The figures given 8bovo represent the ordinary percentng Architects, ownors, masons, carpentors, stone- cutters, and’ every other industry employed in the production of buildings, profer to have tho contracts let out to special dopartments. By this means the architcct has no letting of con- tracts, and can bettor decide who aro and who are not respousible. No sub-contrects aro made, and there is Joss margin forpoity steals. It pro- vails in this city, andgenerally thronghont the ‘country, but before tho tire the othor systom waa frequently mado use of. PUTTING A FRONT ON IT. « The most it:portant part of the building, to evervbody oxcopt tho vmor, is th front. The publle domandn that, if he'is going to put up & uilding; it shall lock well. 'The public thinks that 3r. Johnston’s wrotched-looking Exchange Building should not bo imitated, and, in defer- ence {o tho wiahes of tho public, our builder concludes to Lavo a etone-tront erocted. This he has long ago confided to Lis family ; ho has loftily hinted it o his business acquaintances ; o has told it to his architect, and now the archi- {ect has drawn out his specitications for the stone-cutter. He has decided to front hia struc- tare with, we will eny, Bucna Vists stouo, 8 matorial thet has become a favorito hero sinco the fire. The specification calls for #0 many columns, " and 0 much stone. Tho con- trector is euided by theso specitieations, and ostimmios the number of cubis foot mecessary for the building. Ho purchuses tho material by the cubic foot, and sellvit in tho eame mauner, charging. for the cutting. With » superficial estimato to guide him as to the amount, avd tho epecifications to tell him bow much cutting is needed, hocan come uear tho cost. THE ATONE-WORK. The thickness of thestono varies considor- ably. In some buildings, with only 4-inch thick- ness, plain ashlar grout, with trimmings round the windows, the stone will cost nbout $1.50 & foot; a spécimen of such s Inilding i the Metropolitan Block, comer of Raudolph sud LaSalfo streets. Where the stone is thicker and moro elaborately cxt, the cost is greater. Intho Chamber of Commerce, for instanco, the stone 82.25 » foot. Whers the cutting is yot moro eiaborato, tho stone costs etill moro; 3 in Gullup & Ritcheock's building, on the ihwest corner of Madiscn and LaSalle streots, for which 88.50 per foot was peid. It ranges upto a4 mauch s 85 & foot, (hough. thiore ia af prosont no building in Chicago which is of suflicient elaboratencss of datail or solidity of stono-work 10 cost this amount of money. _In fact, an ex- perionced contractor aseures us that therois not in the city one building of the class known 8 “heavy buildings,” including tho Chamber of Gommerce and the buildivg above mentioned, as costing & maximum sur: for thia stono-work. Calculating thus, tho stone-cutter makes his bid and roceives “stone disgrams” from tho architect. ‘Thess *stono diagrams are fall- size drawings of every picco of stonc-work that passes through the cutter’s hands. Each draw- ing is . model for tho cuttor, and is - given - to him to guido ~ him. Your ordinary stone-cutter, though Do earms s S6 a day, is not mecessarily an artist. He can model to order, but ho cannot exguisitoly design. He resembles a printer, inasmuch a8 he immortslizes tho ideas of anotlier; and, like a printer, he must “follow copy.” Thus, when he oes to worl. upon ‘s _plock of stone ho must foep bis attontion fixod upon the drawing bofore bim. Iis block is numbered snd sssigned to him, and a record kept of his work. Supposing ho i# employed in_cutting from & cubic maes of stone the graceful acanthus leaves that form the capital of & Corinthian column. Thoro is the architect’s model on paper; onemust conform to tho othor; the capital on paper has s vacant piaco awaiting it in the paper model whic is never put together; and the shzpeless block has its placo assigned to it before the cutter has medo a mark upon it. It is a cuggestive thought thnt the mark of tho catter, corresponding to the “alug” of tho compositor, will be found yoara Beneo just whore he placed it, when the loftiost building in Chicago is removed to make room for & new improvement. i BTONE-CUTTING. Thia system of slavish imitation has not al- ways provailed in cutting stone. In carving the old English gothic, it was the custom to give the stone-cutter only s general ides of tho work that was expoctod of him, leaving him to fll it out. from his own designs. Thus was infused into_some of thoso grim old pieces of Englich architecture & vigor and froshness that could in 1o othor way bo obtained. Each man impreas- 20 his individuality on his stone, and’ yariets, not elavish monotony, was obtamed. This is sculpture, nov maching moulding ; and this the architecture that would ploase a Ruskin,—not that which dolights the eyo of a shoddy real eatate owner. Tho block costs, sey, 310 1n the rough, Tho cutter gives eight'daya of regular work fo the production of a column, which brings tho cost to 38 before tho superintendent of the stone-yard thinks it ready for use. 'This is the actual cost of prepa- ration. But by the time that our vapital sur- ‘mouats the tapering column in tho building it will have cost about $75. No wonder that sione frontn are valusble invastments. It has sometimes been the custom for the Tmason to contract for the stone-work. The same objection applies to this a to_the omployment of &0 architectural superintendent. . The stono- contractor is proud of his work. If well done, it refiects credit upon him ; if the work is a botch, he racaives tho censure fromthe public. It is to hisintersst to have 1t well done, and that which tonda to defective workmanship; tends to injure him.” Hence ho would prefer to superintend tho work himself, or through s * placer ” or * fitter.” This personage superintends the lsying of overy block of stone, anc is ready to give orders for the modifying, sbortening, lightening, or alter- ing in any way, of any piece that docs not exact- Iy ill the place desigited for it by tho architect in his stono disgrama. . TUE STONE-TARDS. Bofor the firc the stone-yards of Chicago did Dot do a very extensive busincss. There was more than encugh to keep them going, but ns the demand wan comparatively Light thera was comparatively little system in the management of the yards.” Whan, after the fire, stone-cutters from abroad began'to compote with our local yerds, the industry undervent a change. Oue osars. Graveson & Co., especially zrousod 8 spirit of compotition. Thoy made & specilty of tho drab freentono fram Cincinnati, known & the Duens Vists stone, and tho demand for this material necessitated somothing more like eystem among thoir em- ployes then had been required among stone contractors in Chicago. Their yard on Throop streot, nosr Archer avonu, is & modol to othiors. Hers every man haa his work assigned tohim, end is responsible for thet which is cntrusted to him. All that he does is moted down, and the cutter's name corresponds in the books with every block of atono supplied by the yard for building purposes in the city. Until the introduction of foroign tons, thero was nothing like eystem. Tho fire Wrought a magi- cal change, for thero are in tho city to-day no less than thirty stone-yards, all doing excellent wark, and preparing for building purposos all kinds of stone. TEE STOXE QUESTIO! In estimating the cost of the varions matorials nocessary to the completion of a building, it will bofound thatths vahus of the stone is nearly one- fourth of that of tho wholo structare. ~ The number of buildings erccted during tho year 1872 with fronts of Buena Viata_stone smounted to 9, the total costof stons for which was more £an £700,000, al, or nosrly al, supplied by one TE9 contractor, in bidding foratone, takies intd consideration th peyment of an employe—the fitter, alinded to above, withont whom thé mason Would be in perpetusl trouble. While s pro- fessional stone-cutter knows how to mADage & Tofractory block, a bricklayer would be in never- ending difficulty. Hence it is necsssary, s well for tho rapid comiplotion of the work a4 for the neatness of ils execution, that an expert be ready to give directions as {0 its progress. In presonting his bills to tho owner, the stone- cutter, liko tho mason, doss 8o tizough the srchitect. Whon he wanta monoy, he applies to this sugust person, and atates the amount of work alresdy done. Tho srchitect gives him a cortificate to the owner, resorving, according to contract, 15 per cent of the smount until tha whole work has been completed. It being the duty of tho meson o set the stone, ho does it, snd | is responsiblo fo the srchitect for the manner in which it is dome. Thore &ro sometimen colligions betweoa masony and stone-cutters, but the former is bound to give way to tho latter, and does 80 with the best graco ho can. s THE CARFEXTEM. The carpentry work embraces a wido range There is tho rough carpentry and tho finer we allof which genorally falls to tho same man. Tho rough work includes tho laying of joists, fooring, "&e., whilo the latter consists of mold- ingy, sesh, aud tho liko. Under the present lix enforcemont of the fire ordinance, the work of tho masons bas been_ seriously curtailed, as in tho iron front building on the southwest corner_of Nadison snd Dearborn strects, Horo is a building in which the masons were needed for only one well £bovo tho first story, the remaindor of the work having been tnmod aser by tho spocifiations of tho srcbitect to au- othor branch of contractors—tho carpouters. Contracts sre made by theso men 08 with the ‘masons, and the secrof of tho advanco in car- penters’ wagon last yoar was tho ony of the buildor who violated moral oblizations and city ordinances in substituting for £olid masonry partition walls (2) of ath ed plaster 2o thicker an such as divido toncmont-houses which aro no support to the building, avd which aro apt to feed o gravo intensity & fire in the building which would otherwiso bo compar barmless. The carpenter fattens on it, Jumber-dealer does uot mind it, and the owner in gratifiod at the paving iu expenso. Dut tho insurance companics, and through {hem the community, cannot bo expected to_ share the gratification of the cconomical owner. THE IRON-WOEK. Tho iron work i8 & branch which is also of freat importence fn tho construction of s build- g, Tho iron columns, which give every op- portunity for the great smount. of plato-glass display, and the iron lentels, which assist in the eupport of the maasivo edifice, are mnot to bo neglected. Th i cost is onormous for the emomnt furnished, but, 8s they ore indispensable, the money -is roadily paid. Where anytbing can bo wubstituted for iron, the substitution is made_without Losi- tation. Dut iron suppliesa great want. It is. concentrated strength, and that is what is necd- ed for the firat floor of most of our buildings. The coutract ia lot tosomo iron foundry on terms similar to those guiding the mason and stone-cuttor, though it is not unusual in a large building to emplay two or more contractors. The iron cornico furnishes another industry by itself. The construction of these thin sileeta of motal, pinned on to the roof of a build- ing, i8 & curious atnds, and one which desorves a separate chapter to itself, which will b given to the intoreated reader at some future date. MISCELLANEUCS. The plumbing and gas-fitting aro genorally combined in Chicago, a8 elsewhero, hut an im- Eornnt branch of the plumber’s work in thia city as become_a ceparate industry. This is the sowerago. In the East the sewerago is cousid- ored to belong to the plumbing departmout, but in thia great city of ours the sciwererrejoices in & lordly indopendenca of everybody. All ho re- quires is ficense. Armod with this, bo is ready for any emergency. It is truo that he does not always do his work with credit to himself or advantage to his employer. But fhen it gives more men a chanco of becoming contractors, and that is what they sigh for. ‘The roofer is a personzge not to b neglactod. Thero are half-a-dozon fitma in this city ropro- senting the same number of methods of roofing & building. There is tho person who will give you an iron roof ; another thinks the tin-roofing compauy L represents is incomparably suporior o auy other in the world, inasmuch as it affords protection from fire ata’ cheap rate. Thero is also tho checrful woodon rooler, who destroy- ed tho water works; tho osphalf man, ‘who vowa that noihmF can ignite Lis roof, be- caase it is incombustible ; the-slater, who thinks that his pitent alone is reliable, because overy- body knows slato is firo-proof. "Each of these roofa bLas its ments, and tho reproscatative of each s rcady to insist upon its adoption. ‘Thus tho architect and the owper have o wido field before them in their sclection. Glazing, in _Chicago, is s scparate industry. The demands upon glsziers have been ory extonsive, sud ospecially so upon tho importers of plate-glass; Ths oraction lnst yearof s city of stores naturally created zn onormous demand for plate glass, and importers Qid = healtliy business in this lino. Tle rebate npon plate fi"“‘ for_buildings oxpires on Tucs- day nest. How much of this costly material has beon used in the city sinco the fire, and has been subject to rebats, the Custom-House suthorities aro not yet ready to state, but will bo sbortly. The past month has gecn a wonderful activity in the placing of plato glass, in order to save the rebate. Where tiling and bard-wood flooring are nsed in a building, contracts aro let specially for those purposes. A YEW STGOESTIONS. ‘While !n%fining to tho builder that he em- ploy, bis axchitect” a3 superintendont of the ilding from tho preliminary drawiog to the completion of the structure, wo took occasion to warn him with the condition that the architect Do a man of anquestionod intogrits. Tho rea- son for giving this advico is obvions. All tho contracts aro made by or through the architect. This person hocomes 8t oncs tho arbiter of the ‘buildor’s destiny. _ Gifted with plenipotentiary powers, ho can command, and overybody must cboy, When Contractor Jones comes in with Liia bid, & few dollars bolow Contractop Smith, it is for tho architect to decide whother it will be for his aliont's intercst to etaploy Jones or Smith. Jones can, by placing 8 fow groen- backs whore thoy will do the mast good, greatly open the contractor's eyes ta the reliability of Lin backors, while Smith, by a similar doposit, can_sssure » vacillating architect of his own ability to do gcod work ot s figure that noither Jones, nor Brown, nor Robinson can approsch. In making his selection the architect must ba vory discroet. Ifheis straightforward ha will doclino to consider such propositions. Ho will consult with his client. Hia_oxperienco with contractors will guide him in the award, and he will turn » denf ear to the suggestions, aud o blind eyo to the inducements offered by un- wortby men. Indcod, thero arc 80 many oppor- tunities for swindling the ownor by means of an understanding botween architoct and contractor that it scems almost superfluous to give a sample. Bat in order to illustrate, it i perhaps as well to do eo. The architoct’s specifications call for a cor- tain quslity of material to be used in the con- struction of the \nuldin%, without which it wonld be safo emough, but not perhaps s solidly constructed as i -the quality demanded was used. Here is our contractor’s opportunity. The materiul is to go whero nobody will sco i ; nobody knows what_is called for but the owner, contractor, and architect. Nobody but the two lnst can tell whother itis msod or not. Thus by a wink to tho architect, the, con- tractor _furnishes _inferior material ' and divides tho profits with the architect. That this is doue frequently is ooly too well known. In | tho mere matter of brick, the architect and con- tractor can make plenty of money, and when the piers give way, who is to say it was the_lattor's fault ; who cah sccuse the former ? Irop col- ‘umns canoot bo weighed when they aro once in tho building. Only tha experienced eyo of the architect can toll whether they aro of requisite dimensions. How can hetell it he does not wishto? - 5 St How does the nnpractised ownor distinguish a or quality of stoue from a good one? Can ho omnipresent to determine tho thickness of every block? K In the choice of roofing, there is an abundant loophole for spoils. “Ar. 4," enys the agent for one firm, **you know onr prices. 1t will b £300 in your pocket if Mr. B's building is roofed by our process.” *‘Mr. A,” hints the plumber, #yg can make it of advantage to you to contract with us.” ¢ Mr. A," soys thesteam fitter, what is the lowest bid you have?” Somuch'to knos. ‘These are mere hints, but that the architect [ tens off them is only to woll known. Thero are another class of swindlers, too, who Tive only by the connivance of the srchitect, and this i the ympocunious contractor clase. It cone sista of those wreiched burlesques on contractors who underbid overy competitor, with a fall knowledge that they cannot 'perform tho work at their own fignrea. Whon it becomes evident to the owner that they must succnmb, thero is the alternative of suing them, or help- ing them out with an additional sum. The archi- tect knows such men. He can ““spot” them mmediatoly, and if he intends to be straight- forward ho will clear them away from tho path of the honest contractor,and give the Iattor a chance. Similsr to these rogues, for such they really are, and such all honest men will unite in calling them, aro those hungry srchitects who infest tho vrofession and clamor greedily for a job, promiting not to demand of the owner any per- ceutage for their services. Their usual ples for ork an these grounds is that they aro ondear- oring to establish themsclves in business, and -~ are® therefors prepared to sacrifice what i3 due to them for the purpose of making themselves known to the public. Now, to an oxperienced gentlewsn about to build (if thero is such a person), this is sl matisfac- tory enough. Bat s moment's reflection will show him that aa archifect caomot buy bread snd butter by simply making him- self known to the public. Ho muat bave money, and f {t does not come from his client it comes from the contractor, in consideration for his silence respecting some ~very considerabls swindle. Henco it is not good policy to employ oneof these self-sacriicing men. Bettor by far goto an architect of go standing in the commanity, who has something to lose, than a patfifogger who will rob you right and lefts - MONEY AND COMMERCE.- MONETARY. BATORDAY EVENING, March 29, Thero has been no particular change in the local money market during the past week, oxcept the tarn of exchange in favor of New York, which is now causiug & considerable movoment of cur- rency to that city from tho West. Theroisa largo demand from the country for exchange, and consideraile demand, also, for currency. The movenicat of both currency and bank credit to New York, and of currency to the coun- try, has eome influcnce to make B ten- dency toward o cioss money markot; but ‘the supply - of loanable funds is smple yet. ‘'horo is considerablo money in the open market to loan on good stocks and similar collaterals at 10 per ceut for six months, or less. Good short-dato paper without col- laterals goes at 10 to 12 per cent. Becond-class paper at 15 per cent and over. New York exchange was scarce at 50c per $1,000 premim, and some of tne usual sellers were asking 75c. The scarcity of exchaugo obliged a number of the bauks to ship currency to New York both yesterday and to-day. Gold continues o advance, closing to-day at 117, tho highost price touched sinco August, 187 70. Tho cleariugs of the Chicago bankas for the woek wore : Dade. Clearings, Mondsy . ] Tucsduy. Dalances. Wednesday. 2290,109.70 Thuradsy. 2,461,933 48 Friday. 2,617,700.1 Baturday. "Total, Corres] year, 12,806,194.18 1,534,401.79 Tho following quotations of local stocks are furnishod by Mesers. Hammond & Gage: Firat National Bank. Third National Baak. Fifth National Bank. Commercial National Ban] Berchants’ National Bank. Gerunau National Bank. Manufactarens’ National Bank Northwestern National Bank . Corn Exchango National Bauk. Tiome National Bank Traders' Ins, Co. aiirs, $5,000 West Division Rallway at 190. 2,50 Babeock Extfuguisher at 50, 5,000 Fifth Natfonal Back at 13C. LOCAL STOCK AND ZOND MATRET, Messrs. Luut, Proston & Kean quote 2 fol- Tows this aftorndon : Setting, 5208 0f '02. H’x 18 e 5-208 of %67, Jan. and July. 18 -208 of 68, Jan, and July. 17 10740, 12 115 116 16% Sterling Exchango 108%@ 109 Northern Pacifio Gold 7-30s. 100 & int. Chicago City i 995 & 1ot Cook County 7. 5 & int. Illinols County aad Towuship 10's $3@98 LAND WABANTS 185 140 130 COMMERCIAL. SATUBDAT EVENDNO, March 29, Tho following wera the receipts and shipments of the leading articles of produce in Chicago dur- ing the pest twenty-four hours, and for the cor- responding date one year ago: Flour, brls. Wheat, bu, Corn, bu.. Oats, bu. lé.avnx hoss, lnfixg: e, No. B hee, No 33 2,020 | 101,130) 57,950 I TS 15000 o0 1,21 Lumber, 3 hingles, AT L2 Shingles, Withdrawn from storo on Fridsy for city con- sumption: 5,253 ba wheat; 4,228 hn com; 220 bu barley. Whithdrawn for do dming the weok: 17,348 bu wheat ; 4,251 bu coru; 2,051 bu oats ; 1,503 bu rye ; 2,557 bu barloy. Tho foliowing grain has been inspected into storo this morning up to 10 o'clock: 51 cars wheat; 161 ca~s com; 19 cars oats; 2 cars ryo; 12 cars barley. Total, 245 cars; or, 98,000 bu. Tho following wero the receipts and shipmenta of breadstuffs and stock at this point duriog the weck onding with this morning, and for corre- spondiug woeks ending 2s datod nrcrrrTe, “March 29, Mareh 22, March 30, 1873, 1873, 1872, 70 436 13,853 194,215 85,440 1651 27150 931 4,481 15,185 Flour, bris. 7,716 Wheal, bu 32515 Corn, bu 87,605 Oate, bu. 100 Rye, bu 4487 Barles, 56,639 D“uh 5 N 31, 0{ Live hoge, N 7 Cattle, No. 3,744 11,634 The lesding produce markets were sgain dall to-day, excopt provisions ; kit the gonoral fecl- ingin grainwas not so weuk as_heratofore, though onr receipts woro on the increase, and ehipments wero light, whilo tho tone of sdvices from other markets waa not particularly encour- aging to Loldors. Liverpoof was genorally duil, with Jarge supplies of ccreals in prospect, while the “enormous demand” for export in New York, ciaimed by somo_operators, has _only re- sultedl in the shipment of 57,000 bu wheat and 24,000 bu corn from that port during the weok ending with last evoning. o A In the dry goods market there was fair activi~ t, both in staple and fancy fabrics, local and interior deslors ordoring freely. Prices woro steady and firm for all steple and sessonablo goods. Groceries mot with 8 large demand from Country merchants, at tho_prices curreut on the preceding days of the week, all staple articles and most sido goods boing held with decided firmness. Ao advance in coffecs scoms imumi- Tnent, and refined sugars now have somothing of an upward tendency, both of these arti- clos being _rolatively much lower hero than st the Esst. No change was noticeable fn the butter market, choice qualities continuing in good demand at full prices, while ‘the pooror soris Were to a certain extent neg- Tected and woak. _Cheets remains firm at former quotations, o st 17@18c for New. York factory, aud at 15@17c for Westorn do. Tho coal trads was reported quiet, and bituminons varictics wore genorally easier. Wilmington i8 now sell- ing at 26.00. Thera was more Lifo in the cauned goods and pickle trado; the improvement being due to the milder weather. Prices - wero without quotable change, though in corn, toma- Toon, and some. cthey liios, an . mivauts is talked of. Domestic dried fruits were again quoted dull, and the quotations were mora or Tess freely hnded sll atound. Foreign descrip- tions were guiet also, but wero firmly Lokl Fish met with s fair inquiry t prices that have been current for fortaight past. Nothing naw was developed in the hay market. Hides woro fairly active oud fim. There was a liberal amount of trading in the leading oils, and prices wero, witbout excaption, firm. Carhon hsa fur- thor advanced in Cleveland, and prices were 1o higher hero, in sympethy. “The Jamber market was moderately activo to- day. There was no quotablo changs in yard prices; the better grades remain firm, while common building material contitucs 'rather weak, being in liboral supple. Lath on_track aro hicher, now quoted a: 3.5, Shingles are and aleo vory fina, beiag in sctive seqzee: and ‘wcarce. Tho metels, inn and nails ara i~ got demand, orders from both local and interior morchants being numorcas and libersl. Metals are firm, _particularly tin plate, which is ad- vaucing East. Thera wasnot & single new fen- ture in tho markets for wnol, hops, or broom- corn. The two formor Stsples remain duli and unchanged, while the latter meets with tho averago demand. Scods were quiet to-day, if we excopt tho betler grades of _timotby, which were in fair request and steady. clover, Hugarien, and millet wero unchangod. The offerings of potatoos in car lots were limited, and a firmer feeling provailed for choice varie- ties. There was no special change in green fruits. Applos are plenty, and prices rule weak and irregular for ordinary stack, bnt choica fruit i firm. Poultry was very acarco, snd, under tho influenco of » good lock! domand, was frmer. Tho receipts of sags wers again Jiberal, and ricos ruled wesk ud unsatti~d, closing with 150 B acking price. Highwines wero qniot and stesds at the quota- tions of two or three days past, with 8Gigc bid and 87c asked. Bales were rostricted o U bris at 87c per gallon. Tho market opened with & rather weoak feoling, in suticipation of a lower Qquotation from Now York, which did not arrive, and closed stesdy. - B Lako froights ero dull, aad nominally wn chianged ; but it was almost impossible 5 find tho tone of the market, in the absenco of tans- actions. Some roported that 13¢ was bid, and others that the lowest asking rato was 13con corn by eail to Buffalo. Tuers was no apparent demand, matters being_at a dead-lock Letween cairiors and shippers. ' e quoto whaat at 173c, and corn at 16c, to Buffalo. Through rail froights are 65¢ per 100 {bu to Now York, aud 70c to Bus- ton, both per 100 Ite. Through freights by lake or rail are quoted nominal at tlc and 63c. "Quito anumbor of the vessels already chartered are being loaded with corn. An ougageraent was mado for one vessel, to arrive, at 10c for 25rn to Buffalo, Provisions ' were more activa aud sgain stronger. Thero was & good demand for all kins of hog products except lard. but holders ad- Sancodl asking quotation to a point where buy~ ors wero not generally inclined to follow thom. Mess pork was 40@30c per :xl kigher, with nong offeriug on tho longer options. Lard advanced about 234c per 100 [bs. _Afests wero in rgentre- quest {or shipment, and may be quoted Jac high- er, the Iargest holdors asking J¢c advanco. It scoms as if Europo will waut all the mests wo bave to spare, and i ndoxious to move them ont ns doon 83 possible, whether for war purposes or mot, is unknosu, The market closed at tho following rango_of prices: Mess pork, cash or eoller April, $15.25 @15.90; do seller ‘May, $15.50; do sellor Juzs, £15.75; do_selior July, €16.00; primo mess $13.25@13,50; extra prime, :10.50@11.00; old ork, 314,00, ' Lard. cach,or seller Avril, 5.05@ .10 ; do seller May, $4.20; do sel'er June, 38.30, Svest pickledhams quoted at 10@12%. Drysaltod meats quotabls at 57;@6o for shouldera ; 8c for long closr ; 73{@7c for shortribs ; and T%@Se for short clar. Boxed shoulders, 63@6xc. Eoglish meats, @744 for Cimbatlands; §@ 834 for short riba; §:5@3%0 for short clear; 13@140 for long cut hams. Bacon is quoted at 7c for shoulders, 9 for cleer ribs, 9ic for ebort clear, and 13@14c for hams, all packed. Moss boef, $9.00@9.50; oxtra mess do, 810.00@10.50; beof hams, §23.50@29.50. City fallow, 7i¢@7sic; greaso quotable at 5 @63{c. Bales wero reported of 65 Lris mess pork at £15.10; 1,500 brls do, scller April, at 315.25; 500 brls do (early) at 815,10 ; 500 brls do at £15.00; 250 brls do, soller Ma, at $15.45; 500 brls do at £15.40, 500 brls do at £15.45; 500 brls do, soller June, t S15.75; 500 brls do'se 215.50 ; ‘500 brla old mees at 814.00; 500 tcs lard at £8.05; 250 tes do, soller May, ot $8.20; 130 tea_swost-pickled bums (10 Ihe) at 106 ; 190,000 Ibs shoulders a: 55c; 20,000 1ts do at 5%, 400,000 1 do, sallor 3y, at G1c; 225,000 tha do st £6.10, 450 boxes unoulders at 6c ; 230 boxes do, solior last half Ap.d, at 62¢c, both last evening; 120,000 bs short ribs 8¢ 77¢; 100,000 g do st 75(c, 100,000 Ihe do (last evening) at T 0,000 1bs shiort clear at 8c; 20,000 ibs do 8% 734c, 100,000 s do seller May, sf 85c. ‘Thio Daily’ Commercial Report’ gives tho fol- lowing a8 the shipmonta of provisions for tho week ending March 27, 1873, and since Nov. 1, 1872; also comparative Sgurls s Pork Lard hams S?g‘l idts, ba. 116,05 16800t £ 3 65,013 13819 b3 - The shipments {n detail were s foliows: Shoulders, 1,303 boxes ; shart clear, 100; elort rib, 1,84 ; long rib; 262; Cumberlands, 5723 bacon Stretforda, 307 Suffordsbire, 80; jong clear, ‘815 ] Irish cat, 907 Birmioghsm, 5. 0 shipments Over wnb Tock Iaiand ana Chicsgo, Burliugton & Qatnoy wero 131 bria of pork, 110 fos o 1ard, 84,000 1be of shoulders, 216,000 1bs of muddles,and 200 Boxés of breakfant bacon. Tlour was dull and essier, though holders did not quote it lower. The snippers wero not in the market, as Now York w25 again reported dall and tams ; and sevoral holders were freo sellers, owing to the fact of more liberal roceipts recont- Iy. Bran was stendy. Sales wers reported of 100 bris white winter extras at $9.50 ; 450 brla spring extras and 100 brls do (Athlote) at $6.75 ; 100 brisdo at $6.25; 3% bris_do on private terms ; 100 brla superfine st $3.75. Total, 1,150 bris. Also, 10 tous bran at 810.50, on track. The following were the askig qrotations at the cloae : Zair to chioico whito winter extras. Red winter extras. . Good to chofce spring extras.. Low t» medium. tteadior, at about {0 be- low tho range of Friday. Liverpool was quoted dull and drooping by private dispatches, and New York was reported unseftled zad inactive, while the bear interest hers wero doing their best to forco a furthor doclino. Bt it seemed as if most of the April deals hnd been already set- tled up, except a fe v shorts out by the leading ar8 ; and the market has declined 80 much re- cently that holders wers very loth to submit to furthor concoesione, and there was no forcing of snies, 03 many of the woak holders have already sold out and retired from the deal. Still there are some who beliovc tho market must wer point. As an J ) wo may note tha pay- ment this morning, by & prominent oparator, of £100.00 for the privilege of dalivering 10,000 bu of ‘sheat (No. 2), at any timo during 1873, at %00 perbu. A good meny country holders havo sold out during the past weok. Tho bosra hero aro Lammering it with all their might, snd many lo~ cal operators aro_lotting it alone, as the cost._of carrying ia simply ruinots. Tha differonce bo- tween April and May advanced to-day to 4340 per bu, a portion of which is, of course, charge- 8blo to storago ; but it requircs a vast amount of confidence to fake hold when prices must ad- vance 4}4c within & month to provent loss to the buger, sud_all the clements of such advanco scem o bo wanting. Yet oven this wido diffor- enco is not encugh to tempt capitalists to take hold of regular wheat to carry into May, the cost of which, with intercat on the use of the money, and insurance, amounts to a little more than 53{c por bu without brokerage. Tho 41¢c per bu would pay but & small margin on_gilt-odgad re- coipts, and thoy are at lc promium. Hence nearly all the buying is dono by tho short inter- est ; and but for them, the market would proba- bly have dropped much lower during the past weck ; 80 that it may bo_claimed for them that they 'do good sometimes. Seller April or rogaler No. 2 Spring oponed ot SLIOK do- clined to $1.18%¢, end closed at $1.18]4. _Strictly fresh receipis, only oz or two days old, com- Zoller May nold st 31.23@ 2@1.233%." No. 1 spring ‘anded 1c promiuis 12857, closing at 2 was dull ot 3127 o, 3 spring was dull at £1.09%¢ for regular, and $1.10 for strictly frosh ; and rojected o was quict at 93c for rogular, 0 93 for atrictly fresh Cash eales wore. ra ported of 400 bu No. 1 spring st SL7; 14,100 u No. 2 spring, fresh, at $1.20; 800 bu do at $1.19¢ ; 15,000 bu regular a¢ 31.183¢ ; 20,000 bu doat $L.18% : 55,000 bu do at 21.155%; 5,600 bu No. 8 spritip, fresh, at S1.10; 80 bu do $1.09%¢ ; 1,600 bu rejected spring, frosh, at 93c ; 1,600 bu'do rogular at 93c. Total, 115,200 bu. Corn was dull and steady at tho inside rango of yeeterday till near the close, the influences at work being much the same 'asin the caseof wheat. Thera wes no stroncth in tho market, but moat of the weak holdersappear to have sold out daring tho recent decline, and thero was not €0 much offered, though the volumo of reccipts was larger, and tho domand exceedingly limited except from the short interest. Tho' Tuesday Teport of corn in store this evening will probably 8how a decrense, s a good deal has boen losded into voesels within tho past three days; but thore is plenty waiting to take thoplace of that go- ing out of store, ax #09n a8 it can be warehoused, After 12 o'clock s better demand eprung up, and the market advanced }{@¢c, making the aver- ego about tho same 2 on Friday. Regular No. 2, or seller April, opezed at 303%c, advanced to 303¢c, and closed at 303¢@303{c. ~Gilt-edged ro- cipts sold at 323@8k. Heller May sold at $4%@3474c ; aud seller Juno 2% S614@36c, both closing with firm holders at tne ontside, Seller July was quiet at 33c; and seller Auguss nominal 4t 30c. Cash sales wero. roporied of 5,600 bu No. 2 fresh at 83c; 9,600 bu do at 323c; 35,000 bu regular at 803i¢; 70,000 bu do ab 302¢c; 85,000 ba doat 3014C: 10,000 bu rejected freoh at 3c; 80C bu by sample at 3034c, on track. Tetal, 186,000 bu. Oats wero rnther moro sctive, and & shado fimmer thau vexterdsy, owing to & relasation of & bear pressure, which has been rather hea 2:: o or.throo days past. Thera waa ot much domand except for car lots, s very few *fives being sufliciont to moet the option inquiry, which was principally for summer delivery. Seller April, or Tegular No. 2, sold at 253(@ 253(c, and strictly frosh reccipts at zsf/t@z Beller May sold at 2334@285.c, and seller June was quoted at 293¢0 bid, and 26%{c ssked. Cesh anles wero_roported of 1,26 Lz No. 2 fresh st 263¢c; 8,600 bu do at 263(C; 25,060 bu regular at 25'5-16¢; 15,000 bu do at_253¢c ; 600 ba rojected at 2314c: 600bu by eample (mixed) at 2%. To- tal, 46.000 bu. Tyo was in better demand, and firm at former quotations under light offerings. No. 2 regular wes quotablo at 64gc. Cash sales were roported of 1,600 bu No. 2 strictly fresh at €6c; 400 bu by sample at 68c, and 400 bu do at 673gc. Total, 2,400 bu. i " Burley was dull, and 2@3c lower; being al- most un{alnhle even at that declino. The ship- ping orders seem to have been all filled, and now ket find themselves Joaded with grain for which there is no present demsnd. Seller April, or regular No. 2, oponed st 75c, and closed weak st Ti4e. Strictly fresh receipts of No. 3 wers tame at 77@78c. No. 8 was dull at 63@65c. Cath sales wero reported of 400 bu No. 2 freshat 78¢ ; 2,800 bu do af 77¢ ; 5,000 bu regular at 75¢ ; 800 bu No. 8 fresh at Gac ; 400 bu do at 646 ; 400 bu do regular at 630; 1,200 bu rejected (Central) at45c; 400 by, by sample, at 850 ; 400bu do at 821¢c ; 400 bu do at75c; 400 bu doat 63c; 400 bu do at 65c; 400 bu doat 58, all on track. Total, 13,400 bu. LATEST. In the afternoon wheat was moderately active and e lower. No. 2 spring sold at SLISK@ 1.187¢ seller April, snd 31.22%@1.23% sclier May, both options ' closing af tue insido. Gor was in light Toquost at_S0%¢c seller April, aad 343(c scller Moy. Mess pork was fumer, & aafe being reportad st 215.65 sellor Aay. bt CHICAGO LIVE-STOCK MARKET. Reviow for the Weel Ending Satur~ day Eveniug, Yarck 29. SATCRDAY EVEXING, March 20. The reccipts_of livo stock during the week Lavo eon as follows: . Hogs, Sheep. 5 o s 736 A€ 1,455 1,166 300 Weck cnding March 8. Total, 4 weeks. ... Shipments were a8 follows: Cattle. . 251 + CATTLE—Fair sctivity bes characterized the cattlo trade thronghout the past week, and high- Gr prices bavo ruled. Tho receipts’ were tho largest of the season thus fer, resching 17,300 head, against 14,664 Inst sweok, ‘and 14,332 week Deforo Jast, but the enpply st no time seemed oppressive, and, with the oxception of yesterdsy- and to-dny, when o lightly essier feeling was noticeabl?, the market exhilited s _decidediy firm tone. Telegrams from tho East have been uniformally favorable, but, as s_resuls of the large numberof beeyes forwarded Eastward from: hero during the wegk just_closed, shippers an- ticipate a roaction there, end aceordingly their movements during yesterdsy and to-doy werg conducted with ratlier more caution. Continued improvement is noted iu the quality of tbe re- ceipts, the average of the past few days being exceptionally good, even for this season of (ko year. The proportion of rough, thin stock was unusnally small, snd a record of ‘the week's selca shows tho bulk'of tho business to have been traneactod ¢ prices rapging from 34.50 up- ward to 86,00, Numerous sales wero reported et £6.10@6.50, while, in soveral instances, 36.60@ 7.00 was realized. ' Stockers bave been steadilv active, and ruled firm to tha close at 83,50@4.00 for common to medinm kots of from 700 to 950 Ibs avernge, and at £4.25@4.50 for good to prime droves, sveraging fron 900to 1,080 e, New milch cows sell all tho way from #20.00 for com- mon to £45.00 for. choice, with eales clielly at £25.00@35.00. Voal calves aro in fair requost at. $3.30@2.90 10T puor to choice. To-day the market was moderately active and' easy, but not appreciably lower. Tho fresh re- ceipta wero more than usually libaral for a Satur-- day, and, taken in connection with tho atalo stock, made s supply considerably in excess of the want of buvers, ll classes of whom opersted eparingly. Bales were modeat $3.00@6.50 for or to oxtra—principally st $4.00@%.00. Be- ow ara the closing Good Beoves—Weil-fattened, facly-formed steers, averaging 1,200 ta 1,300 B, . Medium Grades—Steers in foir flesh, aver- aging 1 Butchers' sianghter, averaging $00 to 1,100 tbs. Stock Cattle—Common cattle, fn flesh, averaging 700 to 1,050 De. Inferior—Light and thin cows, 5.30@5.65 450@5.10. seds 3.40@4.40 hetfers, - Cattle—Corn-fed Texas. . X HOGS—During tho past weck the hog trade. ‘bas boen uninterruptedly active, and pricea have continued to work steadily upward. The sup- ply, though lsrger than in former years at a cor— responding perlod, hus proved, inadequato to. supply the logitimate wants of shippers, and ench dsy’s receipts worg absorbed at bette: Frices. than provailed tho day before, the daily advaace avoraging_a_strong 5 per 100 Ibs. Now York, Boston, New Haven, Philadelphis, Cleveland, Buflalo, and Canacs’ buyers were regularly in. ‘attendanco, and the compotition was, at times, epirited. 1t is now apparent that the available. supply of hogs is mtch smaller than has gen- erally boon supposed, and, if the demsud coa- tinuos o8 mrgont s at Ppresent, prices, in all ‘probability, will undorgo a furtier advance. To-day the market was active and buoyant. The arrivals were liberal, but did_not equal tho domend, sy pricos crept up anothor 1lc, or 1o Very fow sales were reported un- der $5.35, whilo moat of tho transfors were at er 3 £5.35@5.55. Tho market closed firm at $5.20@ 530 for poor to common; at 25.35@3.45 for modiom, and at $5.50@5.65 for gaod to choice. 67 174 50 Tl 204 540 68 180 5.0 SHEEP—A. fair local and outside demand for sheop has existed during the week under resiew, end & triflo higher range of priccs has been ca- tablished, the sppraciation in values being duo to the lighter roceipts and the better quality of theofferings. Considerably moro than balf the supply foll into the bhanda of Eastern buyers. Prices closo firm at_£3.50@4.25 for poor mized to common lots ; at 24.50@L.75 for medium, and at £5.00@6.00 for good to choice. Some exirs ‘qualities gold at higher Sgures; 96.25, 26.50, and, 10 cn instance, $6.90 being pai DISSOLUTESJE NOTICE. DISSOLUTION. The frm of SMITH, CLEARY & ENRIGHT hsrizg boen dissalved on the I5th {nst. by llmiiarion, | have ti iy assoclated myseif in basiaeas with Messes. Wosd Denaehy, Whalesalo Wines and Liguors, 554 snd Watorst., wnior tho firza name of WEAD NEHY ¥ CLEATY. TAOES 3. CLE! COPARTNERSIIP. CHICAGO, March 25, 178, Wo have this dayassocisted with us in businéss ¥r James M. Cloary, of tha Iata fiem of Smith, Clesrr Enright. ander 1he firm name of WEADLEY, DESNE HY & CLEARY. WEADLEY & DENNERY. FRACTIONAL CURRENCY. " $5 Packages ARY. FRACTIONAT CURRENGI - FOR SALE AT TRIBUNE OFFICE. s il thoso who bonght speculstively on a rising mar-