Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 7, 1909, Page 14

TIMELY REAL ESTATE COSSIP Omaha is Building Homes, Business Blocks and New Streets, THOROUGHFARES BY THE MILE Long Distances of New Asphalt in L Keep Step with the Care Hammer and Ma- son's Trowel. Omaha In its downtown district is put- | ting on a new warb and will present a far | different tront for the National Corn ex- position to what it has In the last few vears. | For some time It has been the great re- gret of dwellers In the Gate City that the downtonn streets 0 bad and a trip to and from the rallroad stations was quite A task In a carriage or an automoblile ANl this has been changed. The down- fown strects are being repaved and when were the next large crowd of visitors come to Omaba ‘it will find the main sireets r paved with fine new surface of as- phaltum. The trouble was that the pave- ments had outgrown their natural lifetime, An asphaltum pavement Is supposed to last about twenty years, while many | of the downtown streets of Omaha bad been wearing the same surface for twen- ty-seven years. The pavement was in | such bad condition that it was bevond repait and sithough the repair department of the city went over these streets & couple of times a year they were soon In as bad shape as ever. Now the streets are all new. Not only was A new surface put on, but a heav concrete base as well, making the stre ts in exceptionally good shape. The new | pavements were put down according to the latest improved idens, which do away with high steps at each crossing. It has | been found by experience that it is not' necessary to have a high step at each| crossing to keep the water off the side- | walks. | City Engineer Cralg has won the lasting | plaudits of thousands by his successfu ‘crusade for better sidewalks in the down town districts. For years sidewalks hav been permitted practically to care for | themselves until they became a sight. | Loeal people became %0 accustomed tc seeing the edges of the sidewalks ali bat- tered and broken that ithey began to accept them as a necessity. Now they may see the change. Notices were sent out to all owners of defective sidewalks that they must be repaired and the result has been that miles and miles of walks were re- paired in the central part of the city and the wonder is that some one had not thought of the change before. ' While the expensa was slight on each Individual owner the improvement is mo pronounced that Jt makes a vast change in the general appearance of the eity. And still the building rush goes on. Material men are having all they can do to supply the demands for the thousands of new homes which are being buflt in all parts of the city. No matter to what part of Omaha onc drives new bulldings strike the eye. Resident districts are springing up on all sides, sidewalks are being laid and the streets paved and Omaha, the city of beautiful homes, is deserving of the name. One of the prettiest new home districts I Omaha Is that lald out by the Prairie | 00, of which | amount w Tr ¥ it company, composed of W. A. Paxton, r B ers, B. Scan! Frank Ransom and Dr. Robert F. Glimore, This company of gentlemen bought sixty- one lots on the old circus grounds just north of Ames avenue between Twents- fourth and Thirtieth streets and during the last summer have spent a large sum of money In making this an addition beau- tiful. They have paved the streets, parked the entire trac built nineteen houses and last week decided to build twelve more, which will put a house on every other | lot. The lots intervening will be sold with the owner of the nelghboring house having the first chance to buy RED CROSS STAMPS COMING Means of Ralsing Fands to Push Fight Againat the White P Once again the Red Cross Christmas stamps are to be sold throughout the coun- Iry as a means of ralsing funds In the antl- tubercworls campalgn. The American National Red Cross, of which President Taft fe president, has anhounced its stamp plans for the coming holiday season. These provide for the appointment of central supply agench through which the stick- ers will be distributed to Individuals and organizations desiring to assist In the good work, and for the return of one-third of the gross recelpts to the Red Cross. Last vear the Christmas stamps were #old outright to agents, who provided their own advertising roatter. This year the Red Croms provides stamps and advertising matter free, but requires a return at the end of the season of one-third of the re- ceipts. From this sum the Red Cross will pay the expenses of printing stamps and ad- vertising matter, express charges, post- age, clesical aesistance, etc, leaving a probable net profit of 75 per cent, which will be applied o the most urgent needs of its work, whatever they may be. The expenditure of the remaining two- thirds will be left to the discretion of the organizations appointed as officlal dis- tributers of the stamps, the only exaction being that the money shall be used In the fight against the white plague. Last year the total sale of stamps throughout the country netted about $15,- sum the largest single cured through The North American, which was the first newspaper In the United States to champlon the cause when the movement was started by Miss Emily P. Bissell of Wilmington in 1907, The Red Cross stamp of 1900 is now In the printer's hands. A new design has been adopted, selected as the result of a competition in which there were 1200 par- ticlpants. The stamp will be in red and green, with lettering In white, and will be one inch square. The order already placed with the printer is for 90,000,000 stamps, More, In any number, can be pro- duced as rapldly as may be necessary. The stamps will be ready for shipment to agents on November 1. This will afford agents ample time to complete arrange- ments and be In readiness for the opening of a vigorous selling campaign in the lat- ter ‘part of November or first of Decem- Der. The slogan for the Red Cross campalgn this Christmas is 50,000,000, This would mean nearly half a million dollars for the fight against our worst disease enemy.— Philadelphia North American. —_—— Quick Action for Your Money—You get that by using The Bee advertising columns, EXPANDED METAL STEEL . PLASTERI is the fire-proof ’,md']‘ NG LAT substitute for the inflammable wood lath. It Prevents Cracking and Falling aster on Walls and Ceiling. Adopted by the U. S. Govern- ment and used everywhere in L) S, Write for all good buildings. circular. ORTHWESTERN EXPANDED METAL CO. 84 Van Buren Street, CHICAGO But wh out BAKER ofa cut is not what a}t costs 0 of it = anieeme%{igl% ENGRAVING CO u get BROS THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE NOVEMBER 7, NEWS OF THE BUSY HOME BUILDERS 1909, LK ITCHEM DILAIAG ROoo/N\ 12~ 1496 D c AR A gy At a i ESI1C/MN Me. 420, HAMNMBER rLoor ARTHUR C CL.AUSEAN CSH1ITECT MNImmEAroL S MiAn HE time of the year in which the contracts for the bullding of a house are let has consid- erable to do with the prices re- celved. For example, a con- tract can be let for about 10 per cent cheaper at the present time of the year, the house to be buflt during the winter, than the prices one would ge during the rush of the bullding season next spring. If only the foundation is now and the contract is let early In the fvear, enabling the contracors to get an earlier start than would be possible if the foundation was not put in now, there would be a saving of from 6 to § per cent, It the purpose of this article, however, to call the prospective home bullder's attention to various econo- letting of the contract that would apply at any time of the year. A great many people think that they can gave money through being their owp contractor. They figure that they will save the contractor's profit of from 8 to 10 per cent by buying thelr own materfals hiring their own labor and superintending the construction of the house themselves quantity, on which they can merely make estimates In & general way based upon their previous experience. Since the wages paid out for labor amounts to almost half the cost of the house, It is very important that this item should be handled in's sys- tematic manner. A contractor through his experlence knows just how many men he can work to an advantage on a house of @ certain size, how many common laborers he would need to supply his brick masons with mortar and brick, just what quanti- ties and at what time certaln materials are needed at the job and knows how much work each man should turn out in a day, enabling him to keep track of their work and discharge any low or incapable workman. When a man_attempts to take a con tractor's place, iacking all of the technical knowledge and experience of the latter | his 1abor bill will usually amount to 2 or 2 per céent more through his not being able to earry on the work in a systematic | manner. The writer has observed houses Where a whole crew of men had to be laid off temporarily during the busy season of the year because the owner did not order certain material far enough ahead of time to get when needed. Men do not stay idle during the busy season in the bullding line and a crew lald off in this will immediately look for other positions, there- by leaving their former employer handi capped for the lack of when work starts again. The owner is often un- ble to get enough men together agaln to carry on the work properly he does hire under these manner labor the circumstances know nothing about the work that has |other much used materi bean Anne snd hava to study Into the mat- mies in the construction of a home and the | In this they make a fatal error. Few con- tractors figure much for the profit on labor since this is really an unknown | Those whom | Arthur C. Clausen, Architect. THE BEE'S PLAN BOOK Through an arrangement with Ar- thur C. Clausen, architect, the read- ers of The Omaha Bee can obtain & copy of his beautiful book, ¢THE ART, BCIENOE AND SEN- TIMENT OF HOMERUILD- e, for One Dollar. book contains forty-six chap- nd 200 {llustrations, printed on enameled paper, with cover stamped in gold. It deals with the practical side of homebullding, giv- ing complete information on the planning and designing of every kind of home. Fhere I8 nothing more practical than making the home ar- tistie, building it on scientitic lines and to insure sanitary conditions and warmth. The author of the book aims to give the intending home- builder advice on subjects such as buying the lot, planning the home, letting the contract, choosing the materlals, etc. Problems about front doors, windows, stalrwa: tire- places, exteriors, Interior finish, ete.. . are taken up In detall and treated with good common sense. Nearly all questions that could be anticipated are answered and the bhook should {|' prove a great help to those who are || about to plan @ home. It is pro- {| fusely Mustrated. Send all orders to Arthur ausen, 1136-37-38 Lumber Exchange, Minneapolis. ter all over again, uniess a competent fore- men has been engaged with & salary abuve the union scale, whose salary would go on whether the work was going on or not. I have also noticed bricklayers mixing their own mortar and carrying their own bricks when the homebuilder should have had common labor to do this work for him in- stead of paying a man $4.50 to do work that could be done just as well by sheep labor, Also, the workmen on a house bullt for the owner himself know that they will probably never have occasion to work for this man again; they know he is incapable of judging the amount of work that should | be done in & day and is not apt to dis- cover minor imperfections in the work These facts have a demoralising Influence over the workmen which means poorer | work done In more time than when they | are under the guidance of & man whom they hope to work for throughout the | year | When it comes to the buying of mate- rials, while a man may be able to get| some one or two things at low cost through having some friend or relative in the busi- ness, taken as & whole, the material throughout the house will cost the nomr‘ bullder more than they would cost a con- | tractor. or example & contractor of any | tmportance will buy his cement, flooring, | siding, shingles, dimension lumber and | s by the carload, | [thereby secetving special quetations om | | one man's | should be placed direetly over Selection of Building Materials the prices of materials ordered. The mate- rials that he does not use on one house he can use on the next one, for he s in business for a lifetime. The final conclu- sion s that It is cheaper to let the contract | for the entire house, except the heating and plumbing, which should be let separat: to one general contractor, after having obtained his price through competition with other contractors. He is “the man who knows." He has pald for his knowl- edge In the school of experience and with a properly prepared set of plans s able to carry on the work in & systematic manner. System always means economy. There I8 no line of business In which this is more true than in the building business, where s0 many different materfals and so many difterent men leadership, to accomplish the bullding of a home, “Put all your eggs | in one basket, but watch that basket. There are other economlies to be consid. er:d when the home Is being planned be- fore the. matter of letting it to the con- tractor 18 considered. If tne house is of frame construction or brick veneer the helght of the storles should be made 80 that fll length studding of sixteen, cight- een or twenty feet can be used without cutting, and in laying out the floor plans care should be taken that the joist all run In one direction bearlng upon one or two partitions, according to the size of the house, that extend through the center from the basement to the attic. Wherever prac- tical the partitions on the second floor those on the 1irst floor, making the studding two storl high, thereby reducing the settlement of the house through the shrinkage of the tloor joist and making it easier and cheaper to cons.ruct. Where practical the rooms ehould be made an 0dd number of feet plus two Inches in the direction that the jolst run. For example: A room thirteen feet two Inches wide can be spanned by fourteen feet floor jolst. If the room were niade thirteen feet six inches wide sixteen feet floor joist would have to be used, with nearly a foot and a haif at the end of each | joist golng to waste, for floor joist can only be obtalned an even number of feet in length, except where such lengths as eqven and nine feet are required, which can be obtalned by ocutting jolst fourteen feet, elghteen feet, etc., In two. As few angles should be made in the outside walls possible, for turning corners costs money, especially in the roof. While stone always looks better than cement, & saving can be made in the slils, lintels, water tabl ete.,, In & house of masonry construction by having them made of cement cast In forms and reinforced with rods. If this is done properly the difference can hardly be de- tected between the cement produet and Bedford sandstone and the former s very durable when properly made, Good effects can be had for Interior fin- sh on Inexpensive woods If a oareful painter s obtained. Take for exampls, clear birch. stalved and treated (o Imitate as are brought together under | Melted to Make “GARLANDS” “The World's Best.” For 37 years the most extensively sold. May as well have the “ GARLAND." You pay just as much for inferior makes. All Ranges are supplied with "' GARLAND ™ Oven Heat Indicator. Bold by the Post Dealers Bverywhere, Write for Nivatrated Frea Book, The Michigan Stove Company Largest Nakers of Steves and Ranges in the World Chicago, Il m Uy W m.« D RN g ot e A Carey Flexible Cement Roofing FOR TWENTY.FIVE YEARS the STANDARD ROOFING Will Positively Resist the Elements On Flat or Steep Roofs ' WE ARE REMOVING ROOFS and APPLYING CAREY'S WHY? ALLOW US TO ANSWER ; Sunderland Roofing and Supply Co. We Maike Them Iin Omaha and can duplicate any Press Brick manufactured in the world—al Save You Money Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. 330 Bee Building. Let us show you samples. “It's always on tap, while you wake or you nap."— Electric Power. Omaha Electric Light and Power Co. Y. N. C. A. BLDG.—BOTH PHONES Bee Building Office Space Available Room No. 406 has a south and west front, is 19%4x- 2614 feet in dimension, and is so partitioned as to make three offices. connection with this room. Rent $50.00 per month. There is a large sized fireproof vault in Trackage Property We offer for rent the building located at 914 Farnam street, which is a one story and basement building. Di- mensions are 20x86, approximately 3,300 gq. ft. An addi- tion to alley could be built to suit tenant. This is in the wholesale district, being convenient to car line. For fur- | | . ther particulars call The Bee Building Co. 17th and Farnam Sts, Phone Douglas 838} A-1838. dark mahogany, and straight grained |&nd outeide he should expect to pay for Washington fir to Imitate mission oak. those things and not expect his home to They can hardly be distinguished from the no more than & house one-third | genuine wood. It Is poor economy and, in maller and not finished as elaborate In | fact, not economy in the long run to try | detal he would have his own. Systemn is the word. When constructing a home conomize by using litle cement and g or bullding it should be applied from the more sand In the foundation, inferior | grades of paint on the outside, cheap var first to the last |nish on the inside finish, pine floor in-| —_— stead of hard wood, the cheapest heating Few Automobile Jok | “What,” exch ns | plant in the market instead of & good hot| . o br"h‘r' ;":w“ml;":;lo;l:: 1;:-:::; alr or hot water system, the oaapent | o lh® i odr, “you wekl M e e grade of plumbing, etc. While & ET28L |y, on oyl many minor matters might be mentioned | giony breaker—'N wherein a home bullder could economize ' genyipede, elther. | while having his plans and specifications | prepared, the edvice given in this eniive article might be summed up in one sen- and I'm no blooming “How did K the automobile corps get al tence: Engage the services of & competent 50 well. Two of the machines architect. He makes a special study of 't turtle and one started off crab- these matters, since his reputation de- | fa: pends entirely upon the manner in which | “Humph! They ought to be dssigned to he serves his clients’ interests. It is his | the marine corps.”—Baltimore American. business to compare the eize of & home | with the amount a man desires to Invest and apply strict economy wherever practi- cal An architect cannot, however, tirely control the cost of & house. When a home bullder wants a house of & eertain | Quick Actlon for Your Money. ¢ style, with certain things on the inside | that by using The Bee advertising colufina The Man In the Wagon (whose horse s | trightened) to the Man In the Auto—Hey [ there, mister! Jump into the bushes quick; “0° | it's you he's afraid of. )y .. Y- Y