| Show BOILDiHG ATIBB5 It is evident that A building boom of no small proportion has struck Salt Lake Tbe sounds of the saw and hammer are heard in every direction di-rection end already there it f a oar eity of mechanic Seme elegant business blocks equal to anything in the town are begun and others are in contemplation while residences and email stores and shops are going up on every hand We predict that in 1881 more money will be ipent for buildings in Salt Lake than has been spent m any single year of its existence And what makes this remarkable re-markable activity more interesting is the fact thAt cvery store dwelling or other house that is going up is needed Some are rented before the foundations founda-tions are laid and the demand ii 1 10 great as to make it certain tbat none of the new buildmge will long remain unoccupied The meu WhO are putting put-ting their money into stares and business busi-ness blocks are taking align I risks in a speculative sense They have an an inducement and encouragement for their investment what may be regarded as almost a certainty for fair interest on their money The city is eujojing a period of business prosperity and activity which promises to remain with it for a long time the new railroads corning corn-ing 1 the opening of the mines and the development other industries which have their headquarter here all confirming this belief In connection with this building boom there are some points which ought oU be taken iota consideration One of tbeee li the act hut the I blocks or squares In the busines part of the city are entirely too large Too much valuable land in the rear is rendered worthless Perhaps oueoall of the tenacre block upon which inc HERALD building stand is waste aud V V yet the block ia in the business centre ot the town containing the Theatre the immense Cooperative establish i ment the Deieret National Batik and Sharp block of buildings with Inc Hooper and Eldredge block now S going up besides wan other leaser business pUce aud a number ol private pri-vate residences Tbe trout ouly on the west and south sides eighty rode can be improved and utilized all the interior being turn out from a street What is true of this block u also true of pretty nearly every other quare in the buaineis portion ol the city One hundred and sixty rods facing a street can be built upon and j utilized whereas there might be V twice as much serviceable frontage if i streets were opened ttt right angles V V through the centres of tne block The increased value of the land 1 would certainly more than balance J the coat of the territory covered by 1 streets Another matter connected with the 1 subject of building and improving is 1 not so easily arranged Any one at V all familiar with tits city can paint out scores of places in the very heart II of the town that remain unimproved through the system that prevails here I ef short term ground leases There i V t are many other little sites of one two l I 7V or three rQds in the hands of those 1 V who cannot or will not improve their VV premises nor sell to others more progressive in their iJeaj We might designate almost whole blocks II V of rattletrap shanties tumbledown f4 houses and miserable wooden shells I j now made to serve as temporary con t Tpnionrps for their rentine occnnants but which are a disgrace to tba quarters I tt quar-ters of the city in which they exist f It would be the occasion if not for rejoicing for only slight regret if are a-re were to sweep them clean eipe I oially if it woud carry 08 with them V the system of leasing which prevent I i V building and improvementS The i man with a leaaa for a few years does net feel like erecting a building each as he would canstrnot were the land his own or such as the quarter of the V city in which it is located is entitled V to Again a person may be V fortunate enough to own a V rod or two of front in some 1 central position to which beholds j be-holds fast with a tenacity that may I do credit to his qualities of sticking i sfl but certainly does not show well for his jndnment Some are holding out for higher figures and others object to selling at any price Thus miserable miser-able little shanties jut against stately blocks and open spaces mar the beauty of a whole street Of course a man has the right to improve his property or not as he prefers to lease his land for long time or short or lei it le-i remain idle as best pleases him but we believe public sentiment is against these obstructionists and while that public sentiment cannot control direct or even urge in the matter with effectiveness it can exercise ex-ercise an influence tbat will not be at all beneficial I to those who refuse to keep step with the age Were it not for the manner in which much of the land on the main and adjoining streets is held tbo central part of the city would Boon present B much improved im-proved appearance nil fine blocks would take the placp ot little l wooden shanties and thO ragged irregular way of fiing be done away wih We wish a different spirit would come over those who stand in the way of advancement a spirit that would either permit them to keep up with the times or fall back out of sight |
