William Billy Fitzgerald - Learning the construction business - timeline

This photo below appears to be at G. Schwartz and Company builders in Rochester. Billy Fitzgerald is in back on the right. The company was founded in 1909. Billy joined the Schwartz brothers on June 1, 1909.

This is just the beginning. We are planning a special section dedicated to the buildings of Heffron and Fitzgerald.

The following is from Aunt Sheila Mary's timeline for her father William Billy Fitzgerald. This section is labeled 'Learning the construction business'. Paragraph breaks added.

It appears that in 1909 Billy Fitzgerald was the first person brought in to launch the Schwartz brothers new construction company, after his initial work with Martin Heffron Construction.

By 1912 Billy was the Superintendent of Construction and Secretary of G. Schwartz Construction Corporation.

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1908(5/1) - 1909 (6/1) Billy is bookkeeper and timekeeper for Martin Heffron Construction Co. in Rochester at $25 per week (After WWI, at age 32, he goes into partnership with Heffron forming the Heffron and Fitzgerald Construction Company).

1909 (6/1) to 1919 (9/1), Billy at age 21 is employed by Gar Schwartz and Co. (construction) of Rochester, first as bookkeeper, then stenographer, time keeper, and materials clerk (see Schwartz Company bill for B.W. Eaton signed by Dad 5/16/1912), Superintendent of Construction, Secretary of the Corporation ($45.00 per week)

"After about two years I started to supervise small jobs such as houses, stores, etc. in connection with office work.

In October 1912 I went into the new (first) Mayo Clinic Building, Rochester, as superintendent of construction and completed the job in about 20 months. (This job cost about $1,500,000).

The next large job was the Colonial Hospital in Rochester, which I superintended. This job cost about $400,000. It lasted about a year. I was in charge of construction of many homesMartin and Norton Hotels, Case Garage, Universalist Church, Congregational Church, and many other buildings until called away to war.

The average number of men employed on my jobs varied from 50 to 300. I had complete charge of organization of jobs and handling of men." (Dad's Supplement 3 to the 1935 Regan letter)

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Aunt Sheila Mary timeline for her father Billy William Fitzgerald - LINK HERE

Translating $1,500,000 original Mayo Clinic:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of goods and services in the United States has increased by 2,287.62% since 1912. This means that $1,500,000 in 1912 would be worth about $35,814,285.71 today.
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William Billy Fitzgerald

Martin Heffron Construction Company

Garfield Schwartz, G. Schwartz and Company - builders

Mayo Clinic

Colonial Hospital

Rochester

Heffron and Fitzgerald Construction Company.

Old College Street. The Historic Heart of Rochester Minnesota. Ken Allsen (p. 85-86)