158





RECORD  AND  GUIDE





January 23, 1915





BUILDING   MATERIALS   AND   SUPPLIES    I





GENERAL   STRENGTHENING  TONE  OF  THE MARKET NOTED
AS CONSTRUCTION   SEASON  APPROACHES—PRICE  TREND UP





Suburban   Requirements   Approach
Normal—Gynbco's Annual Meeting





VVT" ITH the opening of the building
W season only six week off, the
material market displayed more strength
this week on inquiry. Specifications to
manufacturers from wholesalers are com¬
paring favorably with those in January
a year ago, indicating that dealers ex¬
pect a fair volume of first quarter busi¬
ness. Second quarter business is de¬
cidedly better. Some of the largest dis¬
tributors are in the market for normal
spring supplies and much of the early
winter   hesitancy   is   disappearing.

Continued mild weather helped the
consumption of common brick. But it
also permitted Haverstraw brick to come
in. Prices advanced, however, as the
cold spell approached. Cement plants
are undergoing their annual repairs and
have either curtailed outputs or have
suspended temporarily. Lime manufac¬
turers are also getting ready for spring
business. Agents say some are putting
in larger capacity.

Lumber is being held at prices nearer
list. The meagre cutting made neces¬
sary by light snow falls is having its
effect   upon   the   supply.

Structural steel is steady at 1.21c. and
1.26c., tidewater. Pig iron is also re¬
ported to be firmer. Equipment com¬
panies have been showing more interest
in  second  quarter  deliveries.

New levels have been reached in lin¬
seed oil. It has been half a year
since this commodity has reached 60
cents, where it now is. It is not ex¬
pected to go higher. The Duluth mar¬
ket has eased off practically two cents.
Paint interests*, however, apparently are
not   taking    any    chances.      Local   dis¬





tributors declare that the demand is still
good. _ The supply here is not heavy.
Coal is in weak demand. Mines are
operating under restricted output. A
change is expected now that colder
weather has set in.

Some suburban retailers see indica¬
tions of a continuation of industrial
building expansion. Development com¬
panies are also showing signs of activ¬
ity. This is taken as an indication of
general easing of money. Speculative
interests are usually about the last to
obtain financial backing, following a de¬
pression, and only the strongest are
making their plans. The scope of the
preparations are being made by inter¬
ests owning Newark, Jersey City, El-
mora, Plainfield and Westfield acreages
indicates that the New Jersey demand
for building material will be at least
keen. Westchester development oper¬
ations are still quiet, but Queens activ¬
ity is beginning to be felt in inquir¬
ies for second quarter and midsummer
deliveries. There is marked improve¬
ment in the burned clay building mate¬
rial inquiry in that quarter, according to
the largest manufacturers of this kind
of building material.

Following is the week's new building
plan filings. In the corresponding week
last year 148 new building plans were
filed with an estimated value of $2,073 -
945.   "                                                                          '

Week ending,
Jan. 15.                  Jan. 22.

No.     Est. val.     No.      Est. val.
Manhattan    ....      6       $442,100       3       ^S.'iOCKK)

Bronx   .........    10        262.600       9         224 050

BVooklyn.......    47         322,250      54         412 650

Queens   ........     57         130.950      40          97 750

Richmond    .....      G           10,790      11           23,800

Totals    ......  126   $1,168,690 "m    $1,588,250





PORTLAND  CKMEAT.

Prices UnchaneeU, But ManufaeturerM  Are

Making RepairN.

p RACTICALLY every cement plant is under-
* going repairs in the Lehigh aud Hudson dis¬
trict. It is significant, however, that this year
the repairs are on a somewhat more elaborate
scale than heretofore, indicating that manufac¬
turers in the East at least are laying plans for
a general improvement in husiness.

Discussing the situation in the eastern marlcet
this week a leading manager said :

"Here and there I tind real evidence of a
change in the general trend of business. In¬
quiry is better, the IngersoU-Rand and similar
companies are taking some big orders, the rail¬
roads are coming out with held back construc¬
tion work and collections are better. This is
being reflected in Portland cement. The seventy-
five cent valley basis still holds, and there does
not seem to be any disposition to change it. It
is the logical outcome of a restricted market
and a disposition on the part of manufacturers
to clear as much as possibe before the spring
demand  develops.

"Personally I look for much better things.
Export business is Increasing, we have weath¬
ered the shock of the war, our financial markets
are open again and the mortgage marliet here
and elsewhere throughout the country is much
easier. We are operating our plant to full ca¬
pacity, but for the moment we have curtailed
to make repairs, as is customary at this time
of the year. We are planning for an increasing
volume of business this year."





many  stock sizes  from  the  factories,  ready  for
consumption.

Current prices for window glass in the local
market is 00-10 to 90-15 per cent, for single
thick and 90-15 to 90-20 per cent, discount for
double  thick,   from  jobbers'   list.





W





lime:.

UIk   ComimnieN   Holding;   to   List   Under
Keen   Competition.

HILE the general lime market has main-
tamed a fairly steady position in this
market there has been some shading by smaller
rompanies. The larger companies are holding
steadily  at the  list price,  however.

Tbe sales manager of a big manufacturing
company said :

•■Tbe lime market in general is picking up.
We believe that even this unsettled condition iu
the price situation is temporary. Competition
has been keen. There is likely to he a re¬
action at this time of the year, but I am con¬
vinced that this time the recovery will be
prompt in coming because of generally improv¬
ing conditions in the building and construction
situation."





WINDOW GLASS.

Production   Curtailed,   Althouj^h   Manufac-

turerN Are  Looking: to Foreingr Trade.

A CCORDING to advices received throughout
** the country from glass interests of all
kinds, domestic business in eastern terri¬
tory is still exceptionally dull, and there is no
immediate prospect of much increase in out¬
put. One leading importing and jobbing house
says its trade has fallen off since August 1
about one-third. Another equally good estab¬
lishment gives its output for 1914 as less hy
two-thirds than normal. Just now buyers are
more interested In taking and calculating in¬
ventory than  buying glass.

A feature of much of the foreign business is
that It is wanted in stock sheets, that for win¬
dow glass. 100 sq. ft. to case, as put up usually
in Belgium and England against 50 sq. ft
here. For the British Isles thcv want it in
cases of 300 sq. ft. for single thick, and 2(H>
sq. ft. double thick, from which they cut to suit
instead  of  our method  of  cutting  and  shipping





LAWRENCE   STOCKHOLDERS  TO  MEET.

Siieclnl   Trip   to   Siegfried.   Pa.,   to   Inspect

Plant.

C TOCKHOLDERS of the Lawrence Portland
'-' Cement Co., of 1 Broadway, and of Sieg-
iried. Pa.. Ernest R. Ackerman, president, will
meet on Wednesday. January 27. A special
train has been arranged to convey those com¬
ing from Eastern New Jersey and New York to
the plant. The ferry connecting with this train
will leave the foot of West 2:^1 street at 8.35
in the morning, and from Liberty street at S.45
o'clork. The train will arrive at Siegfried at
11.30 o'clock. It will leave on the return trip
at 5.30 o'clock, arriving at Liberty street at
S.fl7 in the evening.





(iWIICO'S   ANNUAL   MEETINfi.

UueMtlou   of   Policy   Vested   In   Committee

of   Seven,

AT the annual meeting of the Greater New
^» York Brick Company, held on Tuesday, at
103 Park avenue, the old officers and old board
were re-elected as follows: John B. Rose, presi¬
dent; A. E. Aldrich, vice-president; Frank
De.Voyellos. secretary, and Robert Main, treas¬
urer. The return of Pbilip Goldrick to the
board restores it to its full membership. A com¬
mittee of seven was appointed by President Rose
to establish a new policy for the company, the
board agreeing to abide by the recommendations
of this committee.





The review of the brick sftuatlon for 1914
showed a good year, considering the cartailment
in building construction during tbe last five
months. President Rose outlined the prospects
for 1915. which, he said, tended toward normal.





W





MECHAMCS AND TRADERS BANQUET.
Brooklyn Dealem Have Fourteenth An¬
nual   c;et-To-sether   Feast.

HE.\ it comes down to the art of making
business rivals fraternize, M. N. Canda,
G. \V. Anderson and Daniel J. Morrison carry
their own commercial enterprise and ingenultv
into the realms of pleasure for others and get
away with it. That is why the fourteenth an¬
nual banquet of the Mechanics and Traders'
Exchange, in Brooklyn, Thursday night, took a
frontlKplecc in the history of Goodfellowship
Among Brooklyn Building Material Distributors
and will long serve as a precedent for other
committees  to  follow.

That was. in brief, the essence of the remarks
of President J. T. Castle when he addressed the
two hundred guests before the real party began,
but the volume of applause and cheering that
greeted his expression of gratitude gave evidence
that every per.son there had for some time been
merely waiting to give utterance to similar senti¬
ments.

The Imperial banquet hall never harbored a
more jovial assemblage. There were entertainers
galore who demonstrated that "Made in Ameri¬
ca" voices at least had a competitor's chance
with those "Made in Germany" or raised in
-Milan, but, aside from the oratory of President
Castle, whose speech occupied just two and five-
tenths minutes by the clock, which immediately
thereafter was turned to the wall ; the stentorian
tones of the spellbinder were made conspicuous
by their absence. The rising vote of appreciation
given by the guests put a final peace tax stamp
upon the note of harmony engendered by the get-
together Idea.

COMMON  BRICK.

Prices   Advance—Supply    Low—Unloading

More  Active,

r^ OMMO.N brick moved up early this week
^ from $5^5.25 per M. wholesale to $5.75
to $0. Incidentally the unloading from barges
to job was the heaviest full week this year, the
total being 2.077,000. Cold weather and a
gradual revival of building were factors in
bringing about the advance. When the week
opened there were only two open barges left on
tbe market. When it closed there were 6
open barges left and 44 on the covered list,
making a total of 60 barge loads, or 21,000.000
brick. Gnybco reported yesterday that it had
only two open barges in the basin and these
had been spoken for. They were quoting to¬
day and will continue to quote only covered
brick. It was predicted by one agent that
before the week ends, providing there is favor¬
able building weather, the price for good cov¬
ered  brick will go  as high  as $6.25.

Raritan brick stiffened at prices running from
$5.i5 to $0. At the banquet of the Brooklyn
dealers on Thursday night the statement was
freely made by large and small distributors that
a more liberal inqnuiry had developed within
the last ten days than at any time since Oc¬
tober.

Official transactions for Hudson River brick
covering the week ending Thursday. Jan. 21, in
the wholesale market, with comparison for the
corresponding period last year, and a compara¬
tive statement of Hudson brick unloaded from
barges   for consumption  here,   follows:

1915.
Open barges, left over, Friday A. M..  Jan.  15. 2.
Arrived. Sold. Covered.

Friday.  Jan.  15............    0         0           0

Saturday,   Jan.   16.........    0         0           0

Monday, Jan. 18...........    0         1           0

Tuesday, Jan. 19...........    9          3           4

Wednesday, Jan. 20........    0         0           1

Thursday.   Jan.   21.........    0          1            0

Total  ...................    9         5           5

Reported en   route.   Friday.  Jan.  22—0.

Condition of market, weak. Prices: Hudsons,
."P5.75 to .$6. firm ; Raritans, $5.75 and $6
(wholesale dock. N. Y.); tfor dealers' prices
add profit and cartage) ; Newark. $0.75 to $7.25
(yard), .\ominal. Open cargoes left over Fri¬
day A. M.. Jan. 22—5. Covered, 5; covered
sold.  2 ;  total  covered  left over  Jan. 21—14.

Unloading.
Jan.    .S. . .10      ;;S2.0(fO        Jan. 15. . .14      459.000
Jan.    9...11       218.5(10        Jan.   16...14      385.000
.Ian.  11...18      476,)fOO        Jan.   18...  7        30,(XX)
.Ian. 12...  4        lO.(HK)        Jan.   19. . .16      4S0,5(X)

.Ian. 13. ..12       1.59..*ili0        Jan. 20. ..12      395.500
.Ian. 14...17      OOO.nOo       Jan.   21...13      326.500

Total...78   1.852.000           Total...76   2,077.000
1914.
Left over. Friday A. M.. Jan. 16—125.

Arrived.    Sold.    Covered.

Friday.   Jan.   16........     1              0             0

Saturday,   Jan.   17......    0             1              0

Monday.   Jan.    19.......    0              2              1

Tuesday.   .Ian.   20.......    0              o             0

Wednesday.   Jan.   21. ...    0               2             0

Thursday.   Jan.   22......    0              1              0

Total   ................     1              6             1

Condition   of   market,   stiffening  at   top   quota-  '
tions.      Price:     Hudson.   $5.5(i   to   $6;    .Newark,
yard.   $7.25   to   $7.50,   stiff.     Left   over   Friday
a. m.. Jan. 2:t—120.

OFFICIAL   SUMMARY.

Left   over Jan.   1,   1!H5....................      64

Total .\o. bargeloads arrived, including left

over bargeloads. Jan. 1 to Jan. 21,  1915.       79

Total No. bargeloads sold Jan. 1 to Jan. 21.

1015   ...................................       20

1915   ...............;...................       49

l!i15   ...................................       49

Total No. bargeloads left over Jan.  1. 1914    117

Total No. bargeloads arrived, including left
over.  Jan.   1  to  Jan.  22.  1914...........    145

Total No. bargeloads sold Jan, 1 to Jan 22,
1914    ..................................      25

Total No. bargeloads left over Jan. 23, 1914.    120