770





RECORD   AND   GUIDE





December 2, 1916





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I   CURRENT    BUILDING    OPERATIONS,
I         MATERIALS    AND    SUPPLIES





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GENERAL lassitude might be the ap¬
pellation that would most aptly ap¬
ply to the condition of the building .ma¬
terial market during the week just
passed. The condition is a normal one,
however, when time is taken to consider
the fact that the week contained one ot
the yearly holidays that is celebrated
in some manner by people in all walks
of life. The desire to get away to family
reunions and other seasonable gather¬
ings combined with the prevalent holi¬
day spirit has left but little time for
sustained attention of business matters.
Holiday weeks are most generally pe¬
riods of laxity as applied to business,
and the week of Thanksgiving is by no
means an exception.

Notwithstanding the apparent quie¬
tude, there has been quite a definite ten¬
dency toward sharp advances in the
prices of some of the commodities used
in building construction. This advance
applies most particularly to metals and
metal products with other inaterials fol¬
lowing the trend in a lesser degree. Ac¬
cording to the present outlook there is
no great probability that there will be
much of a recessation in building prices
for some time to come. The time is now
ripe for operators contemplating con¬
struction work during the coming spring
and summer to place their orders for
building materials at present market
prices, and thus insure deliveries when
wanted. During the last year the ques¬
tion of deliveries has been almost as
important as the matter of price and the
experience gained while waiting for ma¬
terials in the past should intluence pros¬
pective builders to anticipate their wants
whenever possible.

The market for brick and other ma¬
sons' materials has not evidenced much
activity owing to the fact that there has
been few general contracts placed for
important building operations. Nume¬
rous building projects have been figur¬
ing, however, during the week past, and
these have had a tendency to stiffen
somewhat the prices. The contemplated
operations are well distributed through¬
out all five boroughs of the city and
nearby towns are reporting considerable
activity in  contemplated work.    During





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the week there has been a strong move¬
ment of brick into the city, which is
being stacked in storage yards against
the time that the frozen condition of
the river and harbor will make lighter¬
age impossible.

The structural steel market has fol¬
lowed the trend of the metal situation
and has witnessed the placing of orders
for considerable tonnage both for city
and out of town delivery. One of the
noteworthy orders of the week is that
placed by Milliken Bros., Inc., for 1,600
tons of structural steel, to be used in thu
construction of the train storage yard
at 229th street and VVhite Plains road
for the F'ublic Service Commission. Dur¬
ing the week the Lehigh Valley Rail¬
road has taken estimates for a large t9n-
nage to be utilized in the construction
of bridges and the structural steel re¬
quired for important local operations has
been figured.

The market for pig iron has been very
firm and a number of large tonnage or¬
ders have been placed at prices that have
sustained a sharp advance. The advance
in price for this commodity during the
past month has been considerable, but
has had no apparent tendency to check
orders. Recent advices state that prac¬
tically all of the large furnaces have
closed for enough tonnage orders to car¬
ry them throughout the coming year.

The labor situation has remained re¬
markably quiet. Practically all of the
mechanics engaged in the various build¬
ing lines are engaged at full, time. In
New York and vicinity there is still a
considerable shortage of skilled me¬
chanics in some lines owing to the con¬
tinued deinand for operatives in the
manufacture of war munitions. When
this demand ceases a great number of
hands will be thrown back into their
original lines of endeavor which will re¬
lieve a situation that for some time has
been more or less acute.

The recent flurry in the coal market
seems to be subsiding. The continua¬
tion of favorable weather with its de¬
creased demand, combined with better
freight facilities, will surely be respon¬
sible for a return of this commodity to a
price that will be but little higher than
normal.





Brick.—The brick market advanced in
price during the past week, although the
demand for that commodity fell off some¬
what, a situation undoubtedly due to the
holiday. Arrivals during the week were
comparatively heavy for this time of the
year, and if the favorable weather con¬
tinues there should be enough brick de¬
livered to this city to supply the winter
needs. Since last week the price has ad¬
vanced to $9.50 a thousand, in cargo lots
to dealers. This price is for Hudson
River brick, there being no Raritan River
brick obtainable at this time. The out¬
look for a busy winter building season
is a favorable one and there is no doubt
that the price now current will be sub¬
stantially increased before next spring.

SUMMARY.—Transactions in the North River
brick market for the week ending Friday, De¬
cember 1, 1916;

Condition ot market: Demand good, prices
higher. Quotations; Hudson Rivers, $9.50 to
$0.75, to dealers in cargo lots alongside dock.
Number of cargoes left over from last week, 5 ;
arrived, 55; sold, 49. Distribution: Manhat¬
tan, 14; Brooklyn, 17; Bronx, 0; New Jersey
points, 8; Astoria, 1, Flushing, 2. Lett over
Friday, December 1, 18.

Iron and Steel.—Lehigh Valley fur¬
naces announced an advance in iron
prices amounting to $1.50 to $2 a ton,
putting No. 2X iron on a basis of $29
furnace.

American Steel & Wire Co. has ad¬
vanced prices of wire products $3 per ton
effective at once, makin.g wire nails $3,
plain wire $2.95. The advance was made
necessary  by the  recent  advance  of $4





per ton in steel bars. Wire rods are also
strong and higher, but no official price is
given; at the same time, the American
Steel & Wire Co. will accept no orders
under $60 per ton, whereas a few weeks
ago, large sales were made at $57.50. Ex¬
port contracts for rods have been taken
recently at between $70 and $75 per ton
and the demand is far from satisfied.

The advance in prices of wire products
is the second change in schedule by the
largest interests this month. The pre¬
vious advance of $3 per ton was an¬
nounced by the American Steel & Wire
Co. on November 4, making the total
advance this month $6 per ton.

Metal Lath.—The Associated Metal
Lath Manufacturers have conducted fire
tests in the East and the West to deter¬
mine the exact value of expanded metal
lath construction from the angle of fire-
resisting construction. The results of
these tests have been distributed to the
architects and builders of the country
and have given them information that
probably would never have been com¬
piled in any other wav.

Tests are being conducted by the Bu-
real of Standards at Washington for this
association to determine the best mix¬
tures to use in connection with metal lath
for stucco work. Also to determine what
construction methods should be followed
in erecting stucco.

The question of obtaining a construc¬
tion for partitions that will be sound¬
proof is of great importance. The As¬
sociated  Metal  Lath  Manufacturers  are





having an investigation made by one of
the largest universities to determine the
value of various construction methods.

Arrangements have also been made for
a series of tests by the Board of Under¬
writers, to establish the exact standing
of metal lath construction as a fire-re¬
sisting construction for all classes of
work.

The value of the work of this associa¬
tion to the building industry is that all
of this data will be available to every
person interested in building from manu¬
facturer to the consumer or owner.

Electrical Equipinent.—Prices have ad¬
vanced on the average in the past twelve
months, 25 per cent., exclusive of the
advances in wire and wire products. An
electrical authority says production costs
have increased more than 25 per cent.,
but expenses, such as overhead, have de¬
creased in per cent., owing to the vol¬
ume of business handled. Still, it is not
believed that the decrease has been suf¬
ficient to offset the increased cost in per
cent, of labor and materials.

"Gross profits are, of course, greater
this year than in any previous year. Dur¬
ing no previous twelve months were elec¬
trical factories ever so rushed with work.
Never has there been such a difference
between production facilities and volume
of unfilled orders."

Insulator prices have advanced four
times in the last year and are still un¬
stable. In spite of these advances, which
have aggregated about 30 per cent., still
higher prices are in prospect for the not
distant future. Labor conditions, more
than any other one item, are said to be
responsible for this price situation. Be¬
cause many insulator factories are in
that section of the country where the
munitions business is most flourishing
mechanics are being continually enticed
into the war plants by extraordinary
wage offers.

Lumber.—Considering the season, a
fair demand for lumber continues, and
the recent advance in prices hold firmly.
Competition for business among re¬
tailers is not so keen as it was.

At the annual meeting of the New
York Lumber Trade Association the
trustees reported the lighterage situa¬
tion to be one of great concern, adding:
"Through the inadequate team track
service furnished by the various rail¬
roads entering this port you are obliged
to receive nearly all your deliveries of
lumber by lighter so far as Manhattan
Island and parts of Brooklyn are con¬
cerned. Any action on the part of the
railroad companies to abolish this light¬
erage service without adequate and
nearby team track terminal facilities is
one that should be fought to the end.
There appears to be an inclination on
the part of the railroad companies, or
at least some of them, to discontinue the
service. Letters of protest to the Inter¬
state Commerce Commission in such
matters have little weight. This will
have to be fought out in the regular
routine procedure of the_ Interstate
Commerce Commission. It is our opin¬
ion that in the event that it becomes
necessary for us to take this matter up
before the Interstate Commerce Com¬
mission, it be fought to the end."

Coal.—The market is quieting down
as prices recede. Quotations vary from
day to day. The advance of bituminous
coal has been more serious for busi¬
ness interests than that of anthracite.
Four months ago the wholesale price
was $1.25 a ton. Recently the bitumin¬
ous grades have brought as high as $8.
The high price has added greatly to cost
of   manufacturing   certain   materials.

Sash Weights.—This is the season for
closing in buildings and installing sash
weights. A year ago sash weights were
quoted in this territory at $25 per ton to
dealers and at the present time $32.50.





RECORD   AND   GUIDE   aUOTATIONS   ARE   ACCEPTED   AS   OFFICIAL   BY   BUILDING   MATERIAL   EXCHANGES.