January 23. 1893





Record   and   Guide.





97





Yearly Buildíng Materiai Marl<et.





RKVtEW    OF   ALL   THE    lÆADINQ    AETICLES    FOR    THE    YEAR    EMDING
DECEMBER 31,   ISDl.

Our annual report iipon the busiiiess in structural materlal during tbe
year just stricken from the calendar ia herewitb present»d. The eff'rt has
been to toucb upon all salient features as briefly as po.ssible consistent with
a proper presnrvation of the record, but tbe multiplicity of the articles
necessarily enuoierated makos the review an extensive one aud eutail-d no
small amount of labor. The preservation and compiling of statisticí has
b'en conducted witb the grealestcare from unassailablesourcesof tnforma-
t'on iu the majirity of cases, and may be accepted with confldence as the
most thorough and complete record of íts kind obtainable. We regret,
however, that a perusal of our reports will disclose a generally unsatis-
factory condition ot trade throughout the eutire season, indeed at timcs
busioess was almo-it proîtrate, aod some operators are incliued to brand
1891 as the worst year on record for the building raaterial trtde Hasty
expiession of opinion is apt to attribute the diiSoulty chiefly to the labor
troubles ÍQ the spriog, but that was really only one of the coutril.uling
ÍDfliiences, and the year appeared to be foreordained for dullness and
depre-slon. There was disappointToent iu regard to many expected public
improvements, the spũculative line ot building operations was greatly cur-
tailed for want of the assistance obtainable in forraer seasons, and there
was an utt=r fallure to make a satisfactory start toward the
attaioment of speedy improvement in transportation facilities upon whieh
somany building devcloptneuts now absolutely depend. In biief, there wasa
natural reaclion from the phenomenal animitiou jt the previous few
ycars rather more acute than been expected probably, yet while the
trade in general has suffered it has really efcjped with fewer disasters in
the »ay ot faiiurss than during the preceding sieason. ludeed, evidences
of a great deal of fiuancial strength havo been sbown iu the fact that wbile
grumbling over ihe current condition ot tbe distributive trade, sbrewd
dealers were uot unmindtul of theextremely low prices ruling on raany of
the leading staple articles, and tbey have freely bougbt and stored a liberal
supply a'. a cost thit cm hardly fail to piy a handsome proflt if anything
like the ioiprovement in business develops next spring that i» now calcu-
lated upon. It was the exhaust thus provided that took care of a large
portion of the surplusof supply over actual consumption, for, as our figures
will show, the receipts o£ stocU have avoraged nearly up to 189J, and in
some iosiances ran beyond.

Incidenlal to the season was the strike among laborers in the lumber
yards during the spring, out ot which has comean almost perfoct orf,aniza-
tion of the luraber dealers, luaking the stroDgest associatiou that trade has
ever known. More important still, however, is the movement iiow uuder
way lookÍDg to the formation of a general building material exchaoge. Such
a project was flrst sugíested iu tbese columns years ago. and has siuce fre-
quently been advocited, on the firm belief thit it would be ot vast bpnefit
to all concerned. The Mechanics' and Traders' Exchange, the present Build-
ing ilaterial Eschaoge, and the Lumber Ti-ade Aisociation, are now three
distiDct bodics, which, if united, would make a forinidaDle associalion, but
if there bo added the stone trade, tbe iron and bardware men, the glaís
people and many other divisions of busiuess more or less allind to the build-
ing interebt, there are Ihe possibilities ot an exchange exceeding in power
any olher commercial body iu Ihe city.

Thtre is still quite a eood trade doiog ia export lots of buildiug material,
but as nitb bome con6umption tbe movement has fallen away during the
year.

The following shows, ia condensed form, the export movement of the
leading articles of Building Materials from the port of New York during
the years named :





1887.            1888.

Bricks...................          $1,785          g<,i:35

rement................          37,499          40,6d3

Doors. ^ashes, &c.........          87,261        118.1)9

Fir-Brick, Tiles. &c....          lO.'jl          ll,i41

Lucnber and Timber....      1,S5J,887      l,7(i4,33i

Lath.................            4,0.7           6,9r4

Saingies.................            9,417          11,266

Piint.................         479.069        5liO,:363

Plaster.................          3i,435          .58,714

Ndils...................         3)7,!.9        824,4í6

blate rooflng...........          U.',03í        ll>i.ll9

Stone....................          aii.ilim          2S,iii.0

Hooting.................          18,996          19,460

Plumbiug Material.    ...          41753          41,3i9

Houses...................          21,289          10,577

BridRes.................         li:(j,954        17l),ii7I

Miscelldueøus...........          2i'.9)4          55.765

Totals................     $3.198,891    $1,288,116





1890.          1891.

$25,S08        $12,589

36, "84          31, :h9

113,740        15'1,40J

21,303          28,8()>





-Value.—

1889.

$12,828
33,1^77
74.015
17,679

2,213,338      a,23i.494      1,974,784

1 7J8           2.(153            1,219

11, .92          10,040           9.989

544.. 84        678,-(75        691,989

:V.I,6I8          6-.. 06          6',«7

28^,749        836.972        25.'.l39

48,.i68        l^U.C^          6i.3j9

:3.ĩ,iHX)           63.599           8.',H;0

17,807           13.992            19,009

34,110           5.6.(117           56,040

51,3i3           82,286           25 136

46,7 J9          24-',«77           6;,5I6

4i',231            19,8:19            45,173





$3,511,276    $1,126,217    S3,561,2ũfl





BRICKS.—Although some little animation wos shown atthe commeuce-
meut of the year, and fairly full rates cbtained during the greater portion
of the seasou proper, the general market for Common Hard bnck has
carried a duU tone. Sometimes it was a large D and sometiraes a smaU
one; but the refrain of reports trom week to week and month to mouth
always proved '• duU," and for qiute a protracted period there was a
remarkable uuiformity on the bne of valuati'U. VVehave experienced
greater difficulty thii year than usual in obtaiuing positive statements
regardiug both the araouut of productiou aud the quautity left at yar s;
bui it is the impress on o; some well-i osted operators that the sales of
brick from firsl-hand offering.i have exceeded tho uumber made, though
tbe sipply thus bandled did uot all pas- directly into a tual cou..umption,
as will be uot.íd íurther along. One year a^o our estimate of an approx-
imatiou to ûU0,tO ,U 0 stock oii haud was criticised by two or tbree opera-
tors, who did uot ha: peu lo 1 e consulled, as excessive; but the results
prnved that the fi^ure wa< rather uuder thau over the mark; and it was
this libe al hold-ove that increa.'ied the sales boji.ud tho limits of produc-
tioD, aiid it is just possible that the mouldiug and burniug ot brick might
haye niu dowu into siill narrower proportions, but for couditions under
which so many o£ 1 be yards were worked. It is simply the old story of
niakiog stock from leasehold propirty upou which payments have to be
guaraute^ equiToleut to the buruiag of a specificaũy-uamed uuiober of





brick, and makers claiming that even under dull conditions of trade and a
tameness on value their losses are somewhat mitigated by producing the
fuU amoniit ot quota aud getti'g all the money oiit ot the property pos-
sible. The position of mauiifactiirers wbo own their plant entire has been
something ot a competitivo one as asainst those working leased yards in
view of a more or less direct offort to resort to a sort of freeze-out policy
toward tbe lattor and force them, if possible, to quit. Ot course that hM
added to tbe oiitput of stoc somewhat and made an additional depressiug
facto- upon tbe liue of value which has averagedlower, by a consi(íerable
fraction, thau for a great many preceiUuí; seasons, and oven still mo e in
buvers' favathau s''Own bv mere price wben the conditiou ot stock is con-
cemed. Indeed, tew, if any, ot tue pres-nt generation ot operators can
caU to mind a year where quality has avera^ecl so uuiformly bigh, and
that result may be attriDutetl to unusually good weather during
^reater portion of regular manufacturing season, no uecessity
tor hnrry in w.jrking up stock, aud a (íecidedly esact-
ing cuslom always wanting the hest, and frequen'ly p.rmiiting really
p(3or loads of stock to Hy weeks unsold, not even eeiii'ig a bid. Briefly, it
bas been about a t-ĩ.OO raarket, or lesí. tor a supply probably an good a^ any
evermjnufactured, though a great amount of stix!t has gone iato dealers'
hands at a eonbiderable bigher flgure under contracts closed early in the
season Tbe severe lesson given the wall<iog d'^Iegaie nuisance during 189U
seems to have proven quite persuasive and effectual, workmeri, in oose-
quence. remaining free fromdicialion and no Ubor trouhl'ís arising, which
i.s at least one relieviug featiire ot the situation; and aoothpr miy be found
in tbe fact that. although 1891 wil| rank among the wor^tand luust uasatis-
tory years ever known, tbere has been an absence of flnancial striin suffl-
cient to brÍDg disaster t > any seetion of the trade. Id view of the universal
cnraplaÍDt over the dull condiiion ot trade, it was nt timas soraewhat diE5-
eult to account for tbn diíappearanctí of tbe supplies. In Ibis and sur-
rouuding ciiies. bowever, even a slow consuinption may in the aggregate
prove a very large one and vast numbers ot brick have been qiiietly
absorbed, with deraand probably stiraulated by the low co<t. In addition
to that, however, there has been a great amount of buying by dealers,
pspecially toward the end of the busy season, wbo, at tbe pric^, and taking
i'itoconsid''ratiin thequality, couW not re9i<t the temptation to about fill up
tbeir storage roora with stock that, under all ordioary conside'-ation'i, is no
doubt safp as an investment and may turn out decided bargains, if hopeful
eipectations in regard to consuraption aie realized and present indicaiions
in regard to supply are well founded. Sta'ting with a smaUer accumula-
tiou in flrst hands than last year, the chances seem to be that the produc-
tioa will he miterinlly curtailed. A great ma ly lea'íos have e'pired with
theyear just closed and.so faras known, not oneapplication has bepu made
for renewal. As a rul» the flxtures belong to the tenants, hut they wouliĩ
ratber siacriace them than pay rents at the rates asked. and the majority
assert that tbej will never make another coutrnct ia which a quautity
allowaiice isembodied. The above remarkshavo gonerally applied to the
Nurth River pioduction, from which most ot Ihe supply was received this
season, the arrivals from New Jersey sections probîblv running srailler
than for fitteen years, and many of tbe Keyp irt yards d d not start up at
all, owiug to the poor eacouragemeiit roceived in the spriag A very g<x)d
andindeedimprovod bome consuiuption has, however, beeu found for Jer-
seys, Newark in particular takiog very much above the ordinary
average.

For the sake of record, it may be ioteresting to briefly traca tbe course
of fluctuations thrimghout the year Du ing early pait ot January mat^
ters were little be.ter than nominal, owing to ibe fact that tbe Hudson
navigation was''closed aud conditioo of wedtber s'ach as to retard co sump-
tion; butsoon atter the i5th a tew Jersey.s Staten IsIaDrtsand LoDg Islaods
were selliog from $.5 ('U up to *7 0 1 por M, and by the lust of the month a
thaw set in which led to an arrival of sitteen orseventeen liarge loads frora
Haverstrqw Bay. and tnp figure dropped to ?6 .'iO psr M. By tbe .'ith ot
Kehruarv tbe recoi'd showed fortv-five barges siace oj eoiug of navigat'oa,
besides sail vessel lots from other localiiias, ma'.iDg a toppy supply,
against which there was no fully nompensa'ing demiud, and bv end ot
mootb $(3 25 was a full top rale. During first week io Maich the river
closcd agaiu for a tew days, but finally reopened aíiaÍD liy the I.ith. before
even the accumulation here had been worbed off, and the fresb rece'pts
immediately followiug suit, Haverslraws soid 4> 7 a''>.UO for a top. with
plonty otthemofferÍDg. and somearrivals ot Up-Riversbyend of mouth sold
at SViiraV25 per M. shipments from Long Idand aad New Jersey in mean-
while about ceasiog. Duriog the eariy portion of Apr I the pressure of
plentiful supplies against an unwilling outlet seuled the prce to $4 .51 aĩ.O')
for Up-Riversand Í50ia5 50 for Haverstraws. witb washedstoeksélling at
Í4.II0 and some Comraon Jersejs at $3 5n pcr M. Abíut the middle of mnnth
dealers bc ame cjurageous enough to contract for some :30.000 000 ot the
new make. supposed at about ruling ratos, and tbat with lesseii. d arrivals
stiffened the tone, and ihe best grades crept up to $6.00 by tbe ond of the
month. though with rep .rt that about all the yards were working May
was a Dorainal sirt ot month, as the lumber strike was ou. buiMing inter-
feied with, demand s-low, and the new ciop commenciug to ĸrrive. The
first of the new Uiver^raws snld at $B "U by íchoiuer load, and from tbat
the rate weakened off to *5.'(ia'> 7.5. About the poorest stuff cf the feason
sold ibis mouth embric ng the clean up of ihe yards, aad went al$l OU, 4.00
al 25 per M. Juno was about as liad aMhe preceding mouth. the check to
buildiug by the lumber slriUe causing anaccumulaliĩnof stuck at all poiats
ard some ot the yards temporarily stopped working, while it was only an
exceptional stock thal $5.5ii per M could be ob ained As soon as the labor
trouble in the lumber trade was removed. however, supplies coramenced to
rush forward with freedom again, price dropp'd .'Uc. per M, and dur-
ing tbe months of July. August, Sep ember aud October the lone of tbe
market was simply one dreary monotoay at $5.ii0 per M and uoder cover-
ÍDg the Dulk ot busineí-s, and whilj exceptional sales, special brands, etc.,
now ami tben reached a.ĩc raore, buyers geaerallv cirriel the contiolliug
balaoce, especially as supplies were always plentitul an.l freqiiently over-
ran the iramediate eshaustive caDucity of the mari'et. Prjduciiou about
all cleaie-1 during latler part of Octob-r. The opea weather and coutinued
consumptioD raised tho li'uit ot price 'i a'iOc. per M during November aod
Dccember. especi«Ily afler the Up-River tows stopped, butdown to the 3Ist
of the rrontb there was quite as much supply as the míirket required and
no sp cial moasure of siiength showo. AII uands seem tn tbink 11 tbe worst
yeur cn record, b'it participate ia a general feeliug of hopefulness that the
incoming season will bring iraprovemoiit.

Pale Brick have been at a discount wlmost from beginning to end ot
season. owiug totne great cheaonefs ot Hards. and ihe major p irtion of th«
busioess was consummated principally through the persisleut efforts of
receivers in forcing an oudet ihiugb even that plin wa. noc always suc-
cossful in securing custom. Once or twice duriug the seasou tbers
appeared to I e a little namral demand. but it quickly subsided aud was in
tHB main cotfiaed U small cargoes by sail anrl rtquired for soine speciol
iob Soihoroughly inilitrerent was general custocn, that even Brooklyn
irade turoed a cold sbouIiJe , and f-iiled to aff ird Ihe u*ual vent. Prices
were easy naturally under tho conditions meutioned. a'.d wbile a tew early
seascn sales went at $:J .50 per M about Í2..5U has bean the average top, with
agriat raany soldat*3dcwD. somoof tbe best makes under stress going
at $I..5l'aI.75 p^r M. The only meut on we heard of " laramies" was Ihat
tbey were being dumped into tbe river to belp flll out for bulk bea.ls. etc,
at the yards. ti has been a mighty poor jear f jr all brick, but especiaUy
so for luferior stock.

Fronts have undergone no very Important change, as comparod with
tbe previous year. In tbis immediate vic'nity tha dem'ind for dai k or red
shadesconiinueserraiicand mo'leiate. owing to favor sbown tne lighcer
colon and the more general use of stoae, and prelty muoh aU Frouts Uftfa