844
RECORD AND GUIDE
October 22, 1904
way.—D. Exterior complete. Inside work going on. First story
doors and windows not ia.
Madison av, s e cor 52d st, 5-sty and basement brk dwelling;
Henry G Trevor, Southampton, L I; ar't, Augustus N Allen, 571 Stb
av; b'rs. Fountain & Choate, 114 B 23d st.—D. Entrance doors not
up. Interior finishing under way.
Park av. No 443. 2-sty brk aad concrete rear extension, install
steel beams, columns, bay window, partitions, staircase, to 4-sty
and basement brk and stone residence; Henry C Tinker, 48 E 57th st;
ar't, Chas A Rich, 35 Nassau st.—Work reaching completion.
Lexington av, s e cor 54th st, 1-sty and basement stone church; St
Peters German Bvangelical Lutheran Church. 124 E 4Gtb st; ar't.
J G Michel, 49 Liberty st; b'r, Jacob A Zimmermann, Broadway and
SGth St.—D. Exterior complete. Windows and entrance doors not
in. Interior work going on.
1st av, w s, 25.10 s 44th st, G-sty brk and stone Ioft building; Jacob
and Julius Fleischhauer, 34S E SOtb st; ar't, Wm C Sommerfeld,
19 Union sq.—N. S. Plot vacant.
material Market.
IN GENERAL.
Prices for materials of all sorts are hardening a little. Wail
plaster manufacturers are having a prosperous season, though
the sales could have been larger. The Portland cement busi¬
ness is steadily getting on a firmer footing. A large quantity
will be taken by the new Pennsylvania depot, but of a grade that
will confine the business to a few mills. Some of the largesi
will not compete. The slate tiusiness is reported to be a liitle
slow. One of the new uses for slate is in the making of electri¬
cal switchboards. Sewer-pipe manufacturers throughout the
country are having a reasonably good business year, and the
vitrified brick men are reported doing well. This has been an
active season also for the roofing business, but the cut-stone in¬
terests have been troubled by strikes, though there remain
many jobs that are not disturbed. Most of the largest building
operations of tlie city are now under roof, or are being rushed
to that stage in order that inside work naay proceed without
fear of weather interruption. The Hudson River Blue Stone Co.
is doing considerable for private interests, but corporation work
in the blue stone line is slack.
PROSPERITY IN THE ERICK BUSINESS.
Not for a generation has the manufacture of common bricks
on the Hudson River for this market been as remunerative as it
is this season, and ever since the great strikes of last summer
ended. Seven dollars per thousand by the cargo was the ruling
price last fall and in the early summer of this year, and "seven-
fifty" has been the password in the wholesale market for sev¬
eral montlis. Notwithstanding that labor troubles have inter-
ferred with some building trades in Manhattan, the amount of
brick being laid throughout the city generally exceeds the record
of any year since 1898, when between eighty and ninety barge
loads were required weekly, and the year's output from the
yards was about twelve hundred millions. The year 1899 was
another of large brick production, but in 1901 the enactment of
the tenement house law discouraged a large amount of building
and left at the end of the season an enormous quantity of brick
in the manufacturers' hands. Great dissatisfaction character¬
ized the season of 1902, and in 1903 there was little or nothing at
all doing until the strikes and lockouts ended, and then in ths
fall and early winter dealers had to pay seven dollars a thousand
if they had failed to take sufficient advantage of the demoral¬
ized prices of mid-summer.
Last week the cargoes sold totaled 72, but in previous weeks
of this season as many as eighty had been taken, and in one
notable week 03 cargoes were received and disposed of. At
other times when the market took sixty boats' a week it was
considered in a normal condition. Under these circumstances
the producers feel that life is worth living, and most of them
are living for a fact, if buying expensive country seats, running
for office and playing with automobiles are evidence of high life.
It is as though Supply and Demand had at last formed an al¬
liance to recompense the manufacturers of common brick for the
ill-treatment of the past. Or, it may be that President Ham¬
mond has at last successfully prevailed upon the members of the
manufacturers' association to keep their production within
bounds. While a positive statement cannot be made as to this,
it is recalled that at the meetings of last winter and spring soiie
efforts to control an output that threatened to swamp, the mar¬
ket before this season was half over were recommended, and a
date later than usual was set for opening the manufacturing sea-
If the limit price at which brick can be profitably manufac¬
tured and delivered in this market is five dollars, there is ground
for the rumor from Haverstraw that the manufacturers there are
"salting" away two dollars for every thousand bricks manufac¬
tured, that the two village banks have on deposit more than
a million dollars, and that the net profits to Haverstraw manu¬
facturers for the season, based on a three hundred million out¬
put, will be not less than $500,000. A suggestion for a "harvest
home" banquet would be quite in order, we think. Builders
here In the city, though grumbling over the high price of bri.:;ks.
have consoled themselves with the moderate or cheap prices of
other material.
Por all—manufacturer, dealer and builder, the future is full of
promise. An enormous extension of the city is certain to follow
the opening of the Subway, on Fort Washington Heights, Dyck¬
man Meadows, and in the Bronx generally. Up yonder is the
new New Vork.
IMPROVED ENGLISH CEMENT POSITION.
From the London "Times" it is learned that the accounts of
the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers for the year
ended June 30, show an improvement over the results of the
year before. The accounts of this company for the year ended
June 30 show that after allowing £135.592 for repairs and re¬
newals, the gross profits were £335,721, and £6,971 was brought
forward. Management charges, debenture interest, etc., leave a
divisable balance of £161,543. It is proposed to add £25,000 to the
general reserve fund and pay the final dividend on the 5^ pei
cent, preference shares, leaving £17,658 to be carried forward.
The directors state that the profits of the fourth year of the
Associated Portland Cement Company's working show a sub¬
stantial increase over those of the preceding year, to a great
extent due to economies which are the result of a large expendi¬
ture of capital on improvements in the plant and machinery.
Owing to the competition M'hich the depression of trade has in¬
tensified, tlie selling price of cement has again fallen, while the
higher price of coke has made fuel dearer for the year. The
directors therefore consider the improvement achieved distinctly
satisfactory.
AMALGAMATION OF BROOKLYN INTERESTS.
The Builders' League of Brooklyn is expected to be reorgan¬
ized, a committee having been appointed for the purpose by the
New York Lumber Dealers' Association, consisting of the prin¬
cipal lumber firms in New York and its vicinity. The reorgan¬
ization will virtually be an amalgamation of not only building
contractors, but lumber dealers, building material dealers, and
all others connected with the building industry. It is expected
too that the league will co-operate with the Euilding Trades
Employers' Association, many of the former's members being
associate members of tlie latter.
Building Operations.
Addition to Comiu and ant's House.
NAVX YARD, Brooklyn.—A. considerable addition is to be
built to the residence of the commandant at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard. Bids for doing the work will be received by M. T. Endi¬
cott, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks at Washington,
D. C, until October 29,
Xew Hospital for Jersey City.
JERSEY CITY, N. J.—Raymond P. Almirall and Clinton
Mackenzie, associated, 51 Chambers st, Manhattan, have been
commissioned to prepare plans for a fine up-to-date hospital
building to be erected in Jersey City, N. J., at an estimated cost
of about $200,000. A description of the building cannot be
given at this time as the plans are yet in the preliminary stage.
Dr. Gordon K. Dickinson 278 Montgomery st, Jersey City, is
president Board of Health, and can give information,
ImpTovements in SOth Street.
SttTH ST.—Plans are ready and specifications are being writ¬
ten in the office of N. C. Mellen, 27 West SOth st, for $10,000
worth of improvements to 19 West SOth st. The building, which
is a 4-sty store and loft, will be renovated throughout, with a
21A-sty extension, 25x28, steel beams, iron columns, elevator
shaft, stairs, skylights, and concrete floors. Thomas M. APPle-
garth, 119 West OOth st, is the owner. No contracts have been
issued, and estimates will be received on and after Monday,
Oct. 24th. .---------
' ' A Broadway Improvement.
BROADWAY.—Plans are ready, or nearly so, for the 12-sty
store and loft building, 41.2x130 feet, for Philip Braender, of 418
Central Park West, which will be erecied at 6S4 Broadway. The
structure will cost $350,000, and will contain slag or gravel roof,
a front facade of terra cotta, brick and iron, with Indiana lime¬
stone trimmings, steel frame, two passenger and one freight
elevators, galvanized iron' cornices, steam heat, electric light,
tile and marble work, etc. Frederick C. Browne, 143 West 125th
st, is the architect, and states that Mr. Braender wiil take all
sub-estimates and award all contracts.
Plans for Largest Public Bath,
AVENUE A,^—-William Martin Aiken and Arnold W. Brunner,
associated, 33 Union sq, have completed plans for the largest
public bath yet erected in New York City. The new building
will be situated on the east side of Avenue A, between 23d and
24th sts, and will cost the city $250,000. It will measure IGS.Gx
140.9 feet, 1-sty in height and will be flreproof, containing a
slag and copper roof, a front of brick and limestone, copper and
galvanized iron skylights, limestone and terra cotta cornices,
steel frame, electric lights, and steam heat. As soon as plans
have been approved by the Building Department, estimates will
be received in the usual way.
Iiackawanna's Big Shops.
Work is about to commence for the construction of new shops
for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Co., at
For plans filed see pages 867 and 890.
I