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496 RECORD AND GUIDE March 9, 1912 BUILDING MATERIALS. English Coal Strike Beginning to be Felt in Local Supply Market. Higher Cost of Fuel May Effect All Industries— All Open Cargoes of Hudson Common Buck Now Sold—Cement Prices May Move Up_ THE strike in the English coal fields and the resultant advance of a dol¬ lar a ton for soft coal in this country owing lo the heavy requisitions made on the present supply by railroads, steam¬ ship and manufacturing companies across the water and the current rumors of impending trouble in the Pennsylvania anthracite fields may force the price of building materials upward. Portland cement interests were the flrst to fee! the tightening of the bituminous coal market and, anticipating trouble during the summer when the brick mak¬ ing season opens up, Hudson Kiver and Raritan River manufacturers were in the local coal market this week for all the fuel they could buy. In some cases tbey not only paid the advance, but tried to get cars in which to bring the coal to their yards. Similar attempts were made bv manufacturers of olher huilding ma¬ terials, notably woodworking companies, steel mills, stone cutting plants, archi¬ tectural teiTa cotta manufacturers and, in fact, every manufacturer who uses coal of any kind in large quantities. The coal operators are swamped wilh orders even now and they are reaching a point where they will lie unable to sup¬ ply the markel. So far, they say, they are taking business subject to their abil¬ ity to make deliveries, but with the rail¬ roads already fearfully congested, frei^'bt cars growing scarcer- every day and lo¬ comotive equipment limited, even under ordinary conditions, owing to the policy of retrenchment which has prevailed among railroad companies during the last year, it already is becoming a problem to make sure of fuel for manufacturing purposes more than sixty days hence. It therefore is advisable that all manu¬ facturers who have not yet arranged for coal supplies make their reservations at once. A ton in the bin is worth two tons promised, and inasmuch as stocks generally are low in the building material market these 'conditions and future possi¬ bilities should be well considered by building material manufacturers. The general building material market is easy as far as distributors are con¬ cerned. Buying is light because the con¬ tinued cold weather has made construc¬ tion work well nigh impossible in every deparlment of building activity. The percentage of labor employed is way be¬ low the average for the first nine weeks uf any recent year except those in which panics have occurred, but there is a good feeling in practically all trades, partly because the "Shoeslringer" is rapidly be¬ ing eliminated as a factor in metropoli¬ tan construction work and partly .be¬ cause of the movement now being made to effect a change in the lien law. But while buying is still retarded, there is an encouraging inquiry, and this Is very likely lo increase in volume as it becomes more and nrore apparent that a long protracted summer coal strike will have a direct effect on the production of building materials in all departments. Some idea of the present situation as regards fuel for manutacturing pui-poses is that West Virginia coal which ordi¬ narily sells in New York for .?2.r)0 a ton is now bringing if3..50 to old customers. Speaking of this matter C. J. "ViHttenberg. of the Pocohontas and New River Coal Company of West Virginia, with oflices at 11 Broadway, said: "A great demand has been caused largely by the strike in England, which is sending over large orders to this coun¬ try. We cannot export much bituminous coal because of lack of railroad facilities here. There are now contracts on hand for 100,000 tons for immediate export and the coal companies find cars lacking." At the office of the Consolidated Coal & Timber Co., in the Metropolitan build¬ ing, it was said that the price of this coal doubtless would continue to advance Eind that the price of small anthracite .=izes also will go up. Steam coal in small sizes, suitable for steaming purposes in buildings, also is going up. although it is now being supplied in some instances at a premium. Stove and egg sizes prob¬ ably will not go u-p for the present at least. Even though the strike in England be shortlived, it is believed that the only solution ic the problem will be lor the operator:', tn grant the 'demands of the men. If they do that, it will mean higher prices for fuel to the ultimate consumer and that, in turn, means higher cost of finished products. The refusal of the operators here to meet the demand Cor 20 per cent, increases in wages, 'has Us serious portent and, should the mines close, even temporarily, and reopen only on condition that the men receive more wage, the extra cost will redound to the manufacturer who must, of necessity, ad¬ vance his prices. Collections are better. The money mar¬ ket Is strenglhening and building loans are being made, but with conservatism. The stock taking period in various build¬ ing material manufactories is over and requisitions, which have been pending, are now said to be coming out. Distrib¬ utors are looking to Queens borough as the active center of the day, although there is a fair market opening up on the east side between 2.3rd street and 5Uth street for loft, store and some of¬ fice buildings. Building material interests were in¬ clined to look with more optiniism upon tho business future because of the re¬ markable and rather unlooked for recov¬ ery of the stock market during the week, despite political eomplications and the impending presidential campaign. The sharp advance in steel of flve points earlier in the week, the strengthening of Reading, Pennsylvania and other rail¬ road securities, together with some in¬ dustrials on the curb, put the whole huilding supply situation in a better light, with the possible exception of one or two departments in which pandemonium still reigns owing to competitive intrigues. Cement. Porfland cement manufacturers, which arc large users of bituminous coal were inclined to believe this week that an extra n\e cents would have to 'be added lo their product to cover the increased cost of fuel. Announcement to this effect was expected before the flrst of next week. To shut down the cement mills would spell something like ruin to many plants. Interest on very large sums of invested capital and the disorganization of their expensive organizations would prove to be a very serious niatter to some companies whose only salvation just now is to keep their plants running regardless of the cost and as near to full capacity as possible. This is particu¬ larly true of the Lehigh district although many of the Hudson River companies are not much better off than their Le¬ high brethren. Most of these mills ha\'e tremendous stocks on hand, not so much from choice as from necessity. Every possible device is being employed to sell this material and every day publicity and advertising how to use it. is -creating larger and larger consumption, but even so, the stocks on hand are still unwieldy. Quotations by leading companies fluc¬ tuate, but ."pLSS was top. Consumers de¬ siring deliveries in April.should make al¬ lowance, for a five -cent advance.. Brick. The common briek interests along the Hudson and-the 'Raritan rivers were ac¬ tively in the coal market this week for fuel although their season will not be¬ gin, especially in the Hudson River dis¬ trict, until another month. Many of the plants already have engaged and have stored supplies of coal in anticipation of mine trouble. The same is true of front brick mills in Pennsylvania and the architectural terra cotta companies in the Raritan River district. In this depart¬ ment, as in most of cement and other building materials, it will be the part of wisdom for consumers of brick to make their reservations early, and, if possible, to stack for early building season needs. But fortunately there is a good supply of common brick in both the I-Iudson and the Raritan River districts so that panic conditions need not be feared. It will be recalled that while October, Novem¬ ber and December were featured by mild weather conditions during which large quantities of common brick were used, all nine ^veeks of this year have been attended by such extremely cold weather that laying was out of the question and consequently the supply on the market has gone out slowly and the kiln supply has not been touched. There is more than enough brick on hand in tlie sheds for all of New York's need, not including the largp supplies in the Raritan River sheds, until the manu¬ facturing season opens, even though the construction market were firmly active instead of desultory as it so far has been. But the fact remains that it Is the part of wisi^om for architects and others to make sure of available brick while the market is at its present level so as to discount any possible prolonged tie-up at coal shipping centers. Transactions for last week with com¬ parisons for the corresponding week last year, follow: 1912. Left over, open cargoes, Feb. 26—8. Arrived. Sold. Covered, Monday ........... Tuesday........... . . 1 Wednesday........ 1 Thursday ......... 2 i Fridav ............ 2 4 Saturday .......... 3 3 Total 12 Condition of the market, strengthening. Prices. $G.75 to S7.25. Wholesale dock, N. V. Allow for cartage, covering charges and dealers profit. Raritan rivers, {7 dock. N. Y. Total covered left, 16. Total open cargoes left. Mar. 2. none. 1011. Left over, open cargoes. Feb. 27—-1. Arrived. Sold. Covered. Mondav ........... .. 1 Tuesday ........... l Wednesday........ 1 2 Thursday ......... 1 4 Friday ............ ■ ■ 8 Saturday .......... 1 2 Total 17 Condition of market, dull. Available covered cargoes, 10. Quotations on cov¬ ered cargoes, $5.50 to 55.G2i^. Open car¬ goes, $5.25 to $5.75. Left over open car¬ goes. March 4. none. 3Ietal». Building metals face a peculiar prob¬ lem, just now. They are 00 per cent, filled with orders, on the average, and yet there is such a scarcity of cars that few are promising prompt deliveries. Steel shipments have been fairly regular, but pig iron is hard to move, tin is stub¬ born and lead and copper are sullen. Whether the transportation situation will clear for them remains to be seen. Most of these interests use flat cars which are not suitable for coal haulage so that so far the demand for coal has not seriously interfered with this department. The fuel situation also has less influence on building metals than on many other building products, because coke is so largely used in the furnaces, but never¬ theless steel interests expect a general stiffening in the market when spring building orders begin to come out in bet¬ ter tone, and they are basing this ex¬ pectation partly on the premium they may have to pay for coal and partly on the inability to get sufficient cars. Once again it is well to caution archi¬ tects against delay in filing their specifi¬ cations and even small consumers will look to their pig-iron supply, especially those coming from the south. A high record in flnished products is eN:pected this month. All the larger kills are working practically to 90 per cent, capacity and the Carnegie 'Steel Com¬ pany has formally withdrawn all mini- mums under l.loc mill. Two of the strongest independents in the Pittsburgh district followed the example of the Car¬ negie mills. The shading of plates and shapes to the 1.10c level is expected to lessen within the next fortnight, as the mills manu¬ facturing the heavier tonnage products are really more comfortably fliled than they were in the middle of February de¬ spite market reports to the contrary. Sheets show the most marked shading as far as finished products are concerned and there are irregularities of $2 to $3 a ton. Additional idle capacity in sheets has gone into operation and there are in¬ dications that some of the interests that have been most active in cutting prices have about all the low priced business they want to accumulate. irisc«>llnii(Knis CominoilKicH. In stone, kalamein, marble, fireproof¬ ing and santl there is little change, save in the latter. -Sand is coming into the market in larger quantities, although the quotations are still stiff and some con¬ sumers are paying premiums for accom¬ modation. The biggest sand companies are about able to take care of old cus¬ tomers, although some ot them are now in a position to make accommodations to newcomers. There is a good movement in equip¬ ment orders, especially for elevators and ijoilers. Pumps are also reported to be in demand to a limited extent. Electrical appliances are not in as good call as hoped for at this time of the year, but there is a good inquiry and the trade is hopeful. Paints are in a rigid mar¬ ket, with raw materials stiffer than ever and even fish oil maintained at a firm level. Linseed is still high and China wood oil is, if anything, stiffer owing to the limited available supply. The spring trade for oils, paints and varnishes is looming up large. Dampproofing mate¬ rials are reported as active, but roofing material is sluggish,