Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 74, no. 1910: October 22, 1904

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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