The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-22
How Prices are Going Up.
Manufacturer and Builder for November.

The greatest rise in prices has been in
articles of hardware, and, SO far as these
enter into the construction of house,
the builder finds that his estimates must
be very materially increased. Nails are
20 per cent. higher to-day than they were
at the beginning of the present year.
Window-weights have advanced fully rs
per cent; locks and knobs have risen
nearly As per cent. upon the average !;
tacks and kindred goods, 25 per cent;
common door butts and hinges fully 100
per cent. and such other odds and ends
of hardware as are used in building, an
average of no less than 40 per cent.
Doors are constantly advancing, and it
is difficult to keep the run of the new
prices which are made by the manufac-
turers.
In brick there has been, since the 1st
of January, an advance on some grades
of common of over 80 per cent; but in
lime, sand, and cement there has been
very little variation, and the same may
be said of paints and oils. In all these
articles, however, there is hardening
tendency, and itmay be generally said Of
them that, though there has been
very little nominal advance, yet fig
ures which could often be obtained
upon them six or eight months ago are
not possible to-day. In "dull times" it
frequently happens that dealers are will
ing to give quiet concessions to custom
ers for the purpose of securing trade
when there has apparently been no actual
decline in prices, and, upon the other
hand, when business begins to improve,
the firmer feeling which prevails renders
such concessions difficult to obtain, even
though prices are not quotably higher.
The estimates which builders were able
to furnish last winter and spring, there
fore, were lower than to-day, not only be-
cause of the advance which has actually |
since occurred in some materials, but be-
cause of the concessions which were then |
possible in others.
Common window!glass, either French,
German, or American, can not be bought
to-day within 20 per cent. as cheap as it
could on the 1st of January. A box of
glass suitable for sashes 15x3O inches in
dimensions costs SO 80 to-day, against
50 SO at the beginning of the year; a
box for 1Ox15 sashes costs So 20 to-day,
against 50 10 on the LIST of January, and
a box of glass for 13I Ix26 sashes costs SO |
now, against 50 50when the year opened.
Sashes, doors and blinds have recently
undergone a very material advance.
Blinds have been unproftably low, and
the present prices constitute a rise of
from 35 to 45 per cent. A blind upon
which the combination price was lately
so cents now costs65; those which former
ly sold for 78 cents now sell at 81 10. |
Sashes with glass ready set are over 80
per cent dearer to-day than at the be-
ginning Of the wear.
Ordinary building lumber and shingles,
&c, are not quotably higher
to-day than at the beginning Of the year,
but the Eastern mills are generally run
ming full, and are approaching position
where they can take their pick of orders.
In the West material advance has oc-
Cured on finishing stock, and the retail
dealers are talking of a corresponding ad- |
vance here.
Hard wood lumber for finishing pur-
poses is also frmer, and ash and cherry
will cost some 5 per cent. more than on
The 1st of January. Black walnut sells
to-day at about the same price as at the
of the year, but it has recently |
advanced to that figure after decline Of
rom 3 to s per cent. ..-
The cost Of plumbing house to-day is |
rom 20 TO rs per cent. greater than on
he 1st of January. ... .........