Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-24
BRICK FAMINE.
v,sY BUILDINGS DELAYED FROM SCARCITY
OF MATERIAL.
Where the Brick Comes From, and
What II OOsts-Many Pitsburg Brick
Layers Coming to Town.

MneelinS - CIJOg ing Ouliulng Doom
this year, such as she has not expert
snced in many seasons. There are more
and better buildings going up than ever
| before recorded in any one season, evil
6encing solid aud substantial growth
throughout the city. AS the REGIsrER
has before remarked, the present un-
usual activity is partly due to the con-
,entratiOn OF two seasons into one. oe-
rssioned by the strike Of last year.
Still, Notwithstanding the large
AMOUNT of work mapped out, it Is be-
Neyed that the same could be disposed
Of in a reasonable time were in not for
the scarcity OF brick. The cry for brick
has been continuous since the first of
the spring, and the various contractors
have been supplied only at Intervals
with meagTe inStallmentS. There was
time when brick manufacturers right
here in Wheeling pretty nearly kept the
machinery going the entire season. Not
so this year. Just at this uaprecedent-
ei stage In building there are fewer
home manufacturers in the business.
Since last season three prominent man
|ufaeturers, notably Mckinley, Bell and
|WaterhouSe,, have discontinued opera
tlons, leaving but one or two yards in
the field. Scarcely 1,0O0,O 600 brick of
home product have been obtainable,
some 5OO,OOO being furnished by West
wood and nearly an equal amount by
Brooks. From this it will be seen that
contractors could hardly rely upon
home product, inasmuch as there
are several quite extensive
constructions on the programme. The
|Schmulbach Brewing Co.'S operations
will devOur a cool 5000, 600 brick before
the season is over; Anton Reyman, in
his various buildings, will consume not
far from 1900 900; Henry X. List will
need above 100000; the new jail will
chew up LOO, 900, while there are vari-
Gus smaller buildings throughout the
|city largely using brick.
In the city al the present time there
|are doubtless no less than sixty-five
buildings in process Of construction re-
|0uiring brick, sll of which are more or
less delayed. Not since the season of
1865 has there been such scarcity OF
this commodity. OF course. the con-
Tractors have had to have recourse to
touchdown yards. Nearly 10000
brick have been obtained from Martins
Ferry, some 800, 600 from Bellaire, and
IA large quantity from New MartinSville.
There has also been nearly 100000
shipped from Morgantown.
The only building that seems to be
particularly fortunate in having an
ample supply on hand is the new jail
building. A contract was made early
b. the season with one of the Bellaire
manufacturers to consume all the bricks
De should make, and the result is they
re arriving daily, almost faster than
L he railroads can handle them. And by
HE way, the railroads have been
source OF some annoyance to the con-
tractors, owing 10 inattentiOn in look
tng after the freight. the cars frequently
being detained at BOgg's run for con-
siderable time.
Early in the season the agent OF the
Royal Brick Co. at Carlisle, Ohio, came
b this city and made arrangements
D. deliver some 100000 brick, the
me 70 be delivered at certain specified
kmeS. For some reason or other the
Royal Company failed to ship their pro-
fuct regularly, and several of the con-
tractors who relied upon getting their
material from this source were "in the
k0up." so TO speak, and at the last mo-
tnent were compelled 10 send elsewhere
for brick. The Royal Company has
Forwarded quits large amount OF
brick, but it mas been considerably de-
jayed, aud IL has been said by one of
the prominent contractors that the
company has not fulfilled their COL
tracts in this city by one-fourth.
The scarcity has pulled the price up
Rome on brick. Last season you could
bet quantities of brick at 81 to $3.50 a
Thousand. This year it runs from IS TO
Is. so, and several contractors have paid
hs high as SIP a thousand, depending
hpOn the urgency of the case and the
distance and manner of delivery.
There is a good profit in brick max
Ing" said one contractor yesterday.
! 'Bricks can be made from $3.50 TO So
h thousand by the manufacturer, and
.they ought not to be more than 50
thousand to the builder. But the cost
pf transportation by cars and the ire
luent high price for hauling makes the
brick expensive in the end. l was In
b Pennsylvania city short time ago
where the contractors informed me they
were getting plenty OF brick at 80
thousand"
Another contractor said he did not see
shy more did not go into the business
~ manufacturing brick right here at
bome. 1t was his opinion that excellent
flay for the purpose existed about the
a eighboring hills, and he believed that
Wheeling ought TO be shipping brick
but of town instead Of having this ma
terial brought i'm.
Another contractor, however, thought
that possibly the soil here was not ex-
Actlv what was wanted for brickmaS-
hg. He had heard it stated that there
Mas too much Of lime and soapstone IN
Iermixed with the clay TO work IL ad-
tantageously. The machines could not
handle it effectively.
The outlook in the near future Tor
better brick supply is little more en-
managing. The new brickyard near
10 de Chantal is well under way, and
a is said the firm is making an excellent
abalitv of brick. This yard will prob
.blv be furnishing quite large quanti-
~ of brick i'm a short time. There are
$50 two large brickyards about to start
"A at Moundsville, and this will afford
q near and convenient supply. The
chances are that the contractors will DC
able TO utilize all the brick made in this
section for some time
The scarcity of brick has In measure
kept back considerable Of the work In
arfhitects' offices which should have
been begun earlier. 1t is said that there
"A s15O. 600 worth of work in one OF the
well-knOwn architects offices In this
elfv which has not yet been put out.