Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-08
ADVANCING PRICES
The Rise in Cost of Building Ma
teraIs of All Kinds.
Has Increased the Cost OF Building
About Twcniy-dyc Per Cent
Tho Contractors AFRO bothered by
Uncertain Prices.

The = past few months have seen
n steady advance i'll prices of building
ma teridls of all kinds, so that conserva-
tive men animate that the present cost
of building is at least twenty-five per
cent. greater than it WIS six months
ago.
The advance is specially noticeable in
all iron products The plumbers of
Norfolk on Tuesday received notices as
follows: owing to the continued adj
vance in the price of raw materials, we
are compelled 10 withdraw all quota
lions: new quotations OIL application.
Prices subject to change without no.
tice." one leading plumber had just
finished an. intricate set of figures on
some proposed work and the receipt of
the above notice knocked his figures
galley west"
Prices on plumbers supplies general
~ have advanced 100 to 200 per cent. in
the last two months, and 1T is under
stood ;hat another advance is to be
made on July LIST
PIC IRON TIE KEY.
In June. 1895 pig iron was $500 a ton.
ana is now quoted about $40 This is
liit KEY To tnc advance III II Oh pr
duets all along the line. AS prices
have advanced the discount has been
reduced. thus increasing the prices both
ways. Gas fixtures have advanced
about 20 per cent. in the past six
months, and plumbers- earihen- ware
about 10 per cent in the same time.
On June LIST structural iron was sud-
denly advanced So Il ton at meeting
of the manufacturers held at Pittsburg.
This is every day entering more and
more into our great business structures.
The manufacturers state that their ac-
ton was necessitated by the advance in
pig iron. Wire and cut nails have dou-
blcd in price since January LIST.
Although cement may seem minor
article, in the aggregate 1t cuts an i'm
portant figure and it has gone up 40 to
60 cents n barrel.
BRICKS HIGH AND SCARCE.
Bricks are now IS and up per thou
sand an advance Of 81 80 per thousand
over last year. Even ut present prices
the supply is short and there are n
number Of jobs delayed in Norfolk on
account OF the short supply. Terra
Gotta and cut stone have both ad-
vanccd.
Wall paper has gone up % to so per
cent. since January LIST. This product is
now practically controlled by trust.
but here and there are Il few factories
not iii the trust. and they have gener-
ally not increased prices. but their sup
ply is limited and consumers must as
a rule buy goods controlled by the
trust.
LUMBER PRICES.
The way lumber prices have stiffened
ur makes glad the heart of the owner
Of pine timber. The price list on prime
lumber adopted September /, 1898. by
the North Carolina Pine Association,
was MS follows: A wide edge, over II
inches. no. l, SO; IA narrow edge, un-
der Il inches. No. |, SIS; No. ., $l2; No.
>. $40; box. $3.50; 4-iXS inches. No /.
4-ial0 inches. No i, $lI; 4-4X12, No. /,
SIS 40.
The Similar sizes and grades under
the list adopted by the Association on
May ]. 1899. are listed as follows: Al
wide edge, over l. inches. No. l, S2l
No. ,, Sis; IA narrow edge. under II
inches. No. |. $l7; No. >. SIS; No. 3.
$l2; box. $40. 4-iXS inches No. /, $780,
No. . SO. 30; No ;. $i3 box, $40 80:
4iXl0. No. !. SO: limp. No l. S22
Present prices ON lumber will prob
ably hold for some time unchanged. The
due lo the large demand. All parts of
the country have felt the business re-
vival ana the result has been a build
ing activity not known Cor years. Prior
10 six months ago lumber was selling
considerably below it's normal price
and the advance is a tendency to re-
VIII give reasonable profit TO the pro-
-duccr.
REACHING y NORMAL LEVEL.
In this connection a We'll informed
leader in Norfolk's building trades. said
al