The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-04
FAMINE OF STEEL
Causes Great Hardship to Contractors
of Buildings In New York

New York, Sept.4.-The Tribune says:
That the prevailing scarcity of steel,
especially those forms OF it used in the
construction of buildings. is having a
serious effect upon the building trade
and its many allied industries admits
of no doubt. Contractors in this city,
however. are reticent about giving de-
tails No one of them likes to admit
for publication that he has fallen be-
hind in the general sramble Tor material
with which to complete any particular
job he had undertaken in contract
time, because that might drive away
business from him, and for similar rea-
sons he does not care to point out those
Jobs of his fellow contractors which are
hanging fire through no fault OF their
own
But any one familiar with the city
who walks or drives about the streets
much cannot help being struck by the
length Of time which it has taken hun
dreds of buildings still in course of con-
struction to reach the stage which they
have already attained. The fact is that
structural steel in many cases is dr1o-
bled out to the contractors in such
small quantities from the Mills, that
while work is not actually Matted, it
goes forward so slowly that owners and
tenants who are waiting to occupy the
completed structures are in many cases
almost in despair
The small contractors naturally feel
the pressure more keenly than the big
ones, for those who have contracts OF
such large proportions on mana lHdL
they can afford to pay premiums on the
contract price of their steel to the
mill owners naturally obtain their ma
terial more promptly than those who
cannot.
This results in considerable hard
ship to builders of stores and fat
houses in the upper part OF the city
who, when they undertook the outlay,
expected confidently to have their
buildings ready for tenants this fall.
October, considered by many to be the
best renting month of the year, is now
not far away and yet hundreds Of these
fat houses are far from being ready for
occupancy and the owners viii suffer
heavy loss in consequence. There Is no
cloud however, without its silver lining
and those who already possess fat
houses to let are not lying awake at
night to sympathize with those who
wanted to rush in and share the profits.
The steel scarcity viii tend TO prevent
over building, ana the reductlOn OF
rents which generally follows such
business condition.
Plumbers too are feeling the scarcity
OF steel pipe which is preventing them
from keeping as many hands employed
as they could otherwise and the entire
cost of building has been increased a
notable instance of this is the new
lying-i1 hospital for which J PierpOnt
Morgan recently promised to provide
building fund of 81. 100000 Owing to
the increased cost of building material.
it is now found that the structure Will
>
inal estimates.
There is fear also that some of the
new public schools now IN course of
construction in this city will not be
ready for use at the specified time Eff
forts are being made to have the mill
owners recognize the great necessity OF
pushing forward these buildings and
favor them in the supply of structural
steel, letting private enterprises not
so urgent wait upon the public good
A leading builder said that gloomy
as the outlook was, there seemed to be
no prospect of any let up in the search
" of steel this fall When the summer
rush of buildings is over and hard win
ter sets in, the stringency may be mod
flied in a natural way by the decrease
of the demand, which is almost abnOr-
NAL at present Again, builders being
forewarned of the famine which has
fallen suddenly upon them viii not IN
dertake SO many enterprises and the
increased cost of construction viii OF
| course have a deterrent effect on own
ers Of real estate who contemplate
making improvements. The greatly in
| creased activity in iron mining caused
by the high price Of ore. viii also tend
to restore the balance again. but these
causes Will not make themselves felt
for some time yet, and in the meantime
| the situation is as embarrassing as it
| is unusual, and extends nearly all over
the country.