The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-13
Structural Steel Almost
Impossible to Obtain
on Time.
PRICE HAS GONE UP RAPIDLY
Brick, Stone, and Other Materials
Away Up-Higher Wages to Carpen-
tiers, Bncklayers, Masons, and Other
MISUNDERSTANDING Situation.

"oIkmen-ConsIderIng Situation.
The cost Of building construction has
materially increased in this city within
the past eighteen months. The per
centage Of increase it is said. will
show that an additional expenditure Of
lot less than % per cent is requisite to
carry out the plans and speen atoms o.
buildings now under construction OF
contracted for.
This IS due 10 two causes. primarily
First, 1t is the fact that the increase
IN wages paid the various artisans need
ed IN the erection of structures has ma
teriaIly increased the outlay required.
Secondly, she prices of building mate
rails have advanced in some cases as
much as 80 per cent. The carpenters.
bricklayeTs, and masons have advanced
their scales. The hod-carriers and plas-
terers have arranged a new. schedule of
wages with the contractors. and nearly
every other branch Of labor has felt the
rise TO a greater or less extent within
the year
Price Of Structural Steel.
Structural steel for building purposes
has advanced considerably. Where two
or three years ago the price per pound
would hardly reach "a cents in large
quantities, 1t has now jumped 10 close
IN the neighborhood OF 3 cents. Even at
this figure, the demand for this class
OF material so necessary in the modern
building IS so far in excess of the SUP
ply that orders have 10 be placed
mn fF= --7-
bic delivery o. the mtaerial
Nearly all ether classes of material
sGeh as stone, brick. and the like have
advanced in the same ratio. The man
ufactuTers Of the steel material are a
long way behind in their orders. ana
the contractors Who .tt the present time
are under bond 10 complete their con-
tracts within specified time are be
ginning 10 feel tTi1e nervous over the
situation
No short-time orders will be accepted
BY the big steel mill people at any price
for they assert they are unable 10 cope
with the demand The modern sky
scrapeT IS composed to large extent
OF steel, and IN some cases the buildings
are practically at standstin for want
OF this most necessary product
a Master Builder Talks
The Master Builders Association of
the District of Columbia has held sew
eraI meetings of late 10 talk over this
situation, and yesterday prominent
official Of the association said:
Within the past year the price OF
aabor has advanced considerably. and d
building which az that time could have
been erected at q cost Of say 500 coo
would at the present time require an
expenditure Of not less than SI35, 600
This. OF course, is due chiefly TO the in
creased price Of labor and material. All
classes C building material have ad-
vanced IN price, and since September l
the laboTing class have managed TO in
crease their prices in proportion
It may be mentioned as case in
point that the new Carnegie Library.
now nearly completed, felt this increase.
II recollecJ correctly, the original gift
amounted 70 S250, coo, and after the plans
had been drawn and the estimates
worked out, i was found further gift
Of $4,000 was necessary. This increase
IN the cost was due wholly TO the ad-
vance II labor and building material I
think every contractor and builder in
Washington has felt this advance and
has worried over II to some extent
Small Profit on Building.
At the Office Of Richardson & Burgess.
the builders and contractors, Mr.. Gala
CHER, The manager. said:
All classes Of material and labor
have advanced materially within the
past year. Contracts which were made
prior 10 this period when fulfilled. usu-
ally leave the contractor with q very
small profit on his work Even At the
present time the builder has but a small
margin 10 his credit when he has com
pleted his building. Things are now
shaved down pretty closely, when IL
comes TO erecting q modern building
Of course accidents are allowed for. and
certain other contingencies are taken
care Of. but even with this prOvis2-
there Is no fortune in a heavy contract
The plasJerers have received an al
vance OF wages within the month Inc
carpenters and other trades have man
aged 10 effect corresponding increase.
and naturally, with the present price of
steel, the cost of building VIII have ad-
yanced, I should say, at least % per
cent"
Hard to Get Orders Filled.
This IS the consensus Of opinion in
Washington al the present time. It
is agreed that within the past two years
the cost Of erecting a large freproor
structure has increased nearly 80 per
cent Il now requires some six OF eight
months to get a large steel order filed.
and the Guarries that furnish stone are
working overtime. Even with these dis
advantages, building Of the higher order
IS steadily on the increase. and there Is
little diminution in the general activity
IN this direction.
Il was said yesterday that this gas-
eral increase does not gan upon the
owner or protector Of new building.
but more properly upon the tenant who
pays the renE. Increased cost Of con
struction must necesss rily mean an in
creased rental. and ~ this manner the
situation equaIizes itself. TO q certain
extent, IN the long run
Spend Sunday at Chesapeake Beach.
S,5I open. Fishing and Bathing fine