Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-06

Combined increases for labor and
materials are going to make building
cost more this year than last How
these increases will affect building ope-
rations that have furnished SO much
employment for the building trades and
| built UP the town more in the last
three years than in any previous five
wears. remains vet to be developed. The
/ carpenters union has fixed its scale at
57l2 cents an nour, Ior an eishl-hour
day. Union plumbers and electricians
| have signed q wage scale OF $3.50 TOR
! an eight-hOUr day.
The price OF building hardware, that
| has advanced 50 much in the last two
years. is expected to continue 10 go up
as long as the war lasts The best fore
J cast obtainable OF the lumber price sit
nation from local dealers is that it Will
probably not be any lower and very
possibly will advance.
Carpenters Scale Up I've Cents.
The increase in the carpenters scale
! is from so to 57is cents. an advance OF
! 50 cents a day OF eight hours. The
! length of day has not been changed.
| The scale is effective March Is. but
! union carpenter explains that the scale
must he approved by the carpenters
| national body before becoming effect
/ i've. Ii is said that about 90 per cent
OF the members OF the union favored
the increase. II contra ctors accept the
scale il is expected. at least II has been
the customary rule. to protect contract
ors on worn taken d; the former scale
for reasonable period of time after
the new scale goes into effect
The increase in the carpenters scale
is from 81 to $3.50 a day. an increase of
III per cent. Five years ago the scale
was advanced from 40 TO so cents. Last
year the work day was lowered from
nine 20 eight hours.
Plumbers Scale Up IS Cents.
The plumbers and electricians scale.
which goes into effect May 4. is an ad-
vance of 55 cents a day of eight hours,
an increase of 11.3 per cent. II is said
all the shops employing both electric
ians and plumbers have signed the
scale.
It is expected that contractors fur
niShIng carpenters on day labor JOBS
will probably feel justified in advancing
the wage scale to the person building
from 90 TO 67la cents an hour II the
scale IS accepted.
Car Shortage Affects Lumber.
4 great deal of the lumber now
comes from the northwestern coast
states and the freight charge is large
part OF the cost the consumer pays.
The price viii probably be governed in
a large measure by the car situation.
the freight rate. and by the demand.
II the shortage Of freight cars does
not ease up il is expected the pTce or
lumber will be advanced. This district
reported for the week ending Dec. l6
that there were untitled orders Of l4.30C
cars awaiting cars TO move them. The
SHIPMENTS for the week were 1906 cars.
Figuring A weekly shipment OF 1000
cars will require seven weeks, or 70
nearly March !, before the unified or
ders we're shipped. even If no new or
d.n.s were taken. BY that date build
ing operations VIII be opened, so that
the situation seems TO indicate a prob
able advance in lumber prices.
Builders May Hold OF.
Because Of the increases for labor.
and the prospect Of an increase in lum-
Der, TO say nothing Of the prices OF
building hardware, it is reasonable TO
expect that some who had contem-
plated building will hesitate. Late in
the year several prospective builders
announced it their purpose to build II
la Dor conditions and prices for mate
rails were favorable. 1t is reasonable
TO expect such will not build in the
face OF rising market. "a
Some Of the contractors employing
carpenters are complaining and pre-
dieting that the public will not stand
for the Increase.