Evening journal., 1917-01-27
HIGH Prices affect
BUILDING ACTIVITY
Excessive Material Cost
Causes Quiet in Con-
Struction Lines
WORK BEING RUSHED
ON JOBS UNDER WAY

~
The past week has heen absolutely
without features IN the building line
no contracts Of Importance having beer
let and no large construction PROPOSE
tious given 70 builders for estimates
Contractors and builders report a quiet
week IN construction mainly ON account
of the variable weather, which, com
bined with the cold to make almost i'm
possible any great progress on outside
work. Where work has been under cover
or on the interior OF buildings 1t ha;
progressed slowly. as rule, on account
of lack OF labor.
new element has been introduced in
the building situation during tho past
week by another proposed increase IN
the price Of steel Builders and archi-
tects here suggested the result Of TINS
might be 20 make prospective builders
even more chary Of building than they
have heen in the past. There has been
a disposition for some time to hold back
I'm construction on account of high prices
Of building materials and the latest re-
ported increase may act TO stop all build
inc except that which is absolutely nee
essary.
Suggestions Of a possible "slump' in
building and possibly in prices with the
coming snring are being heard from
builders. the apparent paradox being eX-
planned bv the fact that delay in carry
inp ont building operations may cause a
tumble In prices OF building materials.
This appears TO be the pessimistic
view, however, the general disposition
being to look for tremendous activity
with the spring break i'm the weather
This Is the feeling among architects,
who report they are being overwhelm-
ed with requests for sketches OF pros
pcctive buildings and many OF these
suggestions have materialized into
plans
II is true, however. that many of
these plans and specifications have
been returned from contractors with
bids and filed away by the owners
without any action being taken on
them. This has been the case in at
least half a dozen known instances
during the past month and no sug-
gestion Is given by the owners as to
when construction will be started.
The reason usually given in such
cases has been that the high cost of
building materials made construction
unlikely for the present
On the other hand. construction Is
going forward on many plans and
specifications are being offered for
bids. J. ]. Kennedy, architect, is
preparing plans and specifications
for additions TO the property at the
southeast corner OF Tenth and Wash
ington streets, for the Studebakei
Automobile Company. These will b.
out today and will be received some
time next week. The plans comprise
extensive additions TO the Tenth stree
side Of the building 10 be used as ;
display and sales room, the addition
TO be made TO the rear OF the present
building and 20 contain a service gar
age.
Mr.. Kennedy reports the building
OF Mrs. Victor DUPONT, Jr, at Guyan
court, nearly completed. the interior
decorating being carried on and work
being done on the main stairways
Work being done on the residence OF
Mrs. Joseph A. Bowe. az Pennsyl
vania avenue and Rodney street Ia
advancing slowly, the plasterlng be-
ing about completed.
J. A. Bader Company. which is car
rying on the work az the new du
Point village near Plant No. I. re
port progress being made on the 45C
houses being erected there, 100 OF
these being about rs per cent. com
pleted. and 80 others about half done
now are under construction and worl
on the others viii be started as soor
as possible. About 400 workmen nov
Two hundred and fifty-three Of thes,
are engaged on the undertaking.
The houses are all OF six room
with bath 800 OF them Of bungaloy
form and $50 built 10 rows arrange
TO accommodate six families. each be-
ing two stories high and containin
six rooms. Each row is built on
separate lot. The buildings are {
be used to accommodate the employee
OF the DUPONT Powder Compan
working at the various plants aroun
Carney's Point and Deep Water. Tn
work is to be completed March Is.
The Bader Company reports fort,
four houses now well under way a
Pariin, n. J.. having reached a stag
where concrete work may be don,
Work has commenced on the add
lions TO the brewery Of the JOSEF
Stoeckle Brewing Company at FIT
and Adams streets. and IS being car
ried on rapidly II IS proposed q
have this work completed in tn
early spring The hall OF record
building for the dupont Company. be
ing CONSTRUCTED az the Haglev Yard
wlh be completed and ready for oc
Tysupancy in about ten DAYS. At tn,
nlies Jones plant where tn,
Daaer Company Is constructing a con
cre'e storage building. the carnente-,
roof girders. inc eoncreo'
Charles n. Tindau ana Con -
work progressing on the how, 49, !.
Clarence McCauliey. al sevcn rse = J,
street and Woodlawn avenue ''' wv.
Is being started on the third aoor
Thirteenth and Market streets. wba,
an apartment house Is being eroc,,
for the Misses A. L. and F. Cr,ayvro,.
work is being started on tba tbi,
hoor OF the building.
Charles S. George, sub-contract,
reports the new machine shop bei
erected for the Electric Hose Il