The sun., 1918-10-14
PLANNING INDICATES
BOOM IN BUILDING
Great Construction Movement
Only Awaits Release Of
Necessary Supplies.
MANUFACTURERS ACTIVE
Response to Call to Replace Er-
plosion Damage Reveals
Situation.
MANUFACTURERS ACTIVE

Changes that have occurred in the
Eastern building situation within the
last ten days are directly traceable to
the turn in the fortunes OF war. says the
Dop Seruice Daily Budding Reports to-
day. There are evidences to show that
a reconstruction era is already In prog
rees. not only In commercial and indus
trial departments OF the nations civil
industries. but IN many OF the so-cal!ed
non-essential lines, such as private
building construction and In the allied
professions OF architecture and engineer
ing. Business men are thinking and
even actively working toward getting
lines In shape for the big building move
ment that is sure to develop after VIC
tory Is positively assured.
The first definite suggestion Of the ac-
tual turn in the building outlook came
on Wednesday afternoon At luncheon
given to Randolph p. Miller. who has
been the representative Of the National
Contractors Association at Washington
and who has been in close touch with
the cooperative programme between the
American building contractors and sup
ply interests and the various war bu-
reaus. The dinner was an informal one
and the conversation was along conf
Dental lines, but the impression dis
tinctiy gathered by those present was
that the authorities at Washington. real
king that the peak Of Government wal
time requirements for building materials
and construction has practically been
reached, have perfected q regulative
rather than arbitrarily restrictive. ma
chinery to guide building construction
through the unprecedented rush that Il
sure to OCCUR as soon as Federal wal
requirements are met. An authority
close to the War Industries Board said
mo one knows better than the various
bureaus in Washington the actual condi-
ton OF building material supply and de-
mand. Foresight has been a prerequisite
in all committees and the building indus
try as whole has not been forgotten
Knowing the conditions OF supply and
also that OF demand, II Is perfectly APP
dented rush OF men. materials and build
Ing money into new construction. To
ignore such a condition would result In a
stampede OF building material prices and
almost an explosive boom condition. The
quick chang In conditions abroad. the
fall OF LeLs with its rich coal supply
and the possibilities OF the fall of Metz
with its vast resources have had a bear
ing upon the fuel and metal supply here,
and the fact that the war 10 actually being
won all combine to create the very seeds
that would produce n wild stampede to
building that would De disastrous to the
builder, to the investor. and would create
condition for the Government itself
that would be difficult, TO say the least,
especially since there are other depart
ments besides war. yards and docks and
navy that will have construction pro-
grammes for several years to come. and
are now being retarded merely because
the departments named must have the
right OF way.
The South Amboy explosion revealed
the fact that intimation OF this changed
condition in the national building situa-
ton had been permitted to leak out. The
sudden appearance OF materials that
were considered almost unobtainable re-
vealed the fact that manufacturers had
been anticipating the turn about. Nota-
BILE was the prepared roofing interests.
When the call came for a rush order of
prepared roofing ten hours after the order
was received in New York a trainload
OF this material was on the rails on its
way to the stricken area. Glass poured
into the stricken zone in adequate supply
despite the fact that there has been an
acute shortage in the hands OF distribu-
ters. Basic building materials also
doomed large in the emergency. But
aside from these evidences OF general
preparation for the return OF building
prosperity there are further indications
OF changes under way In the fact that
practically all, building material prices
are holding for further advances and
quotations are being made subject TO
prompt acceptment
1t was publicly stated last week az
Washington that moro steel and cement
would be available for accepted" build
ing projects after the first of the year.
A release OF building lumber Is also
looked for coward the year end. and the
plaster and calcined products depart
ments already Anticipated a change for
the better. Clay products will probably
have a fairly free manufacturing season
next year.