The sun., 1918-07-15
RELIEF NEARER FOR
BUILDING INDUSTRY
Government at Last Sees Dan
ger Of Longer Restricting
Construction.

Relief from the acute situation Affect
Ing real estate and the building indus
tries of tho country Is seen by the Dow
Service Daily Building Reports in the
many conferences being held on the mat
ter. and the decisions and reports OF a
favorable nature which have been. sent,
to Washington by authoritative bodies.
In supporting its opinion that Definite
steps are being taken for the relief OF
building conditions, the Dow Service in
reviewing the situation points to the
meeting at Atlantic City to-day Of the
United States Chamber Of Commercs At
the request Of the War Industries Board
as court Of last resort Of the building
interests east Of the Mississippi to deter
mine the cause and cure Of the recent
advance In tho price Of building mate
rails and Of the dccadencs Of the build
ins industry a. shown by the recent col
lapse OF several backbone companies IN
the New York building trade and the
very critical condition Of practically all
the others because Of the enforced cur
tailment Of construction work outside Of
that Of Government requirement E.
The prlorities commissioner has OIL
cially indicated his decision to give ap-
plications of individual brick manufac-
turers for places on the preference list
favorable confederation upon condition
that such individuals and the industry a.
4 whole would devote their output to
direct and indirect" vital war needs ana
to indispensable and moderate uses"
Onicial reports as compiled BY tho
secretary Of tho Bridge Builders and
Structural. Society for May show that
only 60 per cont Of the entire capacity
Of the bridge and structural shops Of
the country was contracted for. a.
against 81 per cent for the, month Of
April. This 10 the frst turn in fabri-
eating shop orders since the FIRST of the
year.
At least one large structural steel
company 10 accepting orders for steel
for certain kinds Of buildings under pri-
vate construction auspices.
There is only enough Portland cement
on hand In Zone I, supplying the Phil
adelphia. New York und intermediate
markets to last barely a fortnight. In
Zones 1 and Q. which latter supplies the
Boston and New England markets, the
total quantity Of uncontrolled for ce-
ment on hand to-day Is approximately
100000 barrels, as against stock OF
100000 barrels heretofore considered a
safe margin without providing for heavy
Government requirement..
Indiscriminate curtailment Of building
construction. according to a conference
OF building material manufacturers held
In New York on Tuesday. Is forcing tho
supply OF materials low and the cost Of
building materials nigh. Hudson COM
mon brick. for instance. reached the
highest wholesale level In Its history to-
day, when tho price of 3l2 q thousand.
Wholesale. dock New York. was quoted.
Pipe has advanced to very much
higher levels for both genuine iron and
steel, black and galvanized. Portland
cement is expected to reach 81 barrel.
wholesale dock New York, unless the
plants have permission to produce more.
Generally speaking. the horizon Is
clearing for the building and real estate
trade. not through choice. but through
necessity. To-day's conference at At
lantic City is the result Of full conscious
ness on the part Of Government ofiiciAls
that q very serious condition 10 facing
tho country II private building construc-
ton continues to be suppressed In the
face of the demand that seems to be
getting more acute from month to month.