Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-26
HOW ABOUT The
WAITING COST?
Local A,fohitects Issue Statement
Armdng for Building at Pres
emit Time.
PrOBE By THE GOVERNMENT
Investigations Conducted by Fed
eraI Authorities on Construe-
ton Activities.

What about the high cost of
waiting?
In communication to The
Argus today, Cervin & Horn, arch
fleets, point out that the cost of
waiting to build ID higher by far
than to build at the present time.
The communication follows:
There has been so much talk
these last few years of the high
cost of living and nov especially,
of the high cost of building. that
many people are discouraged and
shrug their shoulders when you
mention high cost.
''But there is another high cost
tho high cost of waiting. 1t is
easily possible that waiting, be it
a long or a short wait, may cost
far more than TO go ahead If
your home is too small, unsanitary
or badly located, 1t will very likely
cost you far more than to wait for
prices to come down. Possibly
prices will not come down and
there are men of the highest
standing whose study of financial
conditions merit close study and
attention, and these men seem to
agree that the present level of
prices Will remain for long time
to come.
'HThe government itself has made
Investigations. In certain lines
there will DO reductions, others
Will increase and the general level
will probably not be very much af-
fected.
'In a bulletin which the gov
eminent has sent to architects,
connected with housing opera
lions, there occurs the following
statement: During the war, the
volume of money and credit in
creased far more rapidly than the
volume of industry and commerce;
hence prices rose. But the ex-
pansion of credit through govern
rnent loans Is a worldwide con-
dition which must hold up prices
everywhere until the government
debts are largely discharged
Cost Low in Proportion.
SFurther along, the government
states this: The fact is that the
cost of construction is not high
today. It is low compared with
food, clothing and commodities in
general. 1t is high only in COM
harrison with its own pre-War
level. Commodity prices will I'M
doubtedIy reeede, because food and
clothing and many other things
were affected by special war con-
ditions, for example, scarcity OF
TRANSFORMATION which prevented
shipments from distant countries
to the allies. But they cannot fall
to the pre-war level
Toward the close comes this:
TT may well happen that the man
who buys lot today and builds on
it a house the cost of which is not
greatly out of proportion to the
cost of the land will be better OF
a wear from now than he would be
If he had left his money in the
savings banks In the meantime.
CITY land at present is least in
fated of all material wealth.
Judging from the inquiries we
are receiving every day about new
construction, this locality will see
an amount of building in the near
future never exceeded in the past
sHThe government is now doing
what can be done towards reduc-
ing building costs. But prices are
stubborn facts and they do not
bulge much. The cuts announced
rf1I make small difference in the
ordinary house.
''Now if you who read this have
in mind any necessary construc-
ton. whether it be new or an ad-
dition to theold, just stop a min
ute and ask il there is not some
thing to the high cost of waiting
Build Church.
The firm of Cervin and Horn has
been commissioned to design the
new Methodist Episcopal church |
at Lacon, Ill, and parsonage to be
built on the same property, half
block in size. Both will be built in |
the mission style SO as to harmon
ize. The exterior will be stucco'
with brick trimmings.
The church will have an audi |
torium to seat $50 and Sunday |
school room adjoining arranged to
en- up full into the auditorium.
he basement will be a dining
and a large kitchen, a gym
with high ceiling and
toilet and lockers for the |
Urls. The gymnasium is
. serve for a BAN |
ion to the dining |
cost will be