New-York tribune., 1919-04-14
.Nsanlgia of
Building Material
Stabilize Prices
Put Housing Situation Up
TO Builders by Naming
Regular Figures for
Cement and Barrel Lime

by single stroke responsibility for
backwardness Of the 1919 building sea-
son mas been shifted from the build
ing material manufacturers to the in
vestors themselves, according to "The
Dow Service Daily Building Reports
to-day
This notable change from what ap
peared to be a hopeless situation. as
far as anything like a normal build
ing outlook was concerned, to one
1oseate in its possibilities for full
building season, resulted from two inn
portant meetings held toward the
weekend by the Portland cement and
barrel lime manufacturers supplying
this market.
Manufacturers Survey Building Situa-
ton
Both these industries had taken
careful surveys of the building situa-
tion IN New York and in cities east of
the Mississippi and the reports showed
that building construction has been re-
tardcd by the general expectation that
building material prices were not only
odt OF reach now, but would be much
higher after the building season open
ed. For fcnr Of acccntuatng this
building movement many private pro-
jectors decide not to build ut all and
the result was that only about 40 per
cent OF normal construction work went
ahead and nearly sevcn-tcnths of that
which did proceed was alteration work.
\ large proportion of the projected
work was in tho form Of necessary
commercial or industrial expansion,
VI hi of he npoHS af
day is for a treer market for the con
ftruction of small homes. Other own
ers were Informed by estimating con-
tractors that the building market
would go up this summer and prices
would be higher than anything here
tofore attained. Frightened by posi-
ble delays through strikes and made
auate delivery facilities on railroads
and steamships, the builders either
withdrew from the market or went
into the alteration market.
Recognizing the tendency of the
times in this regard the cement manu-
%acturers agreed to guarantee the mar
let against any higher prices than the
$S.25 delivery level for New York for
the remainder of the year In other
words. the market may rest assured
that Portland cement prices viii re-
main at present levels until Decembe
81. 1919, with the further proviso that
j there should be price reduction in
1avor of the prospective builder or con-
tractor the various companies. repre-
senting ten different establishments in
all, would follow the reductions In
other words. if, during the year, any
one company should attempt to cut the
pl1ce all the other parties to the manu-
eacturerS agreement will follow suit
the plan being strictly in accordance
With the efforts of the various govern
~ent boards to get building construc-
ton work started. even though unprec-
edented means have to be employed to
accomplish the much needed building
revival.
Lime Manufacturers Fix Price Level
Acting independently and also in line
with the general disposition of building
material manufacturers supplying this
market to effect condition of practi-
cal guaranty against further price ad-
Nances this year the barrel lime manu-
1acturers, representing practically 100
per cent of the trade, met here Thurs
day and decided to fix the present price
level as the guaranteed until Septem-
her ]. 1919. The date was fixed so as
70 permit the manufacturers to reach
q Stlll lower price level if the quantity
demanded by the building market at
that time was sufficiently great to per
mi them TO revise their present manu-
featuring costs on what is termed
quantity basis, in which event the price
would probably be lowered
Strong influences were exerted upon
the common brick manufacturers sup
plying this market to fix the present
level Of SIS as their maximum for the
remainder Of the year, but the menace
OF d boatmen's strike greatly increas-
1ng the cost of handling brick between
the manufacturing plants and the city's
wholesale piers made it impossible to
take the forward step that the other
lines had taken.
In the building sand market a vigor-
Gus war IS in progress between two
rival companies for supremacy.
There Is no price quotation quotable
n TINS market, nor in gravel or grit,
and in consequence the crushed stone
market is ragged
The controversy between the Indus
trial Board at Washington and the
railroad administration left the build
ng market IN an unsettled state until
tne cement and lime interests counter
acted 1t by the magnanimous stand
With reference to stabilzing the price
mere.
Building Revival Convention
The attitude Of the building material
manufacturers here in the East, sup
ylemcYted By the aggressive lead taken
Iere for some time by the building
material dealers TO meet their part
d the responsibility for the backward