The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-25

New ana Nearby MArkct.
While this does not argue, very
strongly In favor Of building activity
| in the northern and western states
where SO much OF the southern luni-
Der has heretofore been consumed, 1t
| does show that q new and nearby mar
ket is being rapidly developed for
| Southern pine. This condition indeed
marks a new era for the south dis
| closing the fact that we are building
and progressing as never BEFORE ana
| doubtless on a scale greater than
most of us ever dreamed of.
( About ten years ago the editor OF
! the Southern Lumber Journal, in an
| effort to protect the southern lumber
! manufacturers against the. further
NJ Rs,tsS sSiix,s< aa >s'.,} S-Akiss2
| interests, ascertained the facts and
| figures relative to the volume of lum-
Der consumption in the southern
states as compared with the volume
| OF shipments to points north OF the
| Potomac River.
At that time Florida was the only
| state south OF the Potomac river ana
T. east Of the Mississippi river where
| more than ten per cent OF its lumber
| was consumed In the state
| The fact that we have at this time
| cut in Virginia. North and South
! Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Ala
|! bama, going into local consumption
| reveals O wonderful transformation
within the short period of ten years.
/ In making this statement. 1t is fair
+, to say that the mills in the south are
+, not producing their normal capacity
| but even when this much has been
| said, the above facts show that local
consumption has more than quad
| rupled itself during the past ten years
{ and that local consumption is fac
tor that must be reckoned within the
| future.
A reading of recent issues of the
| lumber and building trade Journals
gives us a most encouraging view OF
the immediate future. for articles
| written from the various sections OF
our country indicate substantial i'm
provement in the condition brought
! about by the postwar period and
| many large plans for construction
work
Take Baltimore, for instance. The
! declared value of structures for the
erection Of which permits were issued
in February amounted to twice the
sum of the permits for the same
month year ago. Permits were is
sued for 202 two-story brick dwellings
against only eighty-two a year ago
Other divisions OF construction work
also grew in the same proportion.
| RlcnmOn0 LOOKS Up.
According to the following informn-
ltion given me by the building inspec-
tors office OF Richmond today, we
have good reason to look for a con-
ltinued Improvement in our lcal build
ing work.
/ In February. 1918. our building in
Ispector issued permits for s1l4,6ss in
new work. ss3,35S in repairs.
In February, 1919. the record shows
permits issued for s253,es0 in new
work, $55.457 in repairs.
Much to my delight I was called
over the phone by one OF the Office
Organization of the building depart
ment and apprised of the fact that the
would. more than double February
/ think that is very encouraging.
Government work--The sundry civil
appropriation bill reported to ths
house includes over 100000 for
public buildings. The army bill In
cluded many millions for building bar
racks, quarters, hospitals, etc. A spe.
cial act has been in conference pro-
tviding s7.eoo,eo for hospitals. The
postoffice appropriation provides an
expenditure of 10000. 900 for high
way and bridge construction by June
80. 1921. The house has passed and
the senate will pass s75o.ooo,ooo fos
railroads. including improvements and
extensions. The sundry bill is pro-
lviding $3.50, zoe. 900 or more for mer-
chant ships, and the naval appropria.
ton bill authorizes several hundred
million for naval construction.
The government is also taking steps
to assist financing home building
Legislation Is recommended to enable
building and loan associations to use
% &c nvt1 fnr =
a system OF home loan banks.
I Cost have often been asked since
the beginning of the armistice wher
the price of lumber will be reduced
and it occurs to me that you gentle
men will be also interested in this
question. The most accurate facts ir
connection with this subject can ID
obtained from the cost accounting
sheets OF the mills composing the
North Carolina Pine association fol
the month OF January OF this year.
i An analysts Of the cost of the mills
shows that those mills whose produc-
: ton was the highest had the Lowest
costs, while those with smaller pro
lduction reported higher costs. Thi.
shows. OF course. that overhead ex-
penses are among the factors tha'
must always be considered in the
making OF lumber prices.
The cost sheets of the association
embraced every item entering into the
cost price OF lumber production. sucf
as logging expenses. log transporta-
ition from woods to mill, total cost Of
logs at the mill, saw milling. kiln dry
ing, yard and shipping expenses, to'a
cost of manufacturing. insurance
taxes and overhead expenses
The increase in every item has beer
remarkable during the past two years
1 The High Cost
4 The comparative difference in man
3ufacturing costs Is as follows. based
tper thousand feet board measure: Fol
the year 1916, $17.12 per thousand
for the year 1917. 1927 per thou.
Island: for the year 1918, s3o.27 pei
Thousand.
The total average cost OF produc.
ltion for the month of December, 1913
WAS $37.S5 per thousand.
4 Thus 1t will be seen that the cost oil
production has been nearly doubled
and IL the prevailing figures appear
high, such Is true only by comOari.
son and based on actual cost OF pro
duction. In this report figures arr
given to show actual cost of produc.
ition, with nothing padded and nothing
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