South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-15

naturally 20 where they will be COM
fortabiy housed. They may be lured
mporarily by attractive wages 70
over populated cities but they Will
not stay there. Particularly is this
true II the workman has family ties
Then the chances are that even
though he may not care where he
lives himself effort viii be brought
20 bear from other sources and he
will move until his family is happy
and contented with their surround
ings and they are in suitable en-
vironment During the past few
months many families have been
driven away from the large cities.
because the lack OF adequate hOus-
ing facilities was first felt i'm centers
where the manufa curing OF war ne
cessities hourished They have been
obliged 10 seek employment in small
or communities where the chances
OF being properly housed were bet
ter.
Situation still Unsettled.
with building al present only
about 80 per cent under way in
I New York City and about so per
cent throughout the country. the
situation is vet far from solved and
liz is believed that the maximum for
I the present building season has been
I reached The volume scheduled TO
I proceed next spring is assuming
/ greater proportions. but the question
Of building material supplies appears
4 To be increasingly urgent as more
manufacturers are refusing to take
heavy orders for future delivery
But Of what residential building
/ being done now. particularly IN cit
les Of the second and third class,
there has been a sharp turn to
/ apartments. In many cities houses
have lost first place in residents
{ choice for the first time IL ffteen
. years A notable example Min
neapolis. which city with its big in
crease in construction, is moving
into apartments. There 646 fami-
/ lies preferred apartments to dwell
inss in the first five months Of 1919
/ against 513 families who sought
ana built dwelling houses.
Material Prices Going Tn.
Keeping pace with the increased
volume Of building construction. ma
terial prices continue the upward
movement. Lumber is the strong
est on the list. Oak flooring. 1916
! quartered white, advanced this
week from $167 10 $500 retail. de-
llivered on the job in New York City.
Increases of from $3.50 10 $40 per
thousand retail were scored by yell
low pine, Douglas fir, maple floor
Inns, red gum sap gum, chestnut and
spruce. Wood lath was also ad-
vanced by New York dealers from
$3.50 10 s. a thousand delivered.
which reflects the scarcity OF the
/ Canadian spruce supply and the
lack of common carriers steel has
advanced in price more proportion
ately than any other of the COM
modIties. Producers claim that any
reductions below present levels will
force many mills TO suspend opera
tons. Wages have been advanced
to more than double pre-war scales
land labor Is becoming scarce. Fuel
land limestone for fuxing are at
least double former costs. Both
'-'ii' anu 7i'NS' nave uoub FN SINCE
1913. being dependent on common
] labor and the cost of transporta-
. ton.
Dealers expect prices to remain al
present levels or increase slightly
. There may be a small drop in the
/ price of some construction materials.
b slch as hardware and tools but in
creased wages of workers and adj
, vances in other materials will more
than offset this decrease. tending "a
e make prices seek a higher rather
than a lower level.