The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-09

| New York which prevents absolutely
! your doing your own steel construct. or
unless you do II with non-union lahcr?''
Yes they have advised US that they
| will not sell steel to any concern except
If II agrees TO erect II under so-callec
| open shop conditions"
II think we win reserve that subject
until next week, but in times of normal
business or depression Is there such q
! thing as an open shop? Isn't the shor
| either q union or n-union shopg
IT agree with your view, Mr.. Inter.
myer."
''That is just biindT"
Use of open shop Term.
'T think the open shop term is used to
defeat union labor"
| ~ think that Is SO large and inpor-
tant subject we will not pursue II
| further az this moment"
Indicating how prices were lowered az
| a result of the Lockwood ComnnitteeH
work, Mr. Eorowitz cited his contracts
| for marble work on the Stratus building
| The bids ranged from $4,000 to $4,000,
and the lower figure WAS from 80 to 40
per cent below former estimates. But
even that assured a fair profit Taking
up the fireproofing market. Mr.. Horo-
| witz said
..The National Fireproofing Compan,
| to large extent controls the situation.
There are few plants outside the Ma
tional with capacity to man facture the
material in the quantities and within the
| time required for the New York market
That covers the brick tile fireproofing
I'm the hollow tile fireproofms market
the situation was very bad. The Ma
| tional controls that We succeeded In
| buying for the Straus building from an
agent in Ohio. and after paying freight
| made a big saving. The National was
trying TO get more for It's product than
II was worth. On the Stratus building
there was saving OF s10,+75 on a
| s29. 900 Item"
The Thompson-Starrett Company asked
for seven bids for sand for the Straus
building and aIl were Identical at SIS a
yard Bids for brick were identical.
The witness reviewed bids for sand. ce-
ment and gravel showing all were prac-
tically the same in instanoes.
sand Price Infla ton.
What proportion of the enormous IN
flation In price In sand is the result OF
the work of the Sand and Gravel Board
of Trader" the counsel asked.
II would think 81 yard added to the
prewar price would cover all legitimate
expense" the witness said That would
make the price around 81 yard instead
OF $3.50"
At the conclusion of his testimony the
witness said
I'm the end the more stable and pros
porous real estate ia the more enticins
II ID TO a man to invest and the more
prosperous our business is. We are in
In avarpha1v dpdtpo xarox,u 4
means to defeat all of this collision"
Mr.. Mears presented bids covering q
variety of materials for big buildings.
Taking a structure at No. 70 Maiden
ane as an illustration. he ran through
he series of bids and showed that on
practically every item required for con-
| struction the offers made were identical
Three or four bids were presented for
and. lime. cement. brick, gravel and
| other materials, and all were the same.
Mr.. Whitney, who built the Bowling
Green Building. the Hanover National
Bank, the Atlantic and Pacific Steam
ship Company Building and other struc-
lures had experiences Identical with
those Of the other witnesses. Bids were
always the same. There was no compe-
tltion and the prices were "far too high
How the sand computation operated
was explained by Edward 3. Handy, a
contractor, who has been fifteen years
in the sand and gravel business. He
said he was invited by Peter Gallagher
to so into a combination because the
dealers had been fighting, and 1t was
believed by getting together they could
make more money. He named Q'Brien
Bros the Goodwin Gallagher Company
and Henry Steers as the three concerns
controlling the sand business In New
York.