New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
Twenty Basic
Material Items
Drop in Cost
Local Construction Market
Quotations Show Biggest
Reductions in Its Prices
of Lumber and Brick


out the building industry as to the
practical results of the sudden disrup-
ton OF trade alliances that in spite
OF the constant diminishment of new
projects basic building material prices
are either holding firm or stifeninr.
according to the current Dow Service
Daily Building Reports.
or forty-two representative basic
items quoted in the local building mar
ket, twenty have dropped in price, six
have stood still and sixteen have actu-
ally advanced since July. The heaviest
volume of price reductions has taken
place in lumber, brick and cement.
Stee! prices have dropped but as COM
pared with prices ruling last July they
are still marked above the summer
levels.
Cement, to cite another example, at
s4.So barrel, delivered, is at the iden-
tical price ruling in July when a 25
cent empty bag rebate was allowed as
now. Most of the basic lumber items
have held rigidly during the recent
Yellow pine timber, by way Of example,
shows drop of only $3.50 since July,
as against a s4750 drop in the price
of 13-16x2h B and better sap floor
ing in the same period.
or the sixteen items that show re-
duction in prices since July, the hol-
low tile, lime, neat wall cement and
plaster boards were brought down with
in the last week by reason of the re.
vival of the free ighterage practices
by the railroads entering this harbor
May Bring Price Concessions
Discontinuance of association prac-
tices, such as have been indicated with
in the last fortnight, is having q tight
enlng effect at sources of building ma
terlal supply If the process is car
rled to the extremes to which the
prospective speculative builders hope
they will go, namely, to permit non
union products to be employed in
building construction in New York,
manufacturers Of certain kinds of
building commodities which have been
smut out of this market almost entIrey
IN recent years are expected to make
liberal price concessions to gain a
foothold here. This possibility applies,
however, more to equipmenc and trim
than 20 basic materials like brick,
lime. plaster, tireproofng material and
lumber
1t being heretofore profitable to ship
cement into New York only from within
limited areas, consumers may look for
another definite price drop in this
commodity if, as a result of any change
N market conditions manufacturers at
distant points beyond Zones ard ,
should decide to make a bid for New
York's 1921 business.
Building material manufacturers are
watching for great opportunities in
this market if the trade situations
undergo such sweeping changes as have
recently been made apparent Definite
evidences of this is derived from cur
rent trade letters to sales managers
and representatives.
dominant company in the prepared
roofing department, in which sweeping
price reductions recently were her.
alGed, sends a letter, saying to sales
| managers: "The low point has beer
reached. Within the next sixty days
roofing and shngle prices must move
upward" The letter proceeds to out
line a policy whereby it protects deal
ers against any further decline in its
prices.
Tile Cost Subject to Change
hollow tile freproofng manufac-
turcr, in reducing prices at this tlrne
on account Of the lighterage conces.
sion, makes the new low prices condj-
toned upon shipments starting within
fifteen days and must be completed
before August 81. Present prices are
subject to change after thirty days.
Sand companies have notified dis
t~lrutors that they will shut down fol
two months after the first of the wear
Dealers have little or no supply. Brick
manufacturers have practically with
drawn from the market at thu present
rr;ce
The manufacturer and wcrkmen's
wage committee has failed to reach
OIL agreement regarding glass factory
emr oyees' wages for the next period
and many of the plants supplying this
commodity will close on January IS
The next operating reriod may be de.
layed from six to eight weeks. There
is small chance. therefore, of glass
prices going lower. Shipments fol
March and April are being guaranteed
even now against price decline to date
of shipment.
Genuine iron pipe is months behind
orders and prices are headed upward
C"rcessions heretofore obtainablc or
asbestos products are likely to be
Withdrawn at any time, as the shortage
Of asbestos fibre is becoming more
acute.