The Holly chieftain., 1920-08-19
Delalya in Securing Mater.
ials Also Hinder.
REVELATIONS or FEDERAL
INVESTIGATION OF COSTS
Forest Service. In Report to the Sen
ate on Housing and Lumber
Prices, Says Rise Wholly Dispro.
portionate with Increase in Costs.

Abnormally high lumber prices
were in part responsible for the ar
rest of the housebuilding movement
within the last few months, accord
ing to a report submitted to the
Senate by the Forest Service of the
United States Department of Agri-
culture.
During the latter half of 1919 and
the early months of 1920. says the
report, lumber prices in the United
States increased more sharply and
to far higher points than were ever
known before. In March, 1920, aver
age mill prices had increased 800 per
cent and more over 1914. While the
costs of production and distribu-
ton of lumber likewise increased,
the rise In lumber prices was
wholly disproportionate. Pre-
sent prices, though somewhat lower,
are still excessive and yield profits
unjustified by costs" says the re-
port.
"A shortage in housing acc0mmO-
dations that is almost worldwide
has brought home vividly the close
relation of building to the comfort,
health, and general welfare OF the
public. When for any reason con-
struction falls below normal over
crowding, high rents. lowered stand
ards Of living, and'ee;her evils fol-
low" ~
Lumber prices, however, do not
tell the whole story. Difficulty and
delay in securing material and the
impossibiity of getting many Of the
grades desired tend to make the
construction of a home at the pres
ent time highly uncertain and
speculative venture and take 1t out
of the reach of large numbers of
people.
According to figures of the Unit
ed States Housing Corporation, the
report states, normally 30 per cent
of the number of buildings con-
structed are dwellings. In 1919,
however, dwellings were only Is
per cent. Even before the war
100000 families in the United
States. desired houses In 1919 only
10000 houses were built when
100000 were required to meet the
demand. In 1918 house construc-
tion was still less than in 1919.
As examples of the increase in
the cost of lumber, it is stated that
the Pittsburg homebuilders of 1913
paid $27 per thousand board feet
for No. / common dimentiOn franz
ing. In 1920 he paid $72. Sheat-
ing lumber No. 2 common yellow
pine cost $26 in 1918 and $50 in
1920. Yellow pine finishing lum-
ber increased from $42 to $140. If
plain oak finish was used instead
of southern pine it cost $85 in 1913
and $3.50 in 1920. Yellow pine sid
ing rose from S36 to $120; B and
better fiat grain flooring from $3S
to $142; plain oak flooring cost, in
1918, $40 per thousand feet, and in
asOI HIO p5Ia4IBnb puB :O61$ 056I
in the same period from $lO2 to
$352.
The total cost of houses has in
creased proportiOnately, the report
states. "a frame house built in
Washington, d. c., in 1917 for
1850 is now being duplicated from
original plans at cost of $12.25O.
A St. Paul architect reports that
house was built for &,240 in 1915,
not including plumbing heating
and wiring, and that house built
from the same plans in October.
1919, cost $7,724, while for identical
plans in February, 1920, the cost
rose to $11,82O, or 179 per cent over
the 1915 price The lumber and
millwork costs in 1920 were $5.039,
or $799 more than the total cost of
the house in 1915 All of the items
increased in 1920 over 1915, but with
the exception of an insignificant
item for bond the percentage In
creases for lumber 1904 per cent?
and millwork 1922 per cent? were
the highest. On sfx-rOom frame
house built in Washington, d. c.,
for 81 771.6O in 1913. bids on iden-
tical plans in May, 1920. totaled
$11. 1.465.5O.
"The lumber for ready.cut, one
story. five-room house which was
listed at 1883 in 1915 had been
raised to 1922 in April, 1920, a
total increase of 270 per cent,
says the report Another COM
pany dealing in ready-cut houses
listed the material for two.story
seven-room house at $1.995 in 1915
and now lists it at $5,6O6.90, an
increase of 181 per cent.
Soma LINDA NJ industrial con.