New-York tribune., 1920-12-13
Cement Price
Takes Drop of
80 Per Cent
Manufacturers Here Follow
Action of Mid-Wcstern
Producers in Lowering
Cost for Commodity
Cut in Other Materials
Recessions i'm Brick and in
Flooring Give Brighter
Aspect to Construction

Building investors shaping their con-
structlon programs for next year upor
price changing stipulatons were en-
couraged last week by the announce.
ment of 3o-cent drop in the price OF
cement, according to the current Dow
Service Daily Building Reports.
The delivered price for this com.
modify at the week end was $3.50, as
against $50 a barrel, representing
both dealers and manufacturers
cut The manufacturer cut his price &C
cents because producers in the mid
Western section of the country lowered
their price from $3.50 f. o. b. to S19S
mill. The change in price Of soft coal
was ascribed as the reason for this cut
in the Middle West.
While the soft coal situation has
been easing up for some time, there
were cement authorities who believed
that the cut in price of cement here
while i'll part due to the more favor
able situation with respect to fuel sup
ply, was in reality an attempt on the
part OF Eastern manufacturers to check
| the flow of Mid-W Western cement into
y. -
ers' cut, the slackening of demand for
building materials of all kinds was
ascrbed as the reason for the addi-
tlonal reduction, totaling SO cents a
barrel, with the usual rebate Of 25 cents
bag, four bags to the barrel, fol
empty cotton containers.
There is also some softeniny in the
price Of brick of sub standard quail
ity,. but the quotations were too scat
tering to warrant their inclusion in
the base price range which is SIG to
S1S thousand, wholesale, on which
delivered prices would take the usual
additional cost of haulagc, handling
and 10 per cent.
Lower Cost for Flooring
There are further price recessions in
"B" grade clear quartered oak flooring
which dropped from 1925 a thousand
dropped from $3.50 to 1925. Maple
flooring is off S. thousand feet. Ash
has dropped $50 thousand feet on
one grade and stands firm in another.
The same is true Of plain oak lumber.
Birch is off 500
The fact that price reductions in
some lines have taken place while
others have held firm in spite Of pres
sure and that certain building ma
terlals manufacturers are becoming
more willing to accept orders TO carry
them over the entire first quarter Of
1921 are combining to bring out work
lying dormant for some time in an
ticipation that the waiting tactic would
wear down the price supporters.
A slight change has, therefore, been
noticed in the building material and
distributing centers supplying New
York and vicinity 1t is not sufficiently
sustained by contract award, however,
to Justify any one in believing that il
foretells the character or quantity Of
construction that will develop in 1921.
The fact that some of these pro jccts
perhaps slight majority of them
concern dwelling construction, either
of the suburban type or Of large multi
family structures, like tenements or
apartments, might lead TO the assump-
ton that next years construction mar
ket would strongly tend in that direc-
tion were it not for the fact that CON
tract awards are not yet sustaining the
Inquiries in sufiic cnt mum Der to make
the situation sufficiently general TO be
cons dered barometrical.
The upset condition Of business in
general for example. has had a ten
dency to check commercial construction
projects in favor OF housing and work
OF such character, such as institutional
building construction. There is also,
probably for the same reason, dis
position to defer industrial expansion.
Timidness Still in Evidence
1t is generally possible at this time
Of the year to trace the probable course
ard character Of construction for the
ensuing nine months. but the present
indications suggest a timid advance
into 1921 construction of all kinds Gov
ering period we'll into February.
March and April, when the building
season can be considered to be def
nitely under way, may be expected to
come and go before the true character
OF next years construction program
can be reliably determined.
Building material prices therefore
may be expected to work to more favor
able levels as far as the prospective
consumer is concerned, thus encourag-
ing an increasing volume Of moderate
priced construction work. In the mean
time winter weather conditions will af-
feet manufacturing costs. reserve
stocks and transportation so that as
the building demand becomes stronger