Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-28
END Of BUILDING
GLOOM IN SIGHT.
Some Material Prices Drop
Despite Freight Rate
Increases.

The end Of "spatter days" in the
vernacular of the building trade, denot-
ing the readjustment period, is virtual
ly in sight. according to the Dow Ser
vice Daily Building Report An i'm
provement in the construction industry
is shortly to come, it is declared.
In a statement given out today this
authority explains its belief as follows ::
, Nearly two years lack Of consecu-
tive or consistent building construction
effort. disjointed transportation 1aclll-
ties and consequent lack of price Ger
tainty Indicate their demise with de-
cided turn betterward. and the freight
corrections of last week mark consplc-
uously the change. Viewing the whole
building prospect from the vendor OF the
raw materials used by building ma
terial manufacturers down through the
transportation financial. CONSTITUTIONAL
and labor factors at the threshold OF
the autumn building season, and COM
pairing it with the perspective as oD-
tanned from the same promontory ninety
days ago, it is not possible to deny
that the so-called building problem is
being drawn nearer to an early soiu-
ton.
Dusty Projects Coming Up.
Building projects that have been re-
posing upon the dusty shelves OF archl-
tects' offices are coming to life. Seem
ingly they have been awaiting the an
nouncement of how great the railroad
freight rate advances were to be and
what effect these advances would nave
upon the investment markets. The
trade scans in vain for forwarnlng
signs that will indicate retardlng IN
tiuence upon deliveries. Higher freight
rates insure better rolling stock and
more of it, and yet, in the opinion OF
the trade, the effect of these new rates
is not sufficiently great to further nam
per construction projects.
Better railroad equipment means a
market for steel, for bridges, lumber
and all the usual buildings commodi-
ties. All these new facilities represent
constant improvement and ultimately
lower costs of handling freight and
with greater dispatch. These added
facilities incidentally represent factors
that make for larger tonnages in COM
commerce which, in turn. create more
widespread and a more constant demand
for commercial, industrial and housing
space, which, of course, fosters sus-
tanned building construction.
"All these things are, OF course, OF
prospective elimination. Before they
can be realized the more fundamental
elements must be expected to show
concerted disposition to move out
of the stagnant state in which they
have lately been reposing. Current
price quotations on building materials
reveal such tendencies.
Some Prices Start Down.
THE week closed with new 4C
per cent freight rate increase In
effect. The result upon building ma
terials shows Hudson river common
brick lower by from 81 to IS per
1000; linseed oil, affecting paint
prices some time into the future. il
continued, off about eight cents per
gallon. AS far as the local construc-
ton market is concerned the new
freight rates leave unchanged the
gravel, grit, crushed stone, wire lath
wall board and plaster block depart
ments. It affects asphaltum, front
brick, fire brick, hollow terra Gotta