The New York herald., 1921-01-17
MORE PRICE CUTS
In BUILDING FIELD
Material Dealers Take Losses
TO Start Early Building:
Late Realty News.

Further building material price reduc-
Cons reflect the vigorous measures be-
ing taken by building material DIS
tributers TO encourage an early start
for the 1921 building season. accordins
10 the current DOW Service Daily Build
ing Reports
The principle items affected as shown
in the latest list includes asphaltum
certain kinds OF face brick. window and
plate glass. blue. black and galvanized
sheet iron and plaster boards IN GER
tain sizes.
There are also price reductions re-
ported in the lumber department in
ash. basswoo both quartered and plain
oaS lumber. North Carolina pine stud
ding. roofers, ceiling and partition. and
all hardwood flooring, including yellow
pine
These price reductions have originated
at distributing points There is gem
eral loss taking movement IN market
centres so as TO unload the material
purchased at high price peaks OF 1870.
One distributor for instance. has been
caught with 20GO0 plaster boards on
hand on which he Is taking approx
n7ately three cent loss on each one
he sells under the lower price that has
just become effective
There is significance, as far as the
prospective builder is concerned, IN the
fact that most of the price reductions
that have taken place in building ma
terials since the first of the year nave
not originated al manufacturing points.
In plain words, it means that the manu-
facturer. with his limited reserves OF
stock and his uncertain manufacturing
conditions. realizes that with an active
construction market assured. even II
not stimulated by curative or inVigorat-
ing legislation. he will be able TO dis
pose of much that he has on hand this
spring and will benefit from ccndltlon
Of demand in excess Of supply far into
the close of the year
Predict Delivery Difficulties.
Cement statesmen have prophesied 10
their customers that delivery condi-
tions of 1920 will be experienced in the
summer of 1921. They say that there
will not be cement on hand in sufficient
quantity to meet the markets require
nents. Most of the cement mills are
closed at present because of lack OF
forward purchasing by dealers and dis
1ributers who cannot gage their market
requirements and are disposing of their
stocks on hand as fast as possible.
Face brick distributors are talking
exactly the same way and are warning
their customers that If they expect to
be covered by the mills on facade ma
terial in July and beyond purely upon
an expectation basis unsupported by
contract they must not depend upon
precedent and previous trade custom
when they find themselves in danger OF
being unable to supply their Jobs so
long as the manufacturers are unable to
take their order for specified delivery.
Building construction interests are
looking to Albany for speedy correction
Of past legislative enactments with ref
erence to solving the housing situation
so that prospective building material
buyers can take advantage of the pres
ent says in building material prices re-
sulting from an almost barren market.
The building trade learns that vigorous
efforts are to be made at Albany by
several large investors in real estate
improvement to place early on the
calender for consideration tax exemption
and rent law repeal or modificati ton bills.
Health authorities support the general
opinion that conditions OF overcrowdng
in practically every municipality i'm the
state demand that as far as the State
Legislature is concerned the way be
paved as early in the legislative year
AS possible for a resumption of home
building as the surest and quickest cure
for the housing problem.
only Hope Lies in Early Buying.
Building material manufacturers are
practically OF one voice in their pre-
dictions as to which way building ma
terial prices will go after the first six
months of 1921 elapse. Their opinion is
that there is one hope for keeping
building material prices at or near the
1920 precedents and that is for an early
buying movement to develop and they
have little hope for such an eventuation
as long as there is inimical building
legislation on the statute books at
Albany.
II the building material manufactur-
ing industries of the country could be
assured by current demand, even though
spotty. that there was to be a general
building movement before the middle Of
summer they could take a chance and
produce a reserve supply for midsum-
mer and autumn needs. but there does
not appear to be much on the present
surface of things TO indicate that the
current stalemate In new construction
work is TO be changed until all the dust
of past and present legislation has been
given a chance TO settle It simply
means. in their opinion. that when the
building bars are let down the demand
for building material will be overwhelm-
ing.
w. HachnIs Buys DruciSIcib Home.
The Druckleib homestead. on Howard
avenue, Cryntes Hill Stapleton. has been
purchased by Walter Rachals Of the
United States Steel Corporation. The
property consists Of seven acres, at
tractively laid out with rustic walks.
arna and ghnJ. t,,.u aI,r,,ta ord