Evening journal., 1921-05-12
Cutting down
BUILDING COST
CONTINUED From First Page.l

Real Estate Dealers-w. H.
Bramble, Guy r. Ford, Emmett S.
Hickman.
Bankers-Otho Nowland. Robert
D. Kemp, Robert p. Robinson.
The subcommittee will meet at
4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
After considerable preliminary
discussion, upon motion of Harry S.
Mellon, it was agreed that it was
the sense of the meeting that a gen
eral reduction in costs would stimu-
late the building trade.
Question Living Wage.
Several union labor men thought
the committee should. in order to
equitably determine what reduction
should be made in wages, if any.
agree to ascertain what amount
would be required to properly main
tain family of five at present liv-
ing costs.
The labor men pointed out that it
would be difficult to arrive at any
definite percentage of reduction ap-
plieable to all the different crafts. as
weather conditions entered largely
into the earning power of men en-
gagged in seasonable occupations.
Several building material dealers
denied that there was any truth in
the allegations that Wilmington was
being Disseminated against, or that
building materials were materially
higher in Wilmington than in other
nearby cities, except where the ele-
ment of freight entered.
George f. Cornell, manager OF the
Charles Warner Company. in order
20 show the disposition of his com
pany as the largest dealer in build
ing materials in the State, to co-op-
crate in the movement to stimulate
the building trade. read the follow
ing letter, signed by Charles Warner
president of the company:
Chamber of Commerce, Whining
ton, Del.
"Gentlemen-We wish to endorse
your plan to expedite liquidation ir
i. every phase of construction industry
that may not have adequately re.
sponded to the present economic
!, trend, by calling a conference OF
those concerned for the purpose oi
frankly placing on the table all OF
the facts and conditions affecting
materials, labor, contracting and fl.
4 nancing.
with these steps taken and the
] public properly informed, the evi.
= dence should be reasonably convinc.
ing to most prospective builders that
! they can construct on the most rea.
sonable cost basis that may be ex.
pected during the present period o.
depression.
Favors Frank Publicity.
This policy of frank publicit,
is in exact accord with the recon-
mendations recently made by Sec
retary of Commerce Herbert Hoo
yer, in a conference attended by tn,
writer as a member of a specia
! committee of the National Fedora
ton of Construction Industries.
As one of the suppliers Of ma
! sons building materials in the VIII
mington market, the Charles War
ner Company tenders It's support t.
your program.
$50 far as our practical part il
the adjustment is concerned, we hav,
carefully reviewed the net profits ii
our departments which produce san,
and gravel and retail these an,
other products in the City Of vii
nington.
"A consolidated profit statemen
OF these departments shows that W
have made during the past fou
years an average return OF Sic pc
cent per annum on the actual cap
ital invested. This return would ap
pear to be less than what is usual,
regarded as a proper yield on busi
ness capital.
During the past few months. be
cause of low tonnages, we have bee
operating these departments at
loss. We have decided, however
to make our contribution to tn
building resumption program in tn
city OF Wilmington by reductions il
retail prices of sand and gravel prod
ucts of IS cents per ton, and on ce
ment, lime, plaster and similar prod
ucts reductions varying from 5
cents to 81 per ton. These will b
: effective next Monday, May 16.
I'VE have continuously adopte
the policy during the past fey
: months of promptly passing on t
the consumer every reduction mad
by manufacturers in cement, plaste
and other products, and many c
these reductions that have previous
ly been issued are substantial.
because of our low tonnages q
this time. these reduced rates ar
merely adding to our present losse
Z but our contribution is made on tn
expectation of a substantial recover
in the building and construction ir
dustry within a few months"
Declares City Should Aid.
The object Of the general con
4 mittee, Chairman Warner explainel
will be to act as a clearing commi
tee. before which representatives
each group can appear and max
plain just how much It is willin
TO contribute toward establishing
lower price level.
c. II. Tindall thought that the eli
should assist in reducing buildin
costs. "The trouble is" he sal
chat If a man makes improvement
he will Immediately be assessed t
the city for making these improv'
ments.'
Mr.. Warner suggested the selectic
of a statistical committee to wor
out the cost Of living and determir
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