Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-08
.DABNEY DISCUSSES TRIP
TO BUILDING CONVENTION
Principal Features We're Talk Over
Money T%ightncss and La
Dor Spccd-Up.
RAIL TROUBLES ARE OUTLINED
PlIiiaIclphian Explains Way In
Which Quaker City Met Situation
by Construction of Homes Oh
Twcn;y-fcars-io-I'ay Plan.

nv 'bbSAtUbIIe features OF the
Chicago conference called last week
TO discuss ways and means looking
toward 4 resumption of building aC-
tiNItics In III. United States TO meet
an acute housing situation we're the
tlghtncSs OF money and the inGispo-
sit!on Of labor TO work for less wngcs
III 1921 than in 1920, says W. T. Dab
ncy. business manager OF the Rich
inond Chamber o: Commerce., who re-
turned yesterday from Chicago, where
n" went IN response to ar invitation
10 Richmond to have Il representative
present at this national gathering of
business mon and bankers directly
ana Indirectly connected with build
ing operations and transportation In
the United states.
Cranford's speech F%cnturc.
one Of the most Illuminating nd
dresses made before the convention
Was delivered by John II. Crawford,
o; tn" Philadelphia Operatives Build
inE CorpUration, who liz engaged in
buiiding hundreds OF homes in Phil
adclphia and suburbs ana selling them
IN small payments down to men Of
only average means. According "a
the statement made by Mr.. Crawford,
"A cHsh payment of 800 Will secure !:
$1,000 cottage. and as the price o.
IN home ranges up the Initial pay
ncut automatically increases. Home
wnc are. given twenty years in
which To make final payment on small
monthly !nStaliipents. The money for
construction purposes ~ advanced BY
trust com piinic NANNY.
Il was much impressed with a
statement made by 3ir. Crawford az
to AN agreement he had reached with
men engaged in the building trade"
Mr. Dabney stated. Take. for in
stance. the br!cklaycrs. Mr.. craw-
ford says that before the world war.
bricklaycrs were receiving 80 cents
an hour. In 1929 the scale had gone
UP 20 Sl.3G an hour, while the mum
Der OF bricks laid per hour had de-
creased from 200 in 1914 10 100 In
1890. MIR. Crawford called the men
before MIN and announced mat NJ
was decided on ono OF two altcrna-
tiy"s-cithcr To Close down All OPP
cTations On his own Initiative or Ia
have "a pledge from the men that
they would tn back 10 their 1914
practice OF laying 200 bricks per hour,
IN other departments the same agree
mcut was reached. 80 that while the
men are not asked To work Tor less
money by doubling their production
ihcv are actually assisting toward
making a Tremendous reduction IN
building costs.
workcrs Speeding Up.
philadelphia has met the eitua,ior
that way-brick men. piasicr"rs. car
pcnters. painters. !aborcrs. all seeing
mat more work must be don or nc
work at all. have s~pecded up 20 the
production standard maintained pre-
vious 70 and UP TO 1914"
According TO Mr. Dabney builders
forward TO any cYns !derabie rcduc-
ION from present, price: in lumber
Il was struck he said. with the
analysis offered by f.rn"s; T. Trice
vicc-prcsidcat and general manaE"
of the John Lucas Paint Company
AIR. Tflgg shove! by "a chart that
between the years 1905 And 1911 luml'
her had advanced 20 per cent. and II
TN. ratio Of advance had Kent up
as 1t undoubtedly would, the price
today would be 60 per cent hichcr
! 49,, 1, 1.tE sc Itn1l.y ft,irN- =
only so per cent higher than in i'oI
IL has only to drop fifteen or twcntS
points 10 strike an average. and that
is about the best that can be hoped
FOR"
Construction must be resumed 20
Improve TIL" transportation situation
\. J. County. yicc-prtSidcnt of tht
Pennsylvania Railroad. told tho mem
beers OF the conference. Mr.. Count,
called their attention TO the fact that
whereas there was 4 shortage nj
the business of the country in 1870
there are now 100000 freight ears
lGic.
SIN Operating DeGci
In spite OF the fact hat the rail-
co'nhanies have reduced the pay rolls
operating expenses According 10
MIR. Dabney delegates were advised
by ar. Couaty hat an increase In
lion as the business Of the country
could not stand higher rates. De-
creased rates are likewise impossible
as the roads with rates existing are
badly crippled. Nothing short of ::
greatly enlarged tonnage will sup
ply the deficiency. and this can come
only through renewed building opera
tons AMI the large production in all
lines of manufacture
According to the views OF the bust
ness men at the Chicago meeting,
says Mr.. Dabncy, there will be grad
uhl dciation in many commodities.
but there must be at once "A speed
ing IN in tho standard of work ard
IN the amount Of work accomplished
IN q given time ii the situation is
to he met.