The Washington herald., 1921-10-09
Manufacturers of Brick
Report Increase of Or
ders Over Sept. 1,
CHEERFUL ASPECT
Noted Authority Advises Con-
tractors to Use Quantity
Surveys on Construction.

"diu turn OF construction A curve
illustrating the volume of business
that has persisted in bending down.
ward month after month seems at
last to have hit something substan-
tial and bent upward. While the
angle of its accent is not sharp, IL
Is encouraging to note that during
the past two months II has persist
emily progressed, and indicates
strongly that the actual turn in the
tide of construction has taken
place.
One hundred and twenty-six man
ufacturers. representing every sec
tion of the United States in which
common brick is made in any guam
tty, contribute to the current re-
port. These concerns, show 254. .000,-
200 burned brick on hand. an in
crease Of 22.000.000 over the report
OF ITO manufacturers thirty days
ago. This means that the same
plants who reported a month age
nave about the same stock on hand
and that shipments from plant haye
equaled production. About the same
situation Is observed in the orders
on books. The 126 manufacturers
show orders for more than 15S,
100000 brick, while 110 manufac-
turers in the September 1 report
showed orders for 130.600, 900. This
also would indicate that orders
have held their own. orders booked
during the month equalling in vol
ume the orders filled.
The most cheerful aspect Of the
current months report is that out
Of the 126 manufacturers 60. or
more than one-half, report either
good or fair outlook for the forth
coming month, This is a decided
change from the pessimistic reports
OF the past.
Each month there has been given
the composite price which is ar
rived a. by striking an average OF
all the prices quoted by the re-
porting companies. This composite
price has receded each month since
the early part OF the year. The COM
posite Of the current month is 1887.
as compared with s14.04 on Septem-
ber l. 1t Is always necessary, how
ever, to point out that this COM
posite figure is not a representative
figure. The man who cannot buy
brick for s13s7 in his locality
should not feel that he Is paying
too much for brick. This figure is
below what may properly be called
an average price. To say that the
prevailing price OF common brick
was from SIS to SIS would be
nearer correct Tho composite Is
brought to an abnormally low level
by the competitive price prevailing
In some sections OF the country.
As has been pointed out in this
publication frequently, an increase
in production will tend to lower
manufacturing costs and be reflected
In a lower price for the commodity.
but IT is predicted that the composite
figure as produced from these re-
ports will from this point begin to
go upward rather than downward.
The sections of the country that are
selling common brick today at IS or
81 per 1000 will, with the stimula>
tion in business, naturally advance
the price, which is today absolutely
below manufacturing cost. A more
uniform price will develop as busi-
ness picks up. Those manufacturers
who base selling price purely upon
manufacturing costs and represent
the high spots in the list today will
make reductions, while those who
are driven by unbusinessllke COM
petItion to sell their ware below cost
will, with a OetLer Oeindnu' get odCh
to a living scale Of prices.
Labor and fuel conditions in the
Industry continue to be satisfactory.
About thfrty-fivo plants among the
frms reporting are still shut down
on account of no demand for brick.
these are largely In the Western
and Mountain States. As usual, the
nIck-up shows itself first In the East
"a "a Moving Westward.
while the prosperity OF the brick
Industry is bound up with that Of
other pateria, producing industries
IN depending upon general business
ronditions, II Is certain to be greatly
stInulated by the rapidly growing
rse of the Ideal wall.
Secretary Hoover's national build
,rg code committee has received and
a. now considering an exhaustive
rsport commenting favorably on this
,vne of construction. This report
was made by d. knickerbacker
povd formerly secretary Of the
RmsTican Institute Of Architects,
Continent official of the U. S. Hous-
Ing corporation. .
Erom the Republic of South China
-, word that the Ideal wall has
80 used in that semi-tropical cli-
sata for hundreds of years, and
a~eIIing houses upwards of fifty
aars old with Ideal walls IN the
80 country OF Sweden are con-
SIdsred ideal to live In by their
occupants.
Proposals on Projects.
The following is quoted from an
authority on constructions:
"It is evident that before an in
,.IljCent proposal can be made upon
snv project, the contractor must
h.ys a quantity survey or some
ather statement of quantities in
UoIved. It has been customary in
,bs mast to add a stipulated over
hsad charge to provide for the cost
- estimating, and as this has been
oarIied TO every Individual proposal
,,,a5s bv the contractor. the successx
,,,I hid out of a possible fifteen or
,wsnty. contains an item not strict
Iv ehargeable to such bid and there
nv penalizes the owner. A quantity
survey furnished to each bidder
will reduce the cost Of preparing
proposals on prospective work, and
NOT only should. but obviously will.
reduce each bid price and thereby
directly lower the cost to the owner
"a quantity survey places. all
contractors on the same basis.
which is a definite one. from which
they may price or determine the
nroper cost of the work. Each In
dfvfdual item or cost, as set out In
such quantity. should be a basis of
determining the proper cost Of ex-
ira work desired by the owner. asi