The New York herald., 1921-02-07
VOLUME OF HOUSE
BUILDING GREATER
Construction Industry Said to
Have Passed Its Darkest
Hour; Late Realty News.

ing 10 interpreta tons OF underlying
factors in the industry made by the
Dow Service Daily Building Reports
The reasons for this conclusion ar,
based upon the changed tone OF letter:
or instruction and policy sent out tC
sales representatives by large building
material manufacturers. also upon 9
turn in volume from commercial e
housing construction and the growing
consciousness on the part of prospec
tive building investors that basic build
ing material prices have reached shrink
ing limits under existing producing
costs.
Probably the last notable price re.
duction for this year in the basic build
ing material list is the current one o!
10 cents a barrel In dealers prices ir
Portland cement, delivered on the Job
New York. with the usual * cents q
bag rebate to the consumer for tht
empty cotton sacks in good condition
At four bags to a barrel, this makes
the net cost of cement to the builder
$40. The price to the consumer in
1919. with 10 cent bag rebate, was s3.2o.
Common brick at wholesale sells to-
day at SIC thousand for least expen-
sive grades, which is only 81 thou
sand more than they were selling FOR
In 1913.
Yellow Pine Near Pre-War Level.
These are symbols reflecting the ex-
tent of the basic building material
price drops since the 1920 price peak
was reached last autumn. some ma
teriais have dropped proportionately
more. Yellow pine in sizes used for
house construction, for example, has
dropped In the wholesale market to a
point to within 10 per cent Of pre-war
levels.
Investors looking into the 1921 market
sensed the fact that the spring building
season is only four weeks away. bring
ing with II an overwhelming potential
demand for building supplies. F1nan-
cial interests are conscious OF concen-
trated public gaze in their direction ID
see whether they will help the housing
situation without a legislative spur.
Building material and contracting IN
ferests have already shown a disposi-
tion to insist upon the completion OF
the building investigation unless the
cost OF building loans is reduced pro-
portionately to tho reduction IN the
cost of building materials and OF the
greater efficiency of labor which re-
suits in a reduetion in the cost of con-
struction. Building materials have al
ready dropped more than 40 per cent.
in less than six months,
Without cheaper building money there
can be no hope Of continuance OF
building material prices at their present
lowered levels. Already the possibility
of basic building materials dropping to
points below the 1919 level is so remote
as TO be negligible.
Many Mills Are still Idle.
Manufacturers will not lay up large
inventories only to pay taxes upon tnenl
if the building market is not financed
so as TO absorb them in reasonable
degree. Mills are still closed They
should be operating at this time If any
thing like building material price stabil-
ity Is TO prevail next autumn. when the
full pressure for building material and
supplies will be felt.
Already sales representatives are re-
ceiving instructions OF different tone
from those received for the last half
year This is the language of a typical
one:
ION purchases made after this dat
the prices given are guaranteed againsi
further reduction on any stock on hand
or delivered up to June 80. 1921
Vast building material mergers are in
contemplation. One in the cement field
has been consummated. In times like
these they symbolize the sustenance OF
factors which need strengthening in time
Of long continued famine.
Deal on West Fourteenth street.
The four story business building al
"a West Fourteenth street, 25x10s.8. has
been sold by George f.. Apfelbaum
broker. at a reported price OF $500
Sadie Smith Of Far Rockaway is the
owner of record
Deals Revealed in Transfers.
Nathan Peck. trustee. sold to the FL
marie Corporation the five story apart
ment at 500 West l01st street. e5x
t00.11.
David Stevenson Brewing Company
sold TO James Tighe 1856 Third avenue
southeast corner OF Ninety eighth street
a 1ve story tenement with stores. 25.9x
S3.9.
Mary Unman sold 10 Mellech Horo.
WITT the four story tenement at e66
Seventh street. 22.Sx90.10.
Edward J. Hearty sold to Frederick
Pfletschlnser the three story dwelling
at 3ssS Broadway. 16.11xTs, near 1890
street.
The Washington Heights Universaiist
Church sold 70 Jerome Lang the two
story dwellings at 555 and 557 West
1921 street 50x79.e.
James H. Cruikshank resold TO Fran
els 4. Williams the three story dwelling
al 80 West i3oth street. 25x9e.11.
Dinner of Bronx Board of Trade.
The twenty-seventh annual dinner O:
the Bronx Board of Trade will be held
on Thursday, February "a. AT Z 80
o'clock. in the Hotel Astor. Members OF
the dinner committee are: Albert Cold
man. chairman August +. Schwarzler
John y. Elsey. Maurice Muller. John
Kadel. Adolph @. Hupfel Jr Charles
Schneider. William H. Bolton. Alfred r
Darling, Philip J. Schneider and Charles
Kiesling.
Westchestcr Board to Dtne.
The Westchcster County Realty Board
VIII give It's annual dinner in the Hote
Astor on Thursday evening. March 10. ,
BROOKLYN TRANSACTIONS.
Howard C.. Pyle a. Co. have leased
the following stores on Flatbush ave.
nue.: No. 1927 to Steiner's, Inc. w~tli
John Reis Company No. 1929 to Jack s
shoe store: with the Davenport Realty
Company No. 1881 10 Harry Schwartz
dry goods: No. 1889 20 the La Belle
Millinery shop. No. 1896 to the Modern
Gas and Electric Appliance Company.
INSTRUCTION. COLLEGES. &C.
-->~-~~-~~-~-~~~--~~~-~-~~-----~
Akkn1lnM