The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-08-22
BUILDING RUSH SEEN
IN CALL FOR BRICK
Bulk of Demand From Brook
lyn and Bronx; Manhattan
Is Tagging Behind.

Brick buying for immediate construc-
ton purposes was so active in the last
week that Hudson River brick manu-
facturers could easily have advanced
the price a dollar a thousand, wholesale,
and still have sold their brick as fast
as It came in, according to the current
Dow Service Daily Building Reports.
The major quantity OF this material
went into Brooklyn and Queens bor-
oughs, although Bronx held its position
high IN In the buying market. Man
haitian is still the laggard. with over
competition so keen on counter bidding
that one important operation is going
out to supply men far below current
list prices and even below the cost OF
production.
II is this condition OF overcompeti-
ton that probably most largely is re-
sponsible for the backward state OF
construction In Manhattan. 1t Is. how
ever. always characteristic OF change
in the prevailing type of construction
work. In the case of Manhattan at
present it marks the first detour in cons
struction activity from preponderant
new tenement. habitation or small COM
mercial alteration work to larger COM
mercial or institutional building, which
evidently Is to dominate New York con-
struction as far as building material
and equipment requirement are con-
cerned.
Comparison with 1912 Market.
Experienced builders are commenting
upon the similarity of buying condi-
tons between the present and the dawn
of the 1912 building construction era
Then also the market was exceedingly
ragged as 1t turned from an era of
commercial construction to monumental
apartment house construction and
Bronx habitational building. Over
competition was as keen In large guam
tity orders as is that which character
ICES the changing market to-day When
the counter bidders had choked up on
proftless business the more conserva-
tive firms came in and made money.
Brick prices did not move up. how
ever. last week, despite the demand. re-
naming at SIS wholesale. to which. for
delivered prices, the cost of handling
haulage and 10 per cent must be added
The demand for competent brcklayers
is becoming acute in Bronx and Brook
lyn and in New Jersey, where general
building construction is exceedingly
active. The same dearth OF help exists
among plasterers. Brick handlers are
also scarce. which is delaying arrival
OF brick at Jobs in some cases.
General prices in the building market
of New York are being well sustained.
Spruce has been the first to feel the
heavier buying movement in basic mate
rials. An upward turn in. studdng
prices may be expected at any time.
I ath ali
is going higher even now.
Hardware Feels an Awakening.
Hardware, of all the building equip
ment items, is in perhaps the weakest
condition. with stocks in manufacturers
hands fairly large and with the general
building market still far away from
the finishing stage. Heavy hardware
interests are beginning to feel the re-
awakening of industrial life which is
contemporaneous with the lowering in
number of idle freight cars
Where there is still sagging of prices
in the building market 1t is almost in
variably found in the finishing mate
rails. For example: Linseed oil has
dropped off two cents a gallon. Galvan-
lied sheets are quoted on new low
price range, but still retain their top
ranges as reported during the recent
past. Eastwood. quartered white oak
and select quartered oak. white. plain
and clear and No. / maple flooring are
down from So to $40. So are wall
boards. the drop in that case being So
All these drops are dealer cuts mostly
to meet competition. Mills are either
holding prices firm or advancing them
Biggest shipments are still westward