The New York herald., 1921-01-24
Investigations May Hinder.

Investigations May Hinder.
Car shortages and fuel manipulation
contributed last year to accentuate the
builders difficulties. There Is nothing
OF the sort now visible to embarrass
building material production and delivery
with the exception OF the contributing
factors of labor supply and efficiency,
credit and readjustment of production
and distribution practices resulting from
an era of probe and investigation which
might be expected to retard the financ-
ing of new and old building material
~ = featuring and distributing enter
prises.
O.lsetting these factors, however is
the growing demand for housing and
similar construction, which, in the light
OF what now appears to be something
like an over production of commercial
space in New York city, at least, prom
ises to have practically a right of way
10 material supply. at any rate, for the
first part of the year. or until 1t has
been demonstrated TO investment capital
that the commercial space taht will be
offered for rent this spring can be ade-
Quately absorbed.
With this view generally accepted by
the retail building material trade. the
market Is now passing through the last
stage of price cutting with manufac-
turers and dealers cooperating to bring
the price of basic building materials
within the reach Of the consumer who
will start the first spring operations
In the ime department. for example,
which hai been one of the most rigid
" all the hZilding materials during the
- six al ,nths of price adjustment, the
manufacturers and dealers made sub
stAsItial reductions. In barrelled prod
ucts, such as finishing and common
lime, the 40 cent cut effective this week
represents a 80 cent reduction by the
manufacturer and a 10 cent cut by
knost dealers. In hydrated lime, both
common and finishing, the manufacturer
has taken Off dollar a ton and so has
the dealer for an equal amount, MAX
Ing 81 cut to the consumer.
A Review of Price Cutting.
Owing to a cut in the spruce market
the first item to be affected In this SELL
ing district is wood lath, which dropped
50 thousand. from s14 to S12.
The recent cut in the price of &C.
ment has been misunderstood In the
building construction field. Mill base
on Portland cement is now $3.50 bar
rel, without bag rebate. Rumors have
been current in the trade that a manu-
facturers' price cut, in addition to the
recent one, would occur before the first
of the year. The dealers, however,
being hungry for business. announced a
drop on January s, OF 80 cents This
cut has no relation TO the manufac-
turers' price. The cut on manufacturers
price. probably rejecting the lowering
OF cost OF coal at the mills I'm large
measure. Is still generally expected by
contractors who are, in many cases,
dcferring their purchases until an am
nouncement. one way or the other, l.
made by the mills. Tho expected 80
cent drop would bring the mills base
down TO So. to which, OF course, carry
ing. handling. package charges and
dealers pronts have to be added for
delivered price.
The cost OF yellow pine housing lum-
ber Is now down to within 10 per cent.
OF pre-war levels In the wholesale mar
ket and in the retail markets the deal
ers have shrunk their prices TO a pro-
portionate degree so that the stocks
of housing lumber at distributing points
have been considerably reduced.
Dwelling on ". 111th ST. Sold.
Fischer Realty Company sold at 156
East 1l1th street private dwelling for
John J. O'Grady, executor, to DIR. Edel-
stein.