New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-22
Buying
OF Brick for
Immediate Use
Material Being Shipped to
Operations in Brooklyn,
Queens and in Bronx as
Fast as 1t Is Received


Brick buying for immediate con
struction purposes was so active If
the last week that Hudson River brick
manufacturers could easily have ad
vanced the price a dollar a thousand
Wholesale, and still have sold theil
brick as fast as it came in, according
to the current Dow Service Daily Build
ing Reports.
The major quantity Of this material
went into Brooklyn and Queens Dor
oughs, although Bronx held it's posi-
ton nigh up in the buying market
Manhattan is still the laggard, with
overcompetition 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.
1t 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 prevailing type of construction work
In the case of Manhattan at present
it marks the first detour in construc.
ton activity from preponderant new
tenement or habitation or small com.
mercial alteration work to larger com
lnerclal or institutional building cree
ton which evidently is to dominate
the New York building situation as fa,
m q oil ov,I
Qulrem lent are concerned.
Experienced builders comment IN.
day upon the similarity of buying con
dltions between now and in the dawn
OF the 1912 building construction era
Then also the market was exceedingly
ragged as it turned from an era OF
commercial construction to monument
tai apartment house erection and
Bronx habtational building Over
competition was as keen in large
quantity orders as is that which char
acterlzes the changing market to-day
When the counter bidders had choked
up on protitless business the more
conservative firms came in and made
money.
Brick Cost Remains Same
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
brlcklayers is becoming acute in the
Bronx and Brooklyn and in New Jer-
say, where general building construc-
ton is exceedingly active The same
dearth OF help is true among plasterers.
Brick handlers are also hard to get,
bi.n o~< Jo1.,
at jobs in some cases.
General prices in the building mar
ket Of New York are being we'll sus-
tanned. Spruce has been the first to
teel the heavier buying movement in
basic materials. An upward turn in
studding prices may be expected at any
time. Lath at $1,000 a thousand deliv-
cred, IS on its way higher
Hardware of all the building equip
ment items is in perhaps the weakest
condition, with stocks in manufacture
ers' hands fairly large, and with the
general building market still a far
way from the finishing stage. Heavy
hardware interests are beginning to
teel the reawakening 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 it is almost
invariably found in the finishing ma
terials. For example: Linseed oil has
dropped off cents gallon Galvan-
lied sheets are quoted on new low.
price range, but still retain top
ranges, as reported during the recent
past. Eastwood and quartered white
oak and select Guartered oak, white,
plain and clear, and No. / maple floor
ing are down from IS to $40 SO are
wall boards, the drop in that case being
80. All these drops are dealer cuts,
mostly to meet competition Mills are
either holding prices firm or advancing
them Biggest shipments are still
westward.
On the other hand the movement in
starting materials, like masons' sup
plies, has been constantly improving
since the middle of June. outside of
Manhattan. In Manhattan it has been
spotty, with much inquiry. This state
of affairs has probably been RESPONSE
bic for the commercial building i'm
petus that is just becoming felt in that
borough. Projectors of this type of
building are generally shrewd inves-
tors who will start up their proposed
operations when building material and
construction costs are brought to what
they think is their lowest possible
level.
Talk Of Clearing House
AS the building construction market
becomes more active business men
therein are beginning to foresee that
NJ c+ol ~,