New-York tribune., 1921-05-23
81 ig1ls Point
To Activity i'm
Construction
Freight Rate Readjustments
Expected to Bring Build
ing; Brick Shipments
Still Tied Up by Strikes

Signs and symbols point the way to
turn in building construction affairs
in this market that should make the
entire industry fairly active during the
last half of the year. and particularlv
in the last four months, according to
the current Dow Service Daily Building
Reports.
Between now and the middle of Sep
tember the last itful fun, blings Of in
dustrial readiustments will take place.
These readjustments include freight
rate corrections, toward which the sand
and gravel tariff on the New York, New
Haven & Hartford Railroad, amount
ing to approximately % cents a ton on
a mileage basis, becoming effective on
May IL, is very definite start.
During the summer months adjust
ments in building material selling con-
ditions will take place, and prices will
turn from a downward course to an up
ward one, as in the notable case of lin
seed oil, which, by the way, was the
first basic building commodity to mark
the turn downward last year from the
peak marks. In the next two months
there will develop a closer relationship
between the volume and value of build
ing permits being granted and actual
building construction activity.
The main sustention of the growing
belief that the long deferred general
building construction movement in this
market will be felt more generally in
nj Of te !
increasing activity of architects and
engineers in preparing plans and filing
them in the various building bureaus
and even of awarding contracts on
them for action when the building ma
terial distribution situation becomes
more clarified.
Delay Through Brick Tie-up
1t is a literal fact that no matter
if contracts are awarded at this time
actual building construction cannot
progress much further than excavation
and placement of foundation footings
because of the tie-up in the brick sup
ply, due to the combined strike of the
brick handlers and the strike of the
barge captains. On Friday there was
not a single barge load of common
brick for sale in the wholesale brick
market, and the thirty barge loads
stages of unloading were being ridden
to brick-hungry jobs so fast that the
situation to-day is that unless more
brick comes into the city soon build
ing material yards must close for lack
Of construction work.
The points at issue in these two
strikes were nearing settlement how
ever, at the week end. Some of the
brick handlers were back at work OF
the basis of handling brick at so cents
q thousand instead Of 81, which was
the former rate. The brick barge cap
tains who had been receiving S165
month refused to take $125, but have
offered to go back to work at $145.
There is some possibility of a compro-
mise being effected at $135, whereupon
brick may be expected to flow into the
market again
b. is not likely that there will be
any change at this time IN the present
wholesale price of brick at $14 to SIS,
to which must he added the usual
charges for handling, haulage, and 10
per cent for delivery. The market de-
mand will be sufficient TO support this
price, especially since the production
schedules up the river nave been set
awry by the brick tie-uu here. The
brick still available for immediate con-
sumption is that manufactured at this
time last year, when fuel and othe"
raw materials were much higher than
they now are.
The last few days has brought quite
an unexpected shift in market senti-
ment toward the relative position of
building material prices. 1t came in
the form of observation by Supreme
Court Justice Vernon NJ. Davis to the
effect that the reports of certified pub
lie accountants established the fact
that despite the sharp rise in building
REAL ESTATE-sALE OR RENT