New-York tribune., 1921-12-26
Real Estate News
Trade Schools
Suggested to
Help Building 9
Manufacturers Believe Sys.
tenn Would Remove
Mechanic Shortage and
Lower Construction Cos,

Accepting the challenge Of comusr.
cial as well as apartment building in.
vestors to bring down constrrc.io,
costs to the lowest possible poipt
building material manufacturers bavs
undertaken to tackle the problem, of
1922 skilled man-power shortage bv
concerted action, accord ny to TN.
Dow Service Daily Building Reports.p
It has been revealed that the short
age Of skilled mechanics in the Eastern
building trades is one Of the fund.-.
mental reasons for the present hjob
cost Of building erection The mana
facturers of material going into brild.
ing construction are finding that their
production is being curtailed and ajsa
tribution is often wastefully clogge6
because of the constantly growinc
shortage OF skilled artisans In soma
lines of the building industry there |.
shortage Of almost so per cent Of
mechanics capable of doing expert
work.
Investors have pressed the MANN
facturers and distributors Of material
as well as building trades contractors
with the question as to what thew ara
doing collectively and individually TO
bring the supply of labor up to some
thing even approaching the building
requirements of next year, according
to present estimates. Thoir rc~ n
the form Of plan to apply me pyin-
ciple of the intensive trade SC cAool svs-
tenn used by the government in war
time, whereby young men could take
up a course Of intensive training in
the use and care of various engines
of destruction. The plan is to turn
this toward training young men In
the use Of instruments of construction.
To Encourage Trade Schools
Pending the time when the labor
unions have solved their problems Of
keeping up their membership through
systems of their own devising, certain
building material manufacturers and
distributors, led by prominent firms in
the tile manufacturing business have
under way plan to encourage the
establishment Of trade schools through
the Y. NJ c. A., Knights Of Columbus,
Young Mems Hebrew Association,
public vocational schools and similar
channels.
r. E. Jordan, Eastern sales manager
of the Mosaic Tile Company, Of Zanes-
vile, Ohio, described the plan IN this
way:
Manufacturers Of materials going
into building construction are finding
that their production is curtailei be-
cause Of this shortage of capable men
to assemble it. Costs automatically
drop when production can proceed ac-
cording to market demand; TIE fuller
the factory capacity is employed the
lower the cost Of outturn, which, II
turn favors the consumer Continuous
labor shortage narrows and restricts
this production capacity.
Eve are told that an intensive course
of one hundred hours under the condi-
tions Of instruction as outlined in the
curriculums of the public vocational
schools, the Y. NJ. c. A, 7. N. II. A.,
knights of Columbus and similar in
stitutions will be sufficient to give al
alert young man a pretty fair start
toward acquiring a rating as a compe-
tent journeyman. 1t at least tends TO
the solution Of one Of the biggest prob
lens of 1922 and succeeding years
An effort Is 10 be made to lay this
matter before the attention of all the
building material manufacturers sell
ing their products here.
Demand for Material
Pressure upon building material sup
ply has been maintained in the 5or-
oughs outside Of Manhattan remark
ably steady during the first three weeks
of December, with the exception OF the
last five days The Cornell loving
Company reports having made Us asst
trip for brick and other matera' above
Newburgh for the winter. The last
tow from Newburgh started on Tues
day. There are forty barges Of brick
in the wholesale docks, but no quota
tions are being made on covered car
goes Open sale prices at whoiesalte
for common brick are now Si4 10 si4.oo'
to which, or delivered prices, the cost
of handling, hauiage and 10 per ceh'
must be added.
Another sidelight upon the move
ment for building material supply Tor
early next year is reported m the
prepared roofing department where one
of the largest manufacturers has Al
ready found it necessary to restrict 10
one car load for each customer de-
livcries under current prices.
Lumber production has reached
point somewhat in excess o. volume oi
orders or shipments in an effort 70
prepare for the spring demand. his
is decidedly in line with the recent
production schedule Of certain cement
sections, especially those supplying
this market. 1t confirms the recently
reported winter buying jmQotas n
anticipation Of an accelerated spring
m a RI of