New-York tribune., 1922-02-13
New Building
UnderWa WayLongg
Before Season
Activity in Construction
Greater Than in Any Re-
cent Year at This Time:
Erick Supply on Hand

Building construction commodities
arc passing from buyers to q sellers
market, according to observations of
present factors reported in the current
Dow Service Daily Building Reports" >"
Inc years building movement has
opened a month ahead Of normal years.
March 10 usually marks the opening Of
the construction season in this city and
vicinity, which is about the time Hud-
son River navigation to brick manu-
featuring centers is resumed. More
actual building operations are being re-
ported as going ahead in February than
have been recorded in February Of any
recent year. Also there is less spccu-
iative building material purchasing,
with tho single exception Of second
hand brick Such situation has only
one logical outcome: a concentration
OF postponed orders at the very time
when gradual spread Of increased
volume would tend to keep prices
steady.
Common Hudson River brick is
quoted officially at wholesale at SIT a
thousand to which for delivered
prices the cost Of handling. haulape and
10 per cent must be added). Staten
Island brick and Raritan brick. with a
State brick coming in by rail. are ar
rlving in sufficient quantities to keep
building operations moving The Hud-
son River will probably remain closed
until the middle of March, even under
spell of warm weather, but warm
weather will st the same time accent
uatc the demand for brick, which Hud-
son River manufacturers say they will
be amply able to supply.
Borrowing of Brick
Meantime stocks of brick in Staten
Island and New Jersey are being fast
reduced. This kind of brick is bring
ing around Sl6 a thousand wholesale.
Intcrdealer borrowing Of brick in or
der to make delivery on jobs under
contract was reported last week from
five important dealers, although there
were two barge loads at the West SD
Street wholesale dock, and rs barge
loads in various stages of unloading
around tho city.
Rail deliveries of brick. both face
and common. are being delayed. On
one road a charge of So go is made for
transporting brick by rail from Haver-
straw, a distance of So miles, while
from a distance Of 175 miles, from Troy
and Mechanicsvillc, it charges $500.
! ms COEuiliOil Is pointed Oul Dy DIiCh
buyers as contributing in some degree
toward serious situations with regard
to continuation Of building projects
pending resumption Of navigation on
the Hudson, if present rate Of building
progress increases to any important
degree.
Brick manufacturers. on the other
hand. said at the weekend that they
would be able to take care Of all build
ing projects between now and the re-
sumption of brick projection in the
spring. They were strong in their as
scrtons that they had plenty of brick
Fifty second Street wholesale dock,
Manhattan. at SIT for LOCO, whole sale
and that there need be no postpone
ment Of building construction because
Of shortage of brick supply for the next
two weeks at least There are now
about 1870 100000 bricks ready for ship
mcnt as the ice clears, which is prob
ably sufficient for New York City re-
quremcnts if they are no more acute
than they now are.
Advance in Linseed Oil Cost
Ofsetting a reduction in the price
Of common ime in 300-pound bar
rcls, from $40 to S3.75 a barrel, de-
livered in New York, in all brands ex-
cept New Milford brand, which re-
mains at $4.40 a barrel, linseed oil fol-
lowed its 2-cent advance gallon of
earlier in the week by another jump
Of 2 cents Z. gallon, making the price
for this important paint ingredient now
S6 cents gallon in lots of less than
five barrels and SO cents in lots of five
barrels or more Calcutta linseed Oil
in barrels advanced | cent d gallon to
9G cents Portland cement is selling
strong at list $3.50 a barrel delivered.
In lumber cypress is in Strengthening