The Washington herald., 1922-08-13
lAE INDUSTRY
Expects BANNER
YEAR FOR 1922
5urxEy Discloses Demand
GREATER Than Produc-
Hon, Says Report.
EABoR SHORTAGE
Bfrike Conditions Have Not
Yet Affected Roofing
Industry.
LABOR SHORTAGE

As most slate quarrfes are op-
krated by electric power furnished BY
bubble utilities. no shut downs have
been reported a. yet due to the coal
Ind r1flroad situations. Unless the
bubble utilities become affected and
Ilats shipments are delayed. 1899
bromissa to be one Of the best Of the
Ast i've years In the slate industry.
Production II not sufficient to meet
HE dsmand for many uses Of slate.
becauss Of the serious shortage in
hkiIled quarry workers and slate
roofefn- Some Of the workers who
left these occupations during the war
are gradually returning to the slate
Ibusiness. their life work. but there
Rre stu many opportunities open for
kie rsfnrn Of any workers who have
ever worked In the slate business.
either at the quarry or applying 1t
on ths Job. and good opportunities
ARE ofered young men to begin to
learn these trade as q life work.
Manv producers report q rush Of
|business and an apparent increasing
demand for roofing slate The public
|realixes more than ever that the cost
|of . CONSTRUCTION material. whether
for tha- roof or any other part Of a
building. Is measured not only in the
first cost. but In total cost over q
period Of years. taking the first cost
and upkeep and repairs in considcra-
ton Qn such q basis. slate has the
advantage over all other roofing ma
teriala-for record Of permanence. re-
~ int q
for paint. patches and repairs A
slate roof was placed on an English
chapel 1t Bradford-on-Avon over !. 200
years ago. and has remained there
through the centuries. and is still in
good scondition. Here in America. 1t
Is reported that one slate roof covered
six bufidings in succession and was
again placed on the seventh after 176
years OF use.
The Increasing use of blackboard
slate for bulletin and score boards by
newspaper ofices. railroad stations.
clubs-~stc-. together with the record
amount. of educational building under
way. promises to make 1922 the
largest year in the sales Of slate for
blackboard purposes.
The record breaking revival Of con-
struction In all lines during the first
six months of 1922 is rapidly being
felt in the increased demand for cleo
trical and structural slate. but both
feel the revival in construction ac-
tivities q few months after the con-
tracts for the buildings have actually
been awarded. as they are installed
normally in the finishing stages Of the
work
While several manufacturers report
restriction Of production due to in
SUFFICIENT supply of workers. they
report the demand and production for
June. 1922. considerably in excess Of
that for 1921 and 1920.
An extensive survey of the condi-
tons In the slate business and .be
methods of distribution throughout
the United States is being made. and
the preliminary reports are indicative
Of the revival Of demand for slate.
as follows:
Richmond. Va. increase over former
years: Buffalo, N. Y. normal; Waco.
Texas. improving: several New Jersey
towns. brisk business: Savannah, Ga,
good; New York City. brisk: Boston,
Mass. normal: Bridgeport. Conn, so
per cent normal; Wilmington. Del.
fairly good: Kansas City. Mo-. improv-
ing; Minneapolis. MINI. fairly good:
Philadelphia. Pa. brisk Every city
reports the need of slate roofers to
meet the demand.