New-York tribune., 1922-12-25
1900 Homes
Built in City
During Year
Construction Still Going On
Resembles Spring Aciiv'
iiy; Hudson Brick Ad-
vances TO $40 n Thousand

Hudson hard brick advanced 70 $50
thousand wholesale for the week
closing December %; linseed oil hd-
vaneed to 90 cents a gallon, a gain Of ;
cents. and Douglas fr is bidding for a
boost, says tho current Dow Service
Daily Building Reports.
Cement companies are reported as
being unwilling 10 extend low price
contracts beyond the hrst Of the year.
Meanwhile, open winter weather condi-
hons are responsible for the main
tenaneo Of a demand for basic build.
ing materials out Of all seasonable
proportions Coal shortage Is still re-
tardlng the outputs OF mills, kilns and
factories. Quarries. running later than
usual, are beginning 20 close. and yet
building money Is flowing into speeu-
lative operations at a rate that Is caus-
Ing cautious men 70 pause for rehee-
tion.
Remembering that big building
booms like that OF 1922 do not carry
on over long periods Of time, the basic
building material market Is IN no con-
dltion 20 sustain an arbitrary price adj
vance In basic construction commodl-
ties, yet there is a tendency once more
20 tack on 90 price lists Of building
materials what 10 is considered the
trafie can bear In a state Of stringent
supply.
National building prosperity may
project itself half a year forward BY
It's own momentum. Whether it will
be projected a full year ahead, as far
as the metropolitan district Of New
York is concerned. depends upon sta
bility Of building material prices and
Of skilled building labor. Prepared
ness is the dominant factor controlling
safe business conduct. In the build
Ing construction industry that virtue
might we'll be exercised az this time
in course antleipatory 70 reaction
rather than toward an Indefinite con-
tinuation Of this years highly abb
normal building prosperity.
New Houses Provided
Il Is dangerous 70 proceed upon the
basis generally followed at this time
a wear ago, namely, that New York
must have more buildings. II Is easy
10 forget that nt this time last year
the FIRST official estimate Of the actual
housing movement for the FIVE bor-
oughs was announced by the Building
Trades Employers Association. Be-
tween January /. 1922, and Septen,-
Der 1, 1922, wo.k projected IN 1921
provided homes for 22.5t0 families.
Work projected in tho FIVE boroughs In
1922 provided additional homes for an
estimated total Of $4,000 families,
making a total contribution Of A0,64o
domiclles toward the solution OF the
housing problem OF this city.
The estimated margin between the
accomplishments OF l92l-'22 In actual
construction work and the economic
saturatlon point Of housing aeeommo-
dation was 1896 homes, based upon
the theory that Manhattan still re-
ouired on April last accommodations
FOR 5000 families, Brooklyn l50VO'
Bronx $4,000, Queens 5000 ana kien-
I projections that have been Issued
"a the building trade OF New YORK
sinee septomber 1, 1922, for housing
oncrations. which are due 20 be com
niot.d IN time for the spri ing renting
ssnson. are suiieient, II Ia believed, 70
about meet this discrepancy, although
In this computation no allowance mas
been made for increase In popuiatloh
during the last year.
Increase OF population into eonpss.
,.tIon OF this sort, while no DOUBT
Considerable, should not be oyer-esn-
nstsS Transit facilities are rapidly
reaehinc their utmost carrying eapsSe, I,S
NV. Even the new lines opened withln
recent years have long. since passed
Inc point Of comfortable transpor,a-
tion. Consequently increase Of popu'a-
lion may be expected 10 slow down IN
tsvor of more distantly located haoita-
tion centers reached by steam raii, All,
roads rather than By urban TRANSIT
facilities. A,.,;,ct
h.arinr upon the tendency TO initiate
~ nrlee Of basic building materials
In tke belief that the SUSTAINED ae-