San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-25
Increased Costs of Lab
and Materials Check
Operations.
DECREASE IS SLIGH
Supply and Demand Clos
Together-No Un-
easiness Felt.
BY j. C.. ROYLE

Copyright. by Tho San Antonio XfsI
New York, March 24.-Indicatid
that increased costs of labor d
materials are checking building opel
tions ut least to some extent, md
their appearance today. This was
pecially noticeable in New York,
Southeast and Middle West. In nj
York the situation has been conf
Gated by a court decision holding d
constitutional the exemption from II
alton on dwelling houses started befd
April 1.
In the Southeast there has been|
sharp drop in permits issued for n
buildings and realty men and Cd
tractors admitted today that the II
ing costs of materials, notably br [
and lumber, and increases in wad
are responsible. New projects 4
nounced, however, still are above M
NAL.
There is increasing complaint in d
Southwest and Middle West over COD
of material and labor and there Is
doubt that these factors are ched
ing many enterprises large and smd
although the volume of construct
still is of record proportions.
Prices Reach the Top.
However, supply and demand d
now coming closer together and "pr1
fireworks" are Lot expected in tt
commodity. The mills both in d
South and the Pacific Northwest hal
felt the check in new orders and mai
Pacific Northwest lumbermen decla|
prices have now reached the top.
Quotations in that section are q
about 81 n thousand feet from 1
cent figures. Efficiency in the mill
however, has increased and the a
rage output per man, per hour.
now so board feet, as against 40 fl
three years ago.
Cement prices are steady and oil
put has been raised to the rate
150,000,000 barrels a year.
Accumulation of Building.
There is still an accumulation !
deferred building, according to. NY
son Compton, secretary of the NatioiI
Lumber Manufacturer Associated
which involves expenditures of ov|
sc, 000, 100000 and much of this
capable of further delay if build,t
costs get out of control.
Wages in The building trades al
being adjusted in many sections onI
scale based generally on S1.25 an hot
for bricklayers, carpenters and 9TH
skilled artisans. Plasterers and lathe|
in some cities are making as high
500 a day.
Textile Markets Steady.
The advance in wages in the b
New England wooden mills had
strong effect on the raw wool ma
kets and on the labor situation in Il
cotton mills. Wool growers have st1
fened their demand in the belief thu
the mills will continue practical
capacity operations, and may expe|
to make enough from this years ell
to pay the original cost of the animI
The immediate passing on of thel
wage increases to the ultimate col
sumner is not expected as most mil
are already booked for entire produ|
ton throughout the summer and clot|
ing manufacturers have covered the
requirements for the season pretl
thoroughly.
The slight drop in raw cotton d
not serve to counter balance labor ci
putes and other factors and the pricI
Of cotton goods remained steady vii
trading extremely cautious.
StreI on Upgrade.
Steel production and prices CO.
tinued to advance with makers AM
thing but anxious to book heavily Il
future delivery at present quotation
The automobile industry showed 4
sign of slackening its unprecedentd
activity with makers urging leliveri,
of raw materials and buying and sto
ing al they can handle.
The volume of orders fGssr,,cad
equipment is so great and mahnfa|
turers are SO certain of a continu|
ton of business that large locomotiI
plants, like Baldwin, are already r.
serving spaces for certain roads
1924. although the orders will not
definitely placed by the carriers nut
later.