Show j CAL BUILDERS PREPARE FOR ACTIVE SEASON DEMAND fOR H U IN IS y ACUTE S. S L. L Contractors and Deal ers Believe Present Price Prices Staple New Dwellings Will Overcome Shortage By ALSON W. W FERGUSON WITH more than vy of general construction construe construe- tion work declared by R. R C. C Marshall Jr general manager of oi the Associated Contractors ol of America to be planned for the Unit United d States next year and and with the price ol of lumber decreased from 30 to 35 per cent within the past few tew months Salt Lake is looking forward to a new departure along building and construction lines Inthe Inthe in inthe the early spring spring- This is the universal opinion of ot bankers contractors lumber lumber lum lum- ber her and other material men of ot Salt Lake and vicinity In a recent addres addre s Mr Marshall be before before before be- be fore a body of ot Salt Lake contractors engineers and builders told tod them of ot the great increase ht building which could be expected with the end pf ot of winter He expressed the belief bellet th that at atthe the contractors of ot Utah would not lag behind those of ot thirty-nine thirty other states and more than cities throughout th the United States in their participation ft it this building campaign PRICES DOWN In the opinion of ot many local men mea directly connected with engineering and construction work the period for tor any marked fluctuation in material prices has passed Certain classes of 01 I materials have declined in prices with with lumber being probably the foremost ot of otI I these The steel market a a. local dealer deal deal- I er in this product says is now at a 3 I guaranteed stability for lor the first six months of ot 1921 I 1 am firmly convinced now that prices will not go back to a prewar basis said United States Senator W. W M. M Calder of New York York-in a recent ad address address address ad- ad dress at St. St Louis a copy of ot which has been received here Senator Calder gave rave as reasons for tOr this expression the increased railroad rates the price of ot fuel Cuel and high taxes The latter he ex ex- ex are necessary to meet the governments government's governments government's governments government's gov gov- debt which it will take several several several sev sev- eral years to pay All of ot these are factors vital to the general scale of ot prices said Senator Calder STAPLE VALUES 1 I It is difficult to forecast the co conditions conditions con con- that will prevail next spring said W. W W. W Armstrong president of t the National r Copper bank The rate of ot average price revision toward the of ot departure in 1914 has been good in the past few months While I do not think average prices will ever eer revert to the average prevalent before the war I believe they will come nearer to it than they are at present If this occurs before next spring there is littie little lit lit- tie tle doubt that building and general construction work will be stimulated There are few tew places where a alar fol foliar l- l lar now will bring the same value lt before the war Real estate investments Investment come nearer rendering full value for tor each dollar invested th than n practically Uy any other It is safe to say I many cases investments of this naI na na- na nature nature I ture offer otter even better values now than before the war Within the past eight months lumber lumber lumber lum lum- I ber prices have undergone a revision downward of ot between 30 and 35 J per percent percent el cent according to Roy M. M Cross m mana manager ger of ot the Eastern and Western Vestern Lumber Lumber Lumber Lum Lum- ber company of ot Salt Lake That this will contribute materially to the buIldIng buildIng building build- build Ing predicted for tor Salt SaIl Lake and vi vicinity vicinity vi- vi is the belief bellet of Mr Cross There is no doubt of ot the need and demand for dwellings in this territory Mr Cross said A readjustment of ot the financial condition of ot th the country seems ems to be all that is lacking at present present pres pres- ent ant to bring about steps to supply this demand Lumber prices are practically practical practical- ly the same now as they were three thre years ago The average decline in the price of ot dimension lumber has been 30 per pel cent within the past few tew months I There are sawmills large and andI I small in the United States each working working work work- ing the wood in its locality This lumber lum lurn ber bel is shipped into an open market mark t many kinds and numerous grades ol oJ each hence the idea of oJ any ot of lumber is out of the question A A legion of ot families famille have been waiting waltIng wait walt Ing for lower prices before building their homes All over the country it la lathis this family that has been putting money money mon awn ey cy in the savings bank and bidding jt its time waiting cheerfully for the time tim I I when it can afford a home Today the periodicals throughout editorials and advertisements citing editorials and advertisements citing g. g the fact tact that lower prices are here From rom shoes to shirts from beefsteak to bread prices have come down The family that has been putting its money in the bank can no longer turn a deaf deat ear car to the these facts The story of ot the Increased value of ot those d dollars when put into lumber for a a. home will I 1 Ib b believe lieve le induce a building era in in the near future BUILDING SUPPRESSED With building operations held down downall all over the country f fr r several years past the prospects for tor a a. hearty construction construction construction con con- period to take place in Salt Lake next year were declared by James J. J Burke president t of ot James J. J Burke Durke Co o. o contractors ontra toril and engineers to be good J II p. p 4 A little further advancement ment on the readjustment of the nations nation's financial condition which has already begun Continued on pago page 4 i rJ Great Building Program to toBe toBe toBe Be Launched Here in Spring Continued from Crom pago page 1 wili certainly open the way for a building campaign In this territory I Mr Burke said Among the most needful of dwellings are the isolated industrial communities Many Ian of these localities have had all alt their attention and effort concentrated on production for tor months past and as a a. result the tho housing situation has been allowed to pass unobserved until it is now exceedIngly ex exceedingly ex- ex acute in several communities SALT LAKE ACTIVE There is every reason to believe and andI I say this from a thoroughly conserva conselva tivo standpoint that Salt take Lake will wilt en enjoy enjoy en- en joy extensive activity In building next spring says President iuri Curtis J- J B. B Hawley Haw Haw- ley of the Salt Lake commercial clubA clubA club A A shortage of houses exists in this vicinity there thero is also a shortage of of office of- of lice fice space continued Mr Hawley People are not moving out of Salt Lake has has been the case with a number of ot other otier er cities Salt Lake is a desirable place to live a fact which has I become generally generall known There is no question but that the building material market will continue to become more attractive to the builder build build- er In addition money shows every in indication indication indication in- in of becoming easier I had a aletter aletter letter Saturday morning from one of ot the big financial houses in New York which gives me inc ample reassurance that the money situation will b be much better betterIn In the spring I have heard it said in our building circles here that we I should expect quite a substantial build build- I I Ing boom in the spring This iaia I i thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- believe However we regard this boom as one of the great big big- building booms with which every builder Ismore is ismore ismore more of less familiar and which Is not beneficial to any community A subI substantial substantial sub sub- increase in the building activIties activities activities ties Is what we want and what I have every reason to expect we have to look forward toWe toWe to We Ve should have ample information I by the latter part of winter of how big I fh the building boom will be After the first of the year year we wo Wilt will perhaps know snow more I think that we can add conservatively conservatively conservatively con con- that it would not be Unwise unwise un un- wise from a commercial and building standpoint to begin picturing now now building activities in the spring as giving giving ing lag promise of becoming much bigger than t they ey have been during any spring for m many ny years There is reason as far as Salt Lake is concerned to the very best of my Judgment to look forward with op op op- It is absolutely necessary for Salt Lake to have a healthy building growth during the next year said Reynolds Cahoon of the Salt Lake Pressed Brick company The demand is present Labor Labor La La- bor material V and capital are available j For the past six years the toe world has na neglected all forms of shelter not pert pertaining per per- t taming to war This situation has be become become become be- be come more or less acute in America during he the past two years Meantime the fire loss has combined with the rapid depreciation of the jerry built dwellings to cut down the number of ot available homes The present housing shortage is the result That shortage can be overcome only by turning turning- labor and capital toward this most vital in in- in Reports show that the oun- oun country try at large is short more than 1000 homes Labor is plentiful willing and effi effi- Materials are re plentiful and at reasonable prices Some materials that were forced to a high level during during dur dur- during ing the war are now getting back to as near prewar prices as can be expected considering the higher scale of wages advanced freight rates Brick is a small item in in inthe the construction of or a home They are plentiful and of a good quality They have not advanced as some mate materials have and are arenow arenow arenow now 25 per cent lower in Salt Lake Lak than the average price throughout the country Some plan however must be formulated formulated formulated for for- to supply funds A plan to get state or government funds may be practicable Our government and our state through different agencies ag loan money on easy terms and at reasonable rates of inter interest st to promote farming and other industries Why should not the laborer the home builder be given the privilege of securing some of those funds to build shelter for his family The security is the best and by buildIng building build- build i Ing big homes we are playing our strongest strong strong- e est t card eard In our fight against i and inviting Inviting- better citizenship PROSPECTS BRIGHT V Whatever the conditions in the la labor labor la- la bor market and the material costs we have every reason to beli believe ve that prices will be more stabilized the coming year ar arand and a building program greater than for several years ears past must ensue said 13 E M M. Ashton of the Ashton- Ashton Jenkins company Prices and wages for the past several years have steadily steadily steadily stead stead- ily inci eased until now they have reachel the crest and must pause before be before before be- be fore beginning their descent There have hav been little flurries in some some lines such as clothing and foodstuffs bu but t the decline in building materials and I wages has not as yet begun nor will wili it for several months in the opinion of I local realtors It is almost certain that wages wag and costs will go no higher and this this' city s 'S s so hard pressed for tor housing I accommodations that people will un undertake undertake un- un to build In spite of every detri detrI- ment meat I Conditions in the housing situation have permitted no choice in the matter They have resolved themselves down downto to a point where either the people must build move into tents or pay the highest highest highest high high- est rents ever known in the history of ot Salt Lal Lake e according to Mr Ashton The advantages of ot purchasing va vacant vacant vacant va- va cant property which would make good home sites while prices are at their I lowest ebb cannot be stressed too mu much h. h In spite of increases in almost every commodity real estate stands al almost almost almost al- al most alone in getting the same price as was received before the war because of the little building activity The converse converse converse con con- verse must also prove true and when the building begins vacant property will be in and prices will rise In view of these exceptional conditions conditions condi condl- in the vacant property markets the great home shortage and a prospective prospectIve pros pros- prospective V healthy labor and material materia market every indication points to a building boom especially in the erection erection tion of homes which In Salt Lake promises to eclipse all records DEMAND URGENT V The urgent demand for the countr country to keep pace with it Its natural growth the general tendency of Eastern capital capItal capi capI- tal accumulated during the war to seek an outlet in the West and the In Increasing Increasing In- In increasing creasing stabilization of the country's business and financial affairs which has been going on since the end of or the war are all given by James A. A Lynch president and manager of the Lynch company as apparent reaSons reasons reasons rea rea- rea- rea sons for tor a general construction wave to affect this locality in the early spring springs Building materials are arc more plentiful plentiful ful now than they have ben for the past three years Mr Lyn says ays I With the lumber and steel prices showing not net a marked but very apparent ap ap- apparent ap- ap parent decrease over those of ot a few months ago the tho prospects for construction construction con conw work during the tho coming year ap apr r r good Labor will be plentiful in the spring Housing conditions are arc far behind in inthis inthis inthis this vicinity I look for no marked marke-d de decrease decrease decrease de- de crease in the average prices of materIals materials materials mate mate- rials in the next few j years ars Everything points to the tho fact that the tho building material market is practically stable now and as soon as the public confidence confidence confidence dence can be bo cultivated on this matter mattera a a. building era will result I T do not look for tor a building building- boom to visit isit us next spring but I I-am I am convInced convinced convinced con con- vinced that Salt Lake will see a good substantial year of construction work beginning with the break of winter STABILITY HERE Natural demand created by by the almost al almost almost al- al most total lack alt of building for many months past and an apparent curtailment curtailment curtail curtail- ment meat of it for the past three years ItIs it itis itis is believed by William VIllIam T. T Cannon secretary and treasurer of the Lynch- Lynch Cannon Engineering company will force torce a building era within the next few months Leaders of American business areno are arc areno no longer devoting their chief thought and attention to the decline In prices and the lack of demand for merchandise merchandise dise if the reports from the big Industrial in industrial In- In industrial and trade centers are to be relied upon Mr Cannon said They I are convinced that the process of deflation de oe- oe is to be accomplished without a breakdown in the financial organization organization organization or destruction of the business fabric of ot the country Feeling assured on this point they are turning their attention to the outlook for business and general g construction work during the coming year Much |