Evening Star Newspaper, December 12, 1936, Page 31

REAL ESTATE. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1836. REAL ESTATE. c—7 LABOR PROBLENS BUILDING WORRY Skill, Rates of Pay and Num- bers Important Factors in Costs. Speeta] Dispatch to The Star. CHICAGO, December 12.— With construction activity surging ahead to @ total of 260,000 new home units built in 1936 and a further increase of 65 per cent predicted for 1937 only one serious uncertainty confronts the home building industry and that pertains to Jabor, according to the December American Builder, leading publication in the field of building. “Contractors and the m: b:y- blic,” the American er de- E;A're‘: “face labor uncertainties of three sorts: (1) Are there today enough building trades mechanics to handle an extensive building pro- gram? (2) Is their skill up to per? and (3) Is the customary wage struc- ture with its high hourly rates the best that can be devised, bearing in mind the interests of both building labor and property owners? . “Today, with a residential con- struction volume about four times that of the depression low, but still less than & quarter of what might be considered normal, there are persistent reports of sectional scarcity and warnings of an impending general labor shortage. Skilled Help Shortage. “E. M. Craig, executive secretary, National Association of Bullding Trades Employers, says that one de- plorable aftermath of the last period of construction stagnation is that when construction swings back to normal, a shortage of skilled build- ing help cannot be averted. Aside qrom the lack of trained apprentices, and thinning of the ranks through death, Mr. Craig believes that many mechanics in the upper middle age bracket have abandoned their toels for all time. He points out that in 49290 a million and a half building craftsmen were employed, and esti- mates that this number is thinned down to less than a million workers available at the present time. “Closely related to the question of | available supply is the matter of craft | #kill. The sudden demand for trades- men would again mean filling the| ranks with untrained labor recruited | from any source, as has happened during past times of rapid expansion; the inevitable result of such an in- flux is unsound construction. Noth- | ing could bring about prefabrication faster than such a situation. “The repsonsibility for providing & eontinuous supply of skilled workers rests mainly within the field of or- | ®anised labor. All other factors must concern themselves with this prob- | lem, however. The Federal Govern- ment has been increasingly active in promoting apprentice training; other public as well as private organizations should foster such activity and seek to make the opportunity more at- tractive for young men of craft ability, initiative and a desire to find a | place in the building trades. At the same time, those whose only objec- | tive is to take advantage of the | welatively high wages during ap- | prenticeship as compared to what Shey could earn elsewhere should be discouraged. Hourly Wage Rates. “Finally, cost based upon hourly wage rates should be considered as the real key to the situation, and one New Dwelling in Chevy Chase Sold This new home at 6141 Thirty-third street, Chevy Chase, D. C., has been sold to Comdr. and Mrs. Charles R. O’Leary by Paul T. styne, Inc., builder. The house was sold through the office of J. Wesley Buchanan, Inc. Miss Edith Rockwood has Buckley this residence at 1404 Twenty-ninth street, in George- town. The sale was made by the office of J. McKenney Berry in conjunction with the office of Maury & Mohler.—Star Staff Photo. purchased from Mrs. Betty R. fectly contented to work at a rea- which bears a direct relation to the | sonable hourly rate with the prospect #wo preceding subjects. Labor must | of year 'round employment assured by veceive a fair return for its services. | the ready sale of these properties. However, the manner in which lapor | More recently this developer has been & paid will eventually be based upon “wld that he must pay full scale; this eértain fundamental economic prin- | additional labor cost will add sufficient eiples—supply and demand will be tempered by what the market will stand in the way of rising costs. In the field of housing which, after all, | 48 a consumer product, abrupt in- | ereases in cost can do much to stop the present steady increase of rising volume. “Near certain urban centers home | building activity in the low-cost | bracket is already feeling the effects of & rapid rise in the cost of labor. Substantial progress toward the de- velopment of housing for the lower- income classes has been made in the | last few years, but the application of union scale of wages has already | curtailed some of this activity and @ placing it beyond the buying power of those for whom it was intended, Decause labor cost here represents a @reater percentage of the total than in higher-priced homes with more ecomplete equipment. Thus labor works eontrary to its own interests—it re- duces the volume of available work By curtailing the market and raises ghe cose of a commodity which it must buy. “A low cost development near a Midwestern city will illustrate this point. Here a developer had suc- eeeded in producing low cost suburban homesteads which were being sold to industrial workers from a nearby city. The scale of F. H. A. monthly pay- ments was well within the reach of these people. . Local labor was per- [ 1n Beautiful Rollingwood 607 Pickwick Lane This is one of the property 2938 McKinley Street N.W. Chevy Chase, D. C. ality-built heme, built o e and eupervi EELE Price, $12,500 “Club Room Furnished by Hutehison’s, Inc.” Both houses equipped with J. WESLEY BUCHANAN, INC. Realtors th Street N.W. %u soon as possible. to the total to make the monthly pay- ments too high for this class of buy- ers, Old Practice Boosts Costs. “Now that the volume of building is picking up again, another old prac- tice is adding to building costs—the levying of fines in connection with jurisdictional and wage disputes. New products and methods have been in- troduced during the last few years, and naturally there are some legiti- mate application questions which must be settled; these should be cleaned up Where jurisdic- tion is based on the basic material in a form which the particular trade is obviously unable to apply, there is no excuse for ridiculous claims followed LATEST OFFERING IN DE '6-ROOM ALL-BRICK COLONIAL Peace Monument, three-tenths then turn left adout four blocks to property emtramce om Out Bladensbury Road to turn right on Defense Hight of a mile to Edmonston Ro right side of road. UNITED REALTY CO. 500 Chandler Bidg. SANTA KNOWS BEST—So he chose a DELCO-HEAT OIL BURNER B A urees of this sreat AT be ive 3 B | by fines and tie-ups during construce tion. | “Likewise, builders who figure labor {on jobs at prevailing rates must be | | protected on wage scales if they are to | remain in business as effective com- | petitors. It is the belief of contrac- tors that much of the trouble over wage | rates could be largely remedied if the building trades for a definite period of time would agree to a voluntary re- duction; this assurance would release | & flood of building orders held up by | the building costs that would result | | in more days of employment and | higher earnings on & yearly average for mechanics when compared to pres- | ent wages coupled with less working days.” s T SRS Earths Give Paint Colors. Netural earths are dug up for colors used in paint making, such as umbers, siennas and terra verte. From iron ore comes & wide variety of reds and | S purples. CATUR HEIGHTS BEAUTIFUL WOODED HOME SITES F THE houses now availe able are not suited to your individual housing needs our staff is available to assist and advise you in the planning of a home which will be built to your own desires and specifica- tions. $7,450 Reasonable Terms OPEN DAILY nt, District 6317 . bulld —Star Staff Photo. Permits (Continued From First Page.) Abel, designers; to erect two 2-story brick dwellings, 4518-4522 Qarrison street; to cost $14,000. Arthur J. Dinger, Inc., 908 Sheri- dan street, owners and builders; E. Cappelman, designer; to erect one 2- | story brick and cinder block dwelling, 1800 Sudbury road; to cost $14,000. J. Dallas Grady, 1104 Vermont ave- nue, owner and builder; George 8. White, designer; to erect two 2-story brick and cinder block dwelling, 5300, Twenty-ninth street; to cost $11,000. W. G. Irwin, 3516 Thirty-ninth street, owner and builder; George T. Santmyers, architect; to erect three 2-story brick dwellings, 2208, 2210 and 2212 Thirty-ninth street; to cost $15.000. | C. R. Matheny, 6147 Thirty-first street, owner and builder; Evan J. Conner, designer; to erect one 2- story brick dwelling, 3700 Davenport | street; to cost $12,000. Frances H. Beckanstine, 3032 Rod- man street, owner and designer;: A. Wollman, 622 Irving street, builder; | to erect two 1'z-story brick and| frame dwellings@5134 and 5138 Klin- gle street; to cost $4,500 each. Moss Realty Co., Towel - building, owners and builders; George T. S8ant- myers, architect; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 1454 Hemlock street; to cost $10,000. H. G. Smithy Co., 811 Pifteenth street, owner and builder; Dillon & Abel, designers: to erect one 2-story | brick dwelling, 7819 Thirteenth street; to cost $9,000. H. E. Davis, 4722 Forty-sixth street, owner and bullder; Dans B. Jo- hannes, jr., designer; to erect one 2- story brick dwelling, 4517 Warren urvevez: to cost $7,500. | struction Co., 1412 I street, builders; | concrete block dwelling, 2823 R street C. and A. N. Miller, 1119 Sev- WEWISHTO That we wil Phone NA. 2412 to 2440 for your comfort tical interior floor plan with ves Loundry. Built-in gorage. Office Open Until 10 P.M. . WOODSON CO. “Coal . .. Fuel Ol . 1313 H St. N.W. 1202 Monroe St. N.E. Delco-Hoat } ME. 2315 214 Jefferson St. N.W. Osen § AN to ® P, that on Monday, December 14th, 1936 in our own building at 1512 L St. N.W. and cordially invite your inspection TYLER & RUTHERFORD, Inc. Loans—Real Estate—Insurance Property Management GLOVER PARK New B. H. Gruver-Built Homes on WEST side of 39th Place South of Calvert St. N.W. Equipped with Bryant Automatic Ai ATTlACTIV! 18-ft. and 20-ft. English Normandy homes. Red foce brick exterior with variegated colored slate roof. Large porch. Prac- room with open stone fireploce and dining room. Complete kitchen. Sec- ond floor: 3 end 4 bed rooms, 2 baths. Cozy, finished recreation room. Furnished Exhibit Home 2432 39th Place N.W. Open 9 A M. to 9 P.M. 816 Investment Bldg. AN OUTSTANDING W. C. and A. N, Miller, 1119 Sev- enteenth street, owners and bullders; G. E. MacNeil, architect; to erect one 3-story brick dwelling 4528 Ver- plank place; to cost $7,000. Dr. and Mrs. Paul E. Piper, 1114 Girard street, owners; Oliver B. Cas- sell; 1311 Hamlin street northeast, de- signer and bullder; to erect one 3- story brick and frame dwelling, .1319 Hamlin street northeast; to ocost $8,000. G. F. Mikkleson, 3353 Rittenhouse street, owner and builder; R. W. Berry, architect; to erect one 2-story brick and tile dwelling, 3348 Runny- mede place; to cost $8,500. G. F. Mikkleson, 3353 Rittenhouse street, owner and builder; R. W, Berry, architect; to erect one 2-story brick and tile dwelling, 3346 Runny- mede place; to cost $8,500. Dr. Benjamin F. Dean, jr, 6003 Thirty-second street, owners; John D, Cobb, architect; Stone Construction, Inc., 927 Fifteenth street, builders; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 3221 Patterson street; to cost $9,000. W. C. and A. N. Miller, 1119 Sev- enteenth street, and builders; G. E. MacNell, architect; to erect one 2-story brick and stone dwelling, 4512 Verplank place; to cost $7,000. W: C. and A. N. Miller, 1119 Sev- enteenth street, owner and builder; G. E. MacNell, architect; to erect one 2-story brick and stone dwelling, 4524 Verplank place; to cost $7,000. W. C. and A. N. Miller, 1119 Sev- enteenth street, owners and builders; G. E. MacNell, architect; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 4520 Verplank place; to cost $7,000. W. C. and A. N. Miller, 1119 Seven- teenth street, owners and builders; G. E. MacNell, architect; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 4516 Verplank place; to cost $7,000. Roy Madden, owner; Frederick Tilp, architect; Robert E. Cox, 1317} C street northeast, builder; to crect two 2-story brick dwelling, 2615 Randolph street northeast; to cost $6,000. Arthur 8. Lord, 4019 South Dakota avenue northeast, owner and builder; J. M. Hallett, designer; to erect two 2-story brick and cinder block dwell- ings. 3940 and 3942 Second street southwest; to cost $6,500 each. Nicola Natoli, 1386 Florida avenue northeast, owner and builder; W. B. Honey, srchitect; to erect one 2-story | brick store and apartment, 1362 Flor- ida avenue northeast; to cost $6,000. Joseph N. Gatti, owner; Dana B. Johannes, jr., designer; Martin Bros., 1341 Connecticut avenue, builders; to erect one 1-story brick store, 615 D street; to cost $6,000. Morris Simon, owner; David L. Stern, architect; David L. Stern Con-: to erect one l-story brick, stone and concrete store, 2626 Connecticut ave- nue; to cost $6,000. Edward A, Hyde, 5918 Second place, owner and builder; Evan J. Conner, designer; to erect one 2-story brick dwelling, 10 Milmarson place; to cost $6,500. Anthony Carossa, 1817 Thirtieth street southeast, owner, architect and bullder; to erect one 2-story brick and ame dwelling, 2821 R street southeast; to cost $5,000. Anthony Carossa, 18 ‘Thirtieth street southeast, owner, architect and bullder; to erect one 2-story brick and ' southeast; to cost $5,000. | Maryland Avenue Baptist Church, Fourteenth and Maryland avenue | northeast, owner; Marcus Hallett, | designer; W. A. Emmons, 1227 Trinl- dad avenue northeast, builder; to erect one 1-story brick Bunday achool room, Fourteenth and Maryland ave- nue northeast; to cost $1,600. ANNOUNCE | be located BY JOHN BARCLAY. T'S REALLY no trick to bulld & mmmfluqulckly and [ Leave & layer of ashes about 3 inches deep spread on the grates. Spread about 2 inches of coal over these uMlh,novor the coal place & generous r of kindling—newspae~ pers and light, dry wood. turn damper in the smoke pipe and the ash-pit damper should be wide open. If the ash-pit damper mer in your furnace is in the back, open it and also the ash-pit door in front. This assures maximum draft and Quick ignition. When the kindling is burning well, add fresh coai gradually. In this way you get a deep fire in little time, the kindling burning the coal beneath it, and the fire in turn igniting the coal above it. From time to time add ad- ditional fuel until you have a solid, deep fire. When this is done, check your dampers and close the ash-pit door. Should the kindling, while igniting, smoke a bit through the furnace door crevices it is due to the chimney being cold and not providing enough draft to carry off the smoke. is easily overcome by wadding a bit of newspaper, igniting it and inserte ing it into the check damper. This heats the air, creating a draft in the flue pipe and chimney d carries the smoke away, CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. Dance, New York State Society, Shoreham Hotel, 9 pm. flower Hotel, 7 p.m. Dance, Mutual Relief Association, Lansburgh’s Department Store, Wil- lard Hotel, 10 p.m. Meeting, Alpha Iota, Hamilton Ho- tel, 8 pm. Dance, Beta Sigma Phi, Hamilton Hotel, 9 pm. Lecture, League for Larger Life, 1414 Bixteenth street, 8:15 p.m. TOMORROW. Meeting, Bartenders’ Union, old Lo- cal No. 75, 720 Fifth street, 3 p.m. Pensions for Widows. Irish Free State plans a more com- prehensive law to provide pensions for widows. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE Furnished Sample House 241 Ingraham St. N.W. Overlaoking U. S. Govt. Park By substituting we mean for the pian, convenience, utility and the price of this house, 8,950 Three bed rooms ... two baths . .. recreation room . 4 . gas heat . . . detached garage . . . 156-foot lot. 0475-0476. 39th Pl. N.W, Conditioned Heat and convenience. e entronce and clothes closet, living H. GRUVER Owner-Builder Ne. 1737 NEW HOME In @ Wenderful Location OPEN FOR YOUR INSPECTION DAILY AND SUNDAY e Open Daily, 9 AM. to 10 P.M. TO INSPECT Drive out Kansas Ave. to Ingra 8t. right on I am 8t. to hoi WM. H. SAUNDNECRS Co., SAUNDERS SERVICE SINCE 1887 1519 K St. NW. Dlst. 1018 Open Daily and Sunday to 9 P.M. ners 1616 K St. N.W. . This | Dinner, Daughters of the Nile, May: ' MODERNIZING PAYS FOR HEATING PLANT Reduced Fuel Bills Result From Installing New and Proper Equipment. ‘While mdst other types of mode ernizstion work, no matter how de- sirable, must be regarded, initially at least, a8 an expense, the moderniza- | tion of heating equipment not only increases the selling or rental value of & property, but usually more than pays for itself by reducing fuet bills, according to the Plumbing and Heate ing Industries Bureau. Modern hot water and steam heat- ing boilers, whether designed for the burning of coal, ol or gas, have a high over-all efficiency. With a long back-and-forth fire travel, they pre- vent the gases of combustion from short circuiting to the chimney. Larger grate areas, scientifically designed combustion chambers, great- er flue surface and accurate draft control are other factors which bring to the home owner an immediate and tangible return on his investment in heating plant modernization. Marked improvements have been made in radiator design, both from the standpoint of appearance and efficiency. Some of the néwest radi- ers operate efficiently when complete 1y concealed in the walls, Automatic temperature controls, forced circulation devices, special el- bows for balancing the circulation of hot water and fuel-saving air valves are other improvements which effect economies in operation while adding to comfort. CARE OF WOOLENS Lukewsrm Rinse and Wash Waters S8hould Be Used. Luke warm wash water and rinse waters, and & moderately warm place for drying are best for washing woolens, according to Miss Helen Shelby, clothing specialist for the University of Maryland extension service, 8She says that before starting to launder a knit piece of any kind, it should be measured carefully and the dimensions jotted down. Then, when the plece had been washed, it should be spread out on several thicknesses of clean, soft material, laid flat, If there are sleeves, they should be spread flat and, if there is a skirt, all bulges should be removed and the bottom be made at least as wide as the hips. The plece should be shaped according to the original measurements by pulle ing into place and pinning, if neces- sary. Knit articles never should be ators take 40 per cent less space yet have greater radiating surface. Oth-' 1108 16th St. 7932 Orch A charming center-hail-plan home containing 3 bed rooms, 2 baths, lavatory first floor, finished attic, built-in garage, General Electric oil-burnin unit, Summer and Winter hook-up, slate roof, bcautifully landscaped lot 50 fee! wide, insulated with rock wool, weather-stripped and screened throughout. Recreation Room Don’t take enybody’s to the minute, yso—come Open for inspec- tion every day and evening. DIRECTIONS From intersection of Mass. and Wisc. Aves.—turn south on Wisc. Ave. into 37th—continuing on 37th St. 2 blocks to Manor Place and into Huidekoper Place. Presenting 2 New Brick Homes In This Exclusive Northwest Section ofN.W. Price, $14,250 Also Be Sure and Inspect 7928 Orchid St., Priced at $12,950 To reach—Out 16th Street to Orchid Street, 1 block west to home. JACOBSON BROS. THIS 1S AN ELECTRIC KITCHEN HEALTH HOME STEEL AND COPPER Model Home Now Complete Furnished by Hutchison’s, Inc.—Draped by Ligon Open Daily and Sunday to 9 P.M. To Inspect—Drive out Connecticut Ave. to East-West Highway, turn left four squares to Montgomery Ave. WARREN-TEED HOMES, Inc. If Ever There Was a Bargain HERE IT IS—different from any houses you've seen—in design, in construction, in equipment, in finish, in location and in price. Exhibit Home—Furnished by W. J. Sloane Studios 2107 Huidekoper PL. N.W. Convenient bus servi Prices Range Prom *9950 hung up to dry, as the weight of the water will stretch them out of shape. NA. 9452 Modern Kitchen and inspect for yourself. Modern REALTY M O S COMPANY Realtor. Tower Bldg. Metro. 1776 Evenings: Em. 5303 on heatin, Builders 2128