PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 25, 1820.
BALLOT TO FOLLOW
and proper adjustments -will be made. ':
They state that ISO such protests al ,
ready . have been filed and are receiv
ing consideration of the commission. V
Opponents of the sonlng ordinance Ott -the
other hand, declare that readjust
ment of zoned area is attended by great
difficulty to property owners and con
siderable expense to the city. They say :
that if the 180 protests already reoetved
may be accepted as a criterion, the
passage of the ordinance will result la
a flood of objections from property,
owners which will require the constant
employment of a staff of clerks and ap
praisers. Objection is also raised that the ordi
nance would require added expense In
MOVEMENT IN RESIDENCE PROPERTY GAINS STEADILY IN STRENGTH
TO REMAIN FIRM
THROUGHOUT YEAR
CHER DEBATE
ON CITY ZONING
Members of Portland Realty
Board Asked to Take Part in
Discussion of Proposed law.
.1 j i i) i. i i i n i -") i vimm iin ii -
n-'ftTuWiifiiimiienm tiiii .rr rt .mHirm ! in S.tfiif rn r"""'n";' i"!'".'''!r'1'''''"l, ' n nil mi iiiTWrir tin.-" ' " '' I
I! i If r ' . , ' - - J GREATER. ,:; . -. ?jZ&SZr vsi . V ?x - :-I A'?i
" !,yUcs'' - - Portland : '--Zz&f rTx vl--,r7rS 7'-
Manager of Builders' Exchange
Sees No Chance for Recession
of Prices From Present Levels.
"Build now It will cost more
later on," is the substance of a mes
sage delivered to the members of
the Portland Realty board at their
meeting: in the Benson hotel Friday
noon by O. G. Hughson, manager
oi the Builders Exchange. Neither
prices of building materials nor cost
of labor will find lower levels dur
lngk1920, according to Hughson, and
Advances . are predicted in several
lines of material.
Predicted advances in the price of
food and clothing' are cited as evidence
that wages cannot be lowered during
the year. But in spite of these handi
caps the, volume of building In Port
land during 1920 will exceed that of re
cent years, because of the absolute
necessity for conftruction work due to
Industrial expansion and Increase in
population.
' Reports from the dry hall show a de
cided Increase In the amount, number
and value -Af permits granted this
snonth, compared with January. 1919.
According to Hughson ther is now tin
der construction in thevcity more than
14,000,000 worth of new building, and
Business Agent Cheyne of the Building
Trades Council was quoted as Baying
that within six weeks there will not
be enough building trades mechanics in
Portland to take care of the demand.
Touching the possibility of lower build
ing costs .the speaker said :
WAGES WILL BKMAIlf HIGH
"First, there is the matter of wages,
which constitute at present scale on
commercial construction about 50 per
. cent of the total cost, and we have to
say that there Is no reduction in wages
in sight for 1920. The present scale is
fixed to May 1, and a study of the
factors that enter into any scientific
wage adjustment would indicate that
they will be no lower for the neat year.
For instance, take foodstuff Allen ft
Lewis Co. tell me to quote them, "The
'.tendency all along the line is upward.
and there are no Indications anywhere
of any falling off.'"
Other reports made by Hughson in
brief are as follows:
Lena ft Company "The peak has
' been, reached, but the chance for a
slump for 1920 is a 10 to 1 shot
against it."
Mason Ehrman "The tendency is still
upward and there is no indication of
any- general change.. If I heeded to
build I'd grab It now it will cost more
later." Harry Meyers.
,-Wadhams & Co. "Some advances
wilt show np, but In my Judgment there
.will be corresponding declines, so that
prices for; 1930 will run about the same
as at this date." Henry Hahn.
CLOTHING GOI5G CPWABD
, ' Fleischner, Meyer Co. Mr. Brown,
buyer for this concern, says: "Every
thing in working clothing will be high
er, very much higher, before the end
f 1920."
Meier ft Frank Julius Meier says:
"IC is anybody's guess as to what will
happen before the end of 1920. As for
ourselves, we are making: short pur
Chases and quick turnovers at legiti
mate profits. It all depends upon pro
duction. No drop in sight for six
months. After that no one can pre
dict.
Ben Boiling 'Tou need go no further,
for I can tell you there will be a de-
elded " advance in working: men's cloth
1 Ine for the reason that labor in cloth
ing factories la working shorter hours
and turning out less goods than for'
merry."
FUEL COSTS ADVAITC
Alblna Fuel Co. 'Don't think there
will be much change, either up or down,
for wood and coal pretty solid at
present prices."
SHOES WILL ITOT DROF
Ersrert ft Toung "Fine goods will
advance considerably, but heavy stuff
and' working shoes will remain about
the : same or possibly a little higher.
There is at present' no indication that
they will be lower.
i Bergeman says: "Heavy working
goods will undergo little if any change
for the year."
STRUCTURAL STEEL
' Northwest Bridge ft Iron Mr. Arndt
" says : "Mills aTe contracted to capacity
for elx months, excepting certain pre
mium mills which are asking from :
cent to IVi cents advance for spring
and summer deliveries. Steel is going
, up all along the line for the year.'
LUMBER PRICES SOAR
-Inman-Poulsen Frank Steblnger.
city sales manager, says: "When the
demand In January exceeds the supply.
as at present, it is reasonable to expect
the April demand will be at least three
times greater, with no material in
crease' In production in sight, for pro
duction is practically to maximum now,
LIME AND PLASTER
McCracken ft Co.. say: "Nothing on
the horizon to indicate a decline in the
lines we handle. If there should be a
falling off in labor there would be a
drop, for this stuff Is largely labor, but
this is not probable."
METAL LATH AND SUNDRIES
The Ttmms-Cress Co. reports : "There
is no indication of a decline. The old
law of supply and demand will keep
our prices up."
Rasmussen & Company, paints and
varnishes "No decline in eight for the
year and hard to get some supplies at
any price."
W. P. Fuller ft Co. "White lead," Mr.
Armstrong says, "has advanced already
1M cents this month and Is going high
er the difficulty being in getting it at
all. While Van Houghten, on the glass
situation., states that present prices
will stand till early spring, when in all
probability, there will be considerable
advance.
" Mil work. In the eplnion of Mr. Biles
of the Central Door and Lumber com-
pany, "will run about the same for the
year, several of the mills having gone
into other lines will tend toward less
" prompt oeuveries.
BRICK lOOKING UP .
Columbia Brick Co. Mr. Curry says
M "The 110 raise on tile will hold till. ear.
! April,', when the prospects are. favorable
; : for a further advance, i. owing , to in-
F-y COOS BAY DRAINAGE BUILDING CAMPAIGN
MPW PROJECT OPENS 3000 IN ROSE CITY PARK
rarPpaegen ACRES BOTTOM LAND BY METROPOLITAN CO
The demand for houses has resulted in thousands of transfers at a con
stantly increasing price and is also reflected in the number of permits
granted for new construction. Above, left to Hflht House at corner of
East Nineteenth and Siskiyou, recently purchased by N. A. Leach; two
Dutch Colonial houses at Sixt-second and Brazee streets, Just finished
by the Metropolitan Investment & Improvement company; house at 590
East Fifteenth north, purchased Mast week i,y Mark R. Colby. Below
House just completed for Maurice Seitz at 726 Sherwood Drive.
creased business with nothing in sight
to cheapen production."
SAND AJTD GRAVEL '
Columbia Digger Co. Mr. Taylor
says : "Everything used in the produc
tion of sand and grp.vel is costing more
money, and If they keep on climbing
up there is no alternative but to charge
more. At any rate there will be no
drop this year."
HOLDERS HARDWARE
Honeyman Hardware Co. "We
thought the crest was reached the first
of the year, but by the fourteenth there
had been a 10 per cent advance and
another may be expected. At any rate
there will fee no drop. If a man wants
to save money he had better build
now."
Marshal T Wells "There will be more
advances before there Is a decline. All
quotations ara'wffhdrawn and ah prices
are subject to delivery."
Plumbing supplies and electrical aoods'
run stlffer in outlook than those quoted.
So, then, we may conclude that there
will be no scaling down of wages until
there is an appreciable drop in living
supplies, at least In the Building Trades
Council. Small residence work will
doubtless be benefited by the wage of
necessity to some extent by those who
take advantage of it, but It will not be
a large factor for it is the disposition
of the non-union man to claim all the
unions have accomplished in feage and
hours reforms.
NO MORE CHEAP BUILDING
The present scale is somewhat higher
than It might have been under certain
circumstances, but it will not be low
ered for this year, for there is no
very valid argument for it in the face
of only a 100 per cent advance in
wages while materials have advanced
from 400 to 600 per cent. Probably the
bulk of the year's construction will be
what Is necessary and on advance or
ders.
Probably the public win never again
get the values they formerly received
for their money. Every little movement,
every little change and every little bit
of extra material will show up in the
bill somewhere, .i Probably they will
come nearer paying for everything they
get In both labor and material than
ever before, for the old cheap days are
doubtless gone beyond recall. There
will ba no box of blacking thrown in
with a pah of shoes no suspenders
with each suit of clothes.
The fact that there is work amount
ing to 4. 000.000 under way in the city
would seem to Indicate that the high tide
of wages and material costs is not
strong enough to overcome the imme
diate demand for construction. It
would appear that no premiums are re
quired to induce the people to build
so long as there Is a real need and abil
ity to finance the same, and probably
no campaign of enthusiasm will in any
extended decree stampede the public
from safe and sane procedure in the
matter of building.
An English hat manufacturer has de
veloped an imitation velour that closely
resembles the genuine from stiffened
cotton flannelette.
i, i.eJ
isNjnrrS A ! rn a ide ' i mr
Members of the Portland Realty board object to the zoning of property al
1 residence district. The black areas are factory sites; shaded portion
,. mentvnouses; white blocks are
Tl'tniTrJaBTriiigliiamV iTri 1 ii T
nnifs I
Hew Home Completed
For Maurice Seitz
In Sherwood Drive
Tha new house just completed at 726
Sherwood drive for Maurice Seitz Is one
of the most attractive homes of recent
construction in the Portland Heights
district. . The peculiar topography of the
site required deviation from the provi
sions of V the housing code and careful
study onsthe part of the architect.
The house is of Swiss chalet" type, the
exterior walls being of 2x12 battens on
the upper fory and stucco on the lower
half. It Is built upon a steep hillside
and commands an extensive view from
the windowsSand porch of the living and
dining rooms.
There are six rooms and a sleeping
porch, and a garage Is built underneath
the house. ThTe are hardwood floors
throughout the first story rooms, and
the Interior of the living room and hall
is finished in stained fir. A fireplace of
Batcheler tile is a feature of the living
room.
Plans for the Stz house were pre
pared by Milo S. Parwell of the L. B.
Ba'lley company. A gas heating plant
has been installed and all the plumbing
is of the best quality. Construction cost
was approximately I10VKM).
Two houses of the Dutch colonial
type were recently completed and sold
by the Metropolitan Investment ft Lm
provement company at East Sixty-second
and Brazee streets. This company
announces a building program which
will add a larjre number of homes to
the Rose City Park dlstrlct
The past year has been marked by a
strong movement in Irvlngton residence
property. Mary L. McDonell. who main
tains an office at S26 East Sixteenth
street north, reports the sale of 32
houses during the past 12 months, the
majority of them being in the Irvlng
ton district.
Among the recent sales reported by
Mrs. McDonell are: The house at the
corner of East Nineteenth and Siskiyou,
sold by M. A. Moloney to N. A. Leach,
vice-president of Kerr, Gifford & Co.,
for 115,000, and the home at 690 East
Fifteenth, transferred from R. G. Cal
vert to Mark R- Colby, for $8500.
Chester A. Moore
Joins F. E. Taylor
In New Location
Chester A. Moore, connected for sev
eral months with the Lumbermens Trust
company, will become a member of the
staff of the F. E. Taylor company after
February 1. The Taylor company has
leased new quarters in "the Yeon build
ing and will move from its present of
fices in the Henry building.
The Union Abstract company will oc
cupy, the rooms on the ground floor of
the Henry building vacated by the F. E.
Taylor company.
INDUSTRIAL ZONING SCHEME
Ipr single family residences our, .
Surveys Made for the Drainage
of Two Districts in Coos
County.
Oregon Agricultural College, Corvallis.
Jan. 24. "Prices of farm products have
advanced so far beyond the cost of
drainage that land owners are coming
to realize that it costs money to hold
wet land undeveloped," said Profesor
W. L. Powers of the soil department,
upon his return from a week's exten
sion trip into Coos county.
Professor Powers has been in the
coast county conducting extension
schools, and while there was called upon
to conduct preliminary surveys for two
proposed drainage districts, both in
Coos county.
The larger of the two drainage proj
ects Includes 3000 acres of flood and
marsh lands adjacent to the mouth of
Coos river and along Catching Inlet.
To reclaim this land will require a
levee with lock and tide gates. The
levee can be so constructed as to be
fitting for use as a highway. The land
In the project is some of the most fer
tile in the Coos bay section, according
to Professor Powers.
A preliminary survey was also made t
zor a possioie canai connecting low
bay with the Coquille river by cutting
from Isthmus slough into Beaver
slough. It is estimated that 200,000
yards of excavation would be required
to provide a sea level canal. This
would serve the double purpose of aid
ing shipping between the two sections
and of reclaiming much fertile bottom
land along these sloughs.
Steps are also being taken looking
toward the organization of a small
drainage district at Lakeside, in north
ern Coos county. Other requests have
been received by the soils department
of the college for assistance in shap
ing up drainage districts. Several of
these are on the lower Columbia and in
the. Klamath basin.
Kelso Property Sold
On Delinquent Tax
Kelso, Wash., Jan. 24. County Treas
urer L. P. Brown last week offered for
sale 75 tracts of real estate in Cowlitz
county, including town lots and acreage.
Bidding was keen on nearly all the
pieces of land, and without exception
they brought more than what the county
had against them in taxes. These prop
erties came Into the ownership of Cow
litz county by tax delinquencies. The
residence property at the corner of Sec
ond and Maple streets, against which
Kelso had claims for paving assessments.
was purchosed by the city of Kelso for
$1000, and the city has ample protec
tion for its claims.
Salem Elks Plan to
Build New Temple
Salem, Or, Jan. 24. Plans for the
erection of a new Elks temple for Salem
are now under consideration by members
of the local order, the largest in the
state outside of Portland. At a meeting
last Thursday night a committee was
named to investigate the feasibility of
the project, and upon their report will
largely depend the-further consideration
of the building plans.
ng the O-W. IL Jk N. tracks as CL$s
ar may be used for business and apart
Company Proposes to Build Large
Number of Moderate Priced
Bungalows for Sale.
At the recent annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Metropolitan Invest
ment, ft Improvement company H. G.
Beckwlth was reelected president and
E. A. Mattern secretary; John Hall and
A- Nlbley were reelected directors and
new directors were elected as follows:
William F. Woodward of the Woodard,
Clarke company; Robert E. Smith,
president of the Title ft Trust company,
and Blaine Smith, capitalist.
The president's report showed that
the company had made very satisfac
tory progress during the past year, with
splendid outlook for 1920. There are
over 600 stockholders In the Metropoli
tan company, the majority of the stock
being held by local business men. The
purposes of the concern are to buy and
improve real estate, build and operate
apartment houses, and to build and
finance dwellings on property owned by
the company.
The . most important transaction of
the year, according to President Beck
wlth, was the acquisition of six lots on
Trinity . and Nineteenth streets. The
land, purchased is- the site of the Belle
Court apartment house, built and op-.
era ted by the Metropolitan company.
The ground was held on a lease prior
to its purchase.
In addition to building Belle Court,
the company has erected and sold on
easy terms over 100 dwelling houses.
Stockholders present at the annual meet
ing unanimously agreed that arrange
ments should be made for the imme
diate construction of a number of mod
erate priced houses and bungalows to
sell on easy terms at from $3500 to
$5000. Rose City Park and surround
ing districts will be the scene of this
season's operations, the major part of
the company's holdings being located in
that vicinity.
Beckwlth and other officers and di
rectors of the Metropolitan company are
convinced that there will be no reces
sion in the price of labor and building
materials during the year. "The high
wages prevailing throughout the coun
try are primarily the cause of advanced
costs of material." said Beckwlth. "and
while certain adjustments are bound to
come, we cannot look for any substan
tial reductions. The rise in prices dur
ing the past five years has been greater
than during the previous 50 years, and
conditions will never go back to the
pre-war basis. Some commodities are
bound to advance In price to new
levels."
Annual Convention
Of Master Builders
At Multomali Hotel
The third annual convention of the
Northwest Master Builders' association
will be held at the Multnomah hotel
February 26, 27 and 28. Representa
tive contractors and builders will be in
attendance from Oregon. Washington,
Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.
C. C. Colt. Ellis F. Lawrence. O. G.
Hughson. E. D. Timms. J. M. Dougan,
M. W. Lorenz and Frederick S. Cook
are among the local men named on the
program.
The Northwest Master Builders' as
sociation was organized in 1918 and its
membership comprises practically all of
the builders' associations of the North
west. The convention here will be held
under the auspices of the local associa
tion. 0 ..r
Three Dredges Dig
On Diking Project
Near Kelso, Wash.
Kelso, Wash., Jan. 24. The new
dredge recently launched at Portland
for diking district No. 5 will be ready
for work in the near future and the
dredge which operated at Woodland, on
district No. L last autumn will return
from drydock at Astoria In two or three
weeks. Cheatham ft Son's land digger,
which' has been working at Woodland
all winter, will continue on the Job.
With these three diggers n operation,
O. J. Posshy, engineer for district No. 5.
expects to have dirt flying on his proj
ect between now and June. He expects
to have the district protected against
any but the highest water this year.
Price of Sugar Beets Fixed
Yakima, .Wash,, Jan. 24. On the eve
of an acreage campaign which the Utah
Idaho Sugar company is preparing to
launch to get tonnage for the 1920 crop,
the beet farmers of the valley have ef
fected an organization and have gone on
record demanding $45 a ton as the min
imum price at ' which . they will grow
1 beats during the coming yea .
Astoria Realty
Board Cooperates
With Port Officials
Astoria, Jan. 24. A meeting ef the
Astoria Realty board was held Wednes
day night in the rooms of the Chamber
of Commerce, A good sized number of
new applicants were admitted to mem
bership. R. M. Cobban of the Irving
Realty company Invited the members
of the club to attend a luncheon for the
realty men of the city to be held Sat'
urday noon In the Welnhard hotel.
It was voted to cooperate with the
port commission in plans for a big open
house to be held in the new port of
fices in the near future. It was thought
that much good could be accomplished
by getting the people of the town and
county acquainted with the port docks
and the large projects which are handled
there. The temporary officers were
elected for the year and prospects are
very bright for the success of the As
toria Realty board. Several new mem
bers were enrolled at this meeting.
Car Shortage Serious
Baker, Jan. 24. Many mill workers
here have been out of work for several
days because of a shortage of freight
cars, which has made regular shipments
of logs to the mills impossible. For
several weeks past many employes have
been permitted to work but one or two
days each week. The situation is be
coming serious, not only because of the
labor inconvenience, but because nearly
all of the mills have contracted orders
which must be filled within a short
time.
Th
Cantrfbotod to the
Csuw ef Mors
Norms
J. A. WICKMAK GO.
Hobs Kerehaats
tl4 By. ExekaageBldg.
Kala fU, UU
Members of the Portland Realty
board resent the attitude of Mayor
Baker toward criticism of the pro
posed zoning ordinance submitted
to the council by the city planning
commission. At a recent meeting
of the board the secretary was in
structed to ask the use of The Audi
torium for a mass meeting of prop
erty owners to discuss the proposed
ordinance.
The letter was addressed to Comml
sloner A. L. Barbur and read in
as rouows: "i am instructed by theex-
ecutlve committee to request that The
Auditorium be furnished at some date
in the near future for the holding of a
meeting to be attended by all property
owners, under the auspices of the Port
land Realty board, for the purpose of
securing fullest details concerning the
proposed sonlng ordinance. At this
meeting the city planning commission
could enlighten a great number of prop
erty owners on the proposed measure
who do not now understand fully re
garding same."
The use of The Auditorium was re
fused by Mayor Baker on the ground
that the purpose of the proposed meet
lng was to adversely criticise the son
ing ordinance.
At the Friday; noon luncheon of the
Realty board invitation from the Cham
ber of Commerce was presented asking
the realty men to furnish speakers at
a debate on the merits of the sonlng
ordinance at the members' forum Feb
ruary 2. Members of the city plan
ning commission will be present to
speak for the ordinance and the realty
men will point out the alleged defects
of the measure.
The principal objection to the ordi
nance on the part of the realty dealers
is that its provisions are not based on
a scientific study of the needs of the
city. . They point out as examples the
zoning of blocks adjacent to the O-W.
R. ft N. tracks In the vicinity of Sulli
van's gulch. as residence districts. Lota
adjoining sites of factories now in op
eration are in many Instances soned for
single family residences, even where the
location is not well adapted to residence
purposes.
Members of the city planning com
mission point out that property owners
who object to the zoning of their prop
erty may file protests at the city hall
. "-gM
"THE HOME IS THE GREATEST
OF ALL INSTITUTIONS"
Every man should own his home. It is bis primary
duty to his family and to his community. He owes it to his
city, his state and his country. But greatest of all he oves
It to bis family.
There is no 'greater contentment or more evertastinf
Joy than that which comes to the family who possess their
own home. Regardless of whether your borne is tpidous
or small. If you own ft, your family are Independent
There Is No Better Tune to Boy Hen Hubs Today
the preparation of abstracts of title, ae
the uses to which real property would
be limited by the ordinance must be
stated In the abstract.
Following the debate on the merits) .
of the sonlng ordinance before the
Chamber of Commerce on February t.
a canvass of the membership of that'
organisation will be made with a suit
able questionnaire to determine the at- .
tltude of the 3000 members of the or
ganisation toward the measure. Return
of the ballots will require about, a
week's time, according to officials of the
chamber.
NJ. O. El rod, J. Fred Staver and other
members of the recently appointed city
plafsfHng committee of the Realty board
wiUjJect speakers to appear before
thenbers forum of the Chamber of
Comr
Lane County Land
Offered for Sale
On Delinquent Tax
Among the paresis of land advertised
for sale by, the sheriff of Lane county
to meet delinquent taxes, are a large
number of building lots at Florence
on the lower Stuslaw river. Many of
these lots may be sold at prices as low
as 60 cents each, according to advices
from Lane county officials.
Several years ago. when the Southern
Pacific line was being built from Eu
gene to Marsntleld, thousands of lota
were platted at Florence, in the hop
that the railroad would pass throigh
that town. Because of engineering dif
ficulties the railroad crossed the river
at Cushman Instead of running into
Florence and the hopes of Investors In
real estate went glimmering.
Florence is a pretty little town and
lp frequented by tourists during' the
summer season. Lots at 60 cents per:'
offer opportunities to secure summer
homes at a moderate cost, and , tbe
Lane county sheriff predicts an influx
of new property owners to Florence
following the tax sale.
Dallas Methodists
Plan Fine ChurcK
Dallas, Jan. 24. Plans have been, com
pleted by the congregation of the First
Methodist church for the erection of a
new home. The proposed edifice will"
cost about I2E.000 and will be finished
and ready for occupancy by autumn.
The trwttk ef
repusttoan asUoe, tn
-tKn. Slsournsst
I r
a