The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 34

THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE. NEW YORK. SATURDAY. MAY 20. 1911.

34 40,000,000 feet of this wood -Jn dressed lumber and timber form. Heavy Output of House Trim, In the cases of not a few lumber yards, the manufacture of house trim carried EVERYTHING OF WOOD MADE HERE; A GREAT LUMBER CENTER ings, come ur.de- tlie Inspection of the Building Deprrt.nert. Until the blocks are approve! by this department, they cannot be used by the builder. Iu order to secure this aproval a sample block has to be sent to some laboratory of standing, such as the Columbia, Poly ble lamps are coming very much into use in a great number of very artistic designs. What is known as the shower fixture for electric lights is a pretty novelty.

The light is thrown by the pressing of a button Into tinted oblong globes, which produce a soft and beautiful light, the effect upon the furniture and decorations of the room being extremely agreeable. A new and very artistic design is the alabaster dish carved and polished by hand. The carvings are Greek and highly artistic. A very soft light is produced by this alabaster lamp. It is designed for use in entrance halls on In the same plants is an industry ot much importance.

There are, of course, firms that devote themselves to house trim alone. Window technic, Pratt, Columbia 't Is put through a thorough chemical examination and a certificate issued. This certificate is filed with the Build1 -tment, and 30,000 Workmen Engaged in Manufacture pf Every Variety of Wood Products Brooklyn Consumes More Lumber Than Any City in the World. bath tubs are now enameled both lnsid and out, which makes a most beautiful and serviceable article. The old troll bath tuba faced with wood are rapldlj going out of use.

being replaced by tha very popular enameled article. Th4 pedestal lavatory of enameled iron is another article of comparatively recenj adoption which is relied upon to assisl In mnking the modern bathroom beau' tiful and convenient. It Is made o) china as well as enameled iron. Watel cKsets with the siphon jet and tank ol vitrous china and white enamel celliu varno seat and cover is another acces Bory for combining the useful and thi beautiful in a bathroom. Vase tanks and what are known as low down tenM are very generally used at the present time.

A bathroom tiled with tho latest art tiles and supplied with a completj equipment of the white enameled batl tub and lavatory and other accessories, Is a splendid representation of tvrem tleth century advancement. Brooklyn makes the things which go into such ail Improved apartment of the home. Therl has been eteadv Improvement locally it! the quality of the articles offered to tha linn Tl nrtt OPCNl TlOS- frames, door frames, wooclej mantels and many other kind of interior woodwork are included in house trim. Because of the fact that In many instances this line of manufacture goes hand In hand with the lumber Industry proper, it is impossible to secure estimates of Its extent as represented by the output and capital Invested. Tho cost of house trim varies widely.

For some buildings It is an insignificant part of the total outlay for the structures. Again It may exceed the amount expended for beams and floors. There Is latitude In this line of work for the use of the cheapest as well as of the finest woods, and for all degrees of skill and art In the fashioning ana disposition of the material. multiform manufactures of wood in Prooklyn are such In va- I nurl ortMif 'i in fh'fci'rhltinn. liv flip htst in- T.

IICIJ I formed men, -whose money, time and brains are enlisted in their I production. That such description in adequate style' must be when the architect makes up his plans and specifications be states that the cement blocks to be furnished by the builders must be "approved," which means that they must be approved by the Building Department. Brick and stone and even concrete are used for foundations, but cement Clocks are preferred by many large builders and are said to give great satisfaction. Local Lumber Plant Works Up Feet of Lumber a Year. Having secured a good foundation, the builder ot the liouse looks about for the right sort of material for the body of the structure.

Thero is one establishment ia Brooklyn which works up about 65,000,000 feet of lumber a year and this Is nut Into the form of moldings, sashes, traHB in lillH ili.e. it, um slble that anything more convenient uU ditiictilt becomes apparent after consideration of the great nmn ber of manufactured products of whkli wood is the material basis, and of the many ramifications of industries dealing, in one form or another, ir not principally, with wood. Although expert statisticians maUo hold to declare that no person of to-day will live to see the continent denuded of forest growth, the rate of wood consumption is concededly such that before many generations shall have passed the yield will have fallen far behind demands upon- it. Not to its discredit it can be MODERN MATERIALS IN HOUSE BUILDING hlin.ls and doors, flooring and timber. I serviceable could De proauceu.

MAKING FUENITURE FOR BROOKLYN HOMES A town like Brooklyn, with a populai mill three-ouarter millions, ta This material comes from a number of different localities, chleily Statue, boutn Carolina, Canada and Oregon. The establishment which handles all this build- I inir material occupies an area of 25 acres. 1 which the equivalent of a good sized clttf point almost of extermination of a given kind of trees for lumber In given sections that the fashions, so to speak, In wood, change with so much frequency. Thus there was a time not very long ago when the hemlock of Pennsylvania was consumed here In Immense quantities. Because of the growing dearth of It, this wood has been superseded, for the purposes It formerly served, by short-Iea'ed pine.

So, also, white pine has given way In great measure to cypress, fir and other woods. In the course of this evolution It has come about that woods which formerly were not seriously considered for commercial purposes bave now become Important factors In the market. Gum is a notable example of this trend. Such has been the history of the. vogues of various woods, repeated over and over again.

Fifty Lumber Concerns Operating Here. With half a hundred lumber concerns, all of high class, and several of which have an output of over $2,000,000 a year each, Brooklyn's Importance as a lumber center Is not a difficult matter to comprehend. The nature of the business makes necessary the use of large areas for the plants, and the work is almost entirely of an exterior character. Lumber firms require many horses and teams and make largo use of unskilled labor. Newtown Creek, Clreenpolnt, Gowanus South Brooklyn and the water front are the great lumber districts.

Nearly all the lumber delivered in Brooklyn conies In barges, schooners, lighters and canal boats, so that yards near the water front have an advantage in location, bo far as receiving and shipping facilities are concerned. Many of the dealers combine with the lumber Industry proper, that of making house trim or the interior woodwork for finishing houses. One great concern also does a huge business In box making. Yellow pine, spruce, North Carolina pine and cypress are the great staples In lumber. Greenpoint Yard Covers Tweuty-six Acres.

Notable as leading the world, Its proprietors say, In the matter of equipment in modern machinery, is a great lumber yard on Newtown Creek, occupying 26 acres. The yard has half a mile of water front giving opportunity for the unloading of half a dozen Bchooners and barges at a time. From the holds of the vessels or from the docks of lighters, the lumber Is taken in quantities by machinery and transferred to a roller system reaching to every part of the yard. Electric trains, capable of handling tons of lumber at a single lift, load the pieces on wacons or feed them to the mills. Electricity is the motive power for all the machinery.

The hoists and conveyors are adequate for the heaviest t(mbers, piling these sometimes to a height of 40 feet. Immense quantities of yellow pine are handled In this yard, which carries In stock at times, and foyers. In addition to these novelties for lighting purposes there Is a great array of crystal globes, which are also extremely attractive and serve to add another Important feature to the home. Sidelights in tho fixture business at the present time are fast taking the place of the old style chandelier. Something modest and quiet is preferred to that which Is showy and large.

The tendency Is ono indication of the refining Influence of education among the masses of the people. Concrete Indispensable In House Building. Good bui'ders say that the cellar of a dwelling should be not less than seven f.et high, and that eight feet is better. Concrete cellar floors and concrete sidewalks have become indispensable, and a large business has been built up In this borough in furnishing and laying them. Nothing In modern house building has been more marked than the Improvements that bave been made in the direction of furnishing of material which renders tho home fireproof.

Metallic is one of these. Where It Is supplied the progress of a fire Is very much retarded, while the difference in cost is more than offset by the longer endurance of metal as compared with the old-fashioned laths. The advantage of metal lathing as a means of discouragment to rats is worthy of consideration, while another advantage is that the plaster grips them more effectually than it does wood. The metal lath is produced in Brooklyn in large quantiites. Taste and Economy in the "Trim." There Is no part of housebuilding In more skill and taste have been displayed than what is known as "trim." Much of the time and attention of a number of large Brooklyn manufacturers Is being devoted to tho production ot thl3 verv Important product for the house-builder.

It has come to pass that a small amount of money has been made to go a long way in fitting up the interior ot a dwelling by selecting some tasteful and appropriate trim. It is worth considerable study to be able to finally select that which will look well and wear well. Ornamental woods are now furnished at prices which place them within the reach of home builders of moderate means and refined taste. A Model Bathroom. rrogre3s in house building Is nowhere aiore marked thaa in the present methods of fitting up the bathroom and supplying It with various conveniences.

The enameled roll-top bath tub is no longer considered a luxury, but Is deemed a necessity by the great majority of people of intelligence and refinement. These is being added every year, rouiiim multitude of homes requiring furnishing and decoration. It results that mil lions of dollars worth ot furniture is manufactured and, sold yearly in the borough, and that the furniture industry is one ot the most conspicuous in the communty. In 1910 the total production, of this class of goods, in Brooklyn was valued at $3,480,232, and this was due to tho operations of sixty-eight manufactories, representing an Investment of i.wicr lino nersons. whose wage3 said Hint BrooUlyn stands to-day t.ho greatest center of consumption of lumber In the world, tapping for its supply the great forest regions of this country and reaching out to far distant lands for woods not indigenous to this.

soil. There is hardly any kind of product from wood that ts not represented In the long list of manufactures here. In some of the wood industries the local products exceed in quantity those of any other center of population in the United States. Men iu the business say that in variety and volume the home manufactures wood are such that no matter what may be the requirements of given consumer he need not go outside tue limits of tbu borough to secure what he wants. If nil the wood used in Brooklyn in a year could be reduced to the form or boards one inch thick ami nine Inches wide, and the boards could be laid end to end in ft straight line, they would measure a length sulllcient to.

reach from the aartt to the moon, a distance of "-KUKIO miles. There are enough barrel staves of one kind used here In a year to make a licit around the globe's circumference. Of the feet of lumber taken up nnnually by Hie market of Greater New York, Brooklyn, easily the banner borough of the city in this lino, takes SOO.OUO.OtX) feet and uses it nearly all at home. The lumber market here is distinctively a retail market, and little goes out except for the export trade. fully capital is invested here in the lumber business, and In various other industries employing wood there is invested lOO.OOl) more.

Some of the latter are box manufanturing, the manufacture of house trim, barrels, furniture, collins and caskets, matches, pianos, picture frames and a long list of other things, including howling balls, liagpoles, circus poles and tent poles. All told, persons, whose wages amount in a year to work -with wood iu one form or another. The value of the total output Is $79,80.3,527. Oue thousand men are employed by a single lumber concern. Which Item of cost In the building of a house amounts to the most In dollars and cents? This question was put to a Brooklyn architect recently and his answer was: "Labor." Accepting the architect's statement to be correct.

Brooklyn may fairly claim that she furnishes the principal factor which goes into the making of the house. But there are many others. One of the most important parts of a house Is the foundation. Unless this be secure all the other build-, ing is In vain. Cement blocks are being largely used in laying the foundations for dwellings.

Many of them are made In Brooklyn. Portland cement Is used In making these blocks. It is supposed to have derived Its name from England, whence large quantities of the cement originally came. At the present time this product is made entirely In this country and the price has been reduced from $3 to $4 a barrel to less than a dollar for the same quantity. Ail Portland cements are also known as hydraulic cements, for the reason that they harden under water.

Cement Is made of material composed of limestone and slate. Clay hardened into stone is called slate. The basis of slate is aluminum and tho basis of limestone Is calcium. About every state In the Union has deposits of the materials from which cement can be made, and the result is that this product is entering more and more Into the department of building materials, which in itself has become a very large business In Brooklyn. The cement blocks used for foundations as well as for any other purpose connected with the construction of build The millions of feet of lumber put into shape for tmilding purposes Is consumed almost entirely in Brooklyn.

A little of It is exported and some is sent to communities contiguous to Brooklyn. Most of the fittings of the interior of a house are made in Brooklyn. Large turning and molding mills are engaged in turning out newel posts, window rrames, moldings, dressers, bookcases, china closets, and many other furnishings of a similar nature. Special orders ders are given to certain mills in Brooklyn for mantels of a particular design, and many other Interior fittings In wood are planned by the designer of the house. Cypress shingles for roofing have been brought from tho South by Brooklya dealers.

In addition to these there are a number of patent rooting materials which have been produced by local men for many years. Asbestos roofing slates have come much Into fashion during re-cnt years, and are fast replacing shingles in the fire limits. When it conies to finishing the interior of the house Brooklyn may be well represented. The greatest producers ot paint, white lead and varnish are located here. It Is seldom that a building of any kind Is erected here without some of these manufacturers being represented.

Novelties in House Lighting. The lighting of a house always demands careful attention of the builders. Brooklyn makes gas fixtures and electric light fixtures. A large amount or capital has been Invested in this industry for many years. The age demands constant improvement in styles, and the makers as far as Brooklyn is concerned, at least, are keeping well up with this demand.

Recently there has been decided advancement in the matter of table lamps, both for gas and electric light. Sllkshade ta aggregated $1,085,750. The progress made in the'lnduBtry in so short a period as five years is clearly seen by contrasting the foregoing figures with the corresponding ones of 1905, which were: Annual production, number of establishments, 51; capital invested, number of employes, was9 I disbursements, $815,063. Specialties in Furniture Lines. The furniture manufactories of Brook- lyn specialize each in a well-defined rectlon.

in numerous instances there is a marked division of labor, It being the practice for some firms to make mere the frame work of the article will i others attend exclusively to the uphol- sterlng. But several factories are evolv-i ing lines of finished goods either rora i the raw material or exceedingly close devoted to the con RISKS IN LUMBER TRADE It Is proverbial that the lumber business is subject to unusual vicissitudes hafniiea nf nevernl reasons. One ot these scarcity of certain kinds of lumber. It is asserted by the leading authorities on the subject that there is certain to be plenty of lumber to meet all demands for many years to come, and that the talk of anything like a near-impending lumber famine savours of folly. Nevertheless the fact stands that the sources of supply are constantly receding to greater distances from market points.

It is because of the consumption to the Is that speculative builders, who are great consumers of lumber, are a great i source of risk. Then, again, the character of the materials to be marketed changes on account ot the growing I THIS BROOKLYN FACTORY PRODUCES THE LARGEST LINE OF QUARTERED OAK AND MAHOGANY CASKETS OF ANY ONE FACTORY IN THE WORLD. mmwmm This immense business was started in a very small way about 20 years ago. It consisted of Joseph F. Morgan, the founder and owner, and six workmen.

To-day it has the honor of giving to Brooklyn (the place where it grew) an enviable distinction. What is probably responsible for this rapid growth is the fact that Mr. Morgan strongly adhered to two policies. "The first always; the best only," and "Not how cheap, but how good." His business generalship and extraordinary capabilities permitted him to do this. "P' Yl forJL Put WMsr feifrrl JJ WHO Ct AL NLY nw.c tpp rirr ir pf fPjFEri rir BifclL iLksXlk iM iiLwjwwri No ss 15 car" liJ5l EmoVEEstNTRANcr- Qw ToTRS'88 mm iHiH 11 fei JpSr 1 rkrfefeB ti JlE JtrN'n IrJ I.

Ja n.ilA.l 14r" lira RGAN CASKET COMPANY MO JOSEPH F. MORGAN, Proprietor, AVENUE, BROOKLYN, N. y.5; U. S. A.

572-584 PARK.