"
I t
10 A
THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: NOVEMBER 21, 192C.
Cement Prices Big Bugaboo
Of the Building Industry
One Material Continues to Go Up, While Others Drop
-Big Mills Gobbled Up the Little Ones in
Pinch a Fetf Years Ago, Declare
' -Dealers.v -
By PAUL GREER. .
"The big fish ate the little fish."
That is the way one dealer in
building supplies who ought to kno
sums up the situation in the cement
business. To him there was nothing
out of the ordinary in a process
which, forced out the independents
or bought them upx for the purpose
cf controlling prices.
Practinlty every materia! usCd in
building, except cement, has slumped
ur price in the last 60 days Ac
cording lo an ' Omaha architect,
piices of cement have increased rath
rr than docreased in the last nioiilh.
Mills are said to be quoting cement
for spring delivery at an advance of
ll) cents a barrel. .'. .,,.
Cement Goes Up.
The big stumbling block to rea
sonable prices in building is said
o be the high price of cement. From
x his files this builder showed the up
v.ard tendency o$ cement, starting
with the days before the war when
it sold at $1.46 net. On November
3. a year ago, it sold at $2.50; 'in
, February, 1920, it remained station
' ary; on June 17 it had reached $3,20,
p. ml today he is asked $3.80. .. .
,. An Omaha man who is heavily in
terested in a cement plant states that
there has been a rise of 70 cents a
l arre! since last spring, at the mill.
, He frankly says, that although prior
m the last five years, cement mills
j on t through trying times, the enor
mous demand of wartime made much
money for the producers. He says
ii;at in some instances production
lias been limited, partly by the car
shortage and partly by the excess
profits tax. 1 j
Tax Is an Alibi
This tax, which, like the car short
age, has to bear so much blame, be
gins to fall heavily when profits go
above 20 per cent on the investment.
According to the view put forth,
really big business men do not con
sider 4n investment successful unless
it makes at least 20 per cent. After
this point is reached the government
collects 46 cents out of each $1 of
profit. iThe claim is made that rather
i than divide their earnings thus, pro
ducers are warranted in decreasing
their .output rather than their prices.
A small volume of business and a
large margin of profit becomes a
commercial maxim,.
A stockholder in one cemejit plant
professes himself not altogether sym
pathetic with this system. In this
case, the company is controlled by a
Colorado millionaire, with a string
of cement mills. He is said to claim
that he has paid $1,000,000 out of his
combined profits to Uncle Sam, and
to have declared that he did not care
if this one plant made another 'ient,
because his taxes would cut increas
ingly deep. This, of course, leaves
out of consideration the other stock
holders, who have not such wide or
profitable investments. ' ' '. ' ','
However improbable it may' seem
that there can be men who are un
willing to pay out, 46 cents itr order
to make 54 cents profit, this reason
is quite frequently given by business
llllll IUI lilt. lllliliayUll VI JJl UUUVUUUii
Back 10 years ago there was nofl
such profit to be had in grinding up
stone and shale for cement. Inde
pent plants sprang up in dozens' of
places in the middle west-in spite
of this fact. Then something hap
pened. One explanation is that the
old established companies ' engaged
in the task of whipping the inde
pendents into line. A cement com
pany representative puts it-. in- an
other way, saying that the new mills
cut' prices and the older ones, met
their competition. ''-!-,,
One Company's Experience.
A letter sent out by-one of these
smaller companies, the United.Kan
sas Portland Cement company, to
" its stockholders in 1910 makes no ac
cusations but states 1
"The year 1909 was the most dis
- nstrous from an earning standpoint
in the history of the cement indus
try," but added the cheering infor
mation that "the cement industry is
again coming into its own," and that
"the extreme low prices, brought
about by competitive conditions,
have had much to do with the in
creased consumption, and the public
has become well educated to ihe
use of cement." ;
In spite of all the hopes of the in
I deoendents, the same company in
' 1912, confessed to its stockholders
that "the overproduction 'of cement
in the field served by our company
(such production Being nearly
double the consumption) has put all
cement producers iu this section on
the verge of bankruptcy." The let
ter states that an appraisal company
had examined the properties of 13
independent cement companies, and
that it was proposed to organize a
new company to purchase the plants,
at a figure representing a consider
able loss to the people who held
stock.
Such was the way in which the
series of combinations and reorgani
sation arrived. ihcre Was a tunc
when independent mills stood id!.?
after having" been brought into com
bination. The process seems to
have been to undersell them and
then having rendered them unprofit
able, buy them up for a song.
Jobbers Eliminated,
i Side by side with tnis war was one
against the jobbers Gradually they
'were forced out of business and the
full control of the trade taken over
by the cement mills. On the face
of the thing, the elimination of the
jobber might appear to be a good
thing, but the objection to them (was
in part that they cut prices and
competed with each other. If they
bad bought a supply of cement
ahead, and mill prices went up, they
were able to, hold down prices to
their customers vth their reserve
stocks. Their function was the
same as that of jobbers in all lines,
but their elimination was made on
the plea of stabilizing the market
for cement. That the .market has
been stabilized only in an upward
direction indicates that the control
set up by the mills has been effec
tive, i ' ,
In thi past year cement has been
rationed out to builders almost like
.ugar to housewives. The demand
has grown immensely, and the short
age of cars helped to make prices
high. : Today one plant in Iowa is
said to have 350,000 barrels in stor
age, and yet the shortage is expected
to continue, and prices to rise. Freer
movement of cars might be expected
to cause a fall in the famfme prices,
but this is not generally admitted'
by the cement makers.
Demand Grows.;
It is pointed out that the need of
cement for the extensive road build
ing programs will swell the demand.
New and wider uses of this material
are beincr found every day. Farmers
t'se as much for silos, corn cribs
and other improvements as do the
cities for building.
"The manufacturers display a bru-.
tal belief that road building will be
intensive enough to take practically
all the output of the mills," an ar
chitect who sees prospects of home
building go glimmering, declares. A
retail dealer tells of visiting sales
managers is Chicago who appear to
be ' grandly indifferent over new
orders.
"Cement dealers have their desks
piled with letters asking prices on
millions of barrels," says this re
tailer. Ihey know that there will
be more orders than can be filled,
and feel that they can get any price
they ask." This retailer, however,
believes that although there is no
substitute for cement, as there is
for lumber, prices will be forced
down in sympathy with the decline
ot other materials. ;
If they have made no other mis
take or committed no other wrong,
the manufacturers at least stand in
the peculiar position of having stim
ulated a demand for cement that they
cannot meet. Each mill contributes
a certain amount per barrel, said by
some to be 7 cents, to a fund for
maintaining a propaganda bureau
called the Portland Cement associa
tion. This bureau through pamph
lets and publications of various-kinds
conducts what is termed education
al work" to encourage the use of ce
ment. The charge is made that it
was through the efficient labors of
this bureau that the government was
led to build a number of freak con
crete boats during the war. One of
these vessels sank in three minutes
after a collision recently, causing the
death of 17 men. Concrete road
propaganda, however, a desirable
thing, comes also from : this same
source, arousing a demand that will
serve to force prices higher and
higher, and a demand also, that can
not be filled.
Lined with leather, a metal tube
has been invented for rolling um
brellas -tightly and neatly.
The Fireplace
Gift Shop
Showing Hearth Furniture of many
! materials and patterns; each item
unique, attractive and practical.
Here you find Christmas gifts that
are different. .
Hand-Wrought Andirons, '
Decorative Wood Boxes,
i ( ' . ...
Log Baskets, Metal Coal Vases.
Somewhere in our big new stock is
V the gift you will choose.
, May we show you now while there
; i is the widest possible selection?
- ' . ' '
Sunderland Brothers Co.
. . ' . -'
Display Room Entire 3rd Floor Keelint Bid's.,
' 17th and Harney Streets.
Values Hir
CniM Ym: M tin- Real Emmmf ,, far Cash Bmpmii
Now Showing DECEMBER
McCall Patterns
Magazines and Style Quarterlies.
.... .
Special Expert Demonstration All Week!
Pattern Dept. Main Floor.
J L J L THh rASH ViTiilJ H. U-ZA K
liu.-, mm v intr-. s - I " '
We Want You to Visit '
.TOYLAND
on Fourth Floor
Wonderfully broad assort
ments for your selection and
the Cash Prices are Pleasing.
Captivating Modes in Winter Apparel at Unusually Attractive Pr icings
Never in the history of our business career have our apparel sections offered more complete assortments, or have values
been more inviting. Our buyer hajs returned from New York and Special Cash' Purchases, now in stock, offer values
we know Vi 11 be a most pleasurable surprise toour customers. We mention a few of the many for Monday.
, 200 Handsome New
CLOTH SUITS
Made to Sell to $50, at V- V . W
Qualities that willbear the most careful in
spection.' Styles that are popular and becom
inland in most desirable materials. Match
loss values at Cash Price : .......... $29.50
$25
Women's and Misses' Cloth, Dresses
Made to Sell to $40, at '
100 of them in this lot for selection,' and we
would advise early selection for they can't
last long at this price. ,
$
145
Special Purchase of
FUR COATS
Go on Sale Monday at . . .
Think of it. Handsome Black Genet Fur
Coats, with Raccoon, Opossum and Squirrel
Collars. Values, we are confident, cannot be
duplicated elsewhere at this price. Our Spe
cial Sale Price '. . .$145.00
CLASSY WINTER tCOATS
!
Made to selj to $75
$49,
s.
Sizes for women and misses in a variety of styles sum
to please. Come in the various popular cloths and
plushes with lovely fur collars. A splendid assort
ment of colors. . 1
.-Three Rousing Specials for Morning Hours Monday
Taffeta Silk Petticoats, speciaL . .'$1.95 Bath robes,' worth $5.00,. $6.00 and $7j00, House Dresses, worth $3 to $4, spe. $1.95
, 7 Special .... $5.?K y -
A Wonderful- Clearance
MEN'S UADT
suits ::'':rlAK.l,-
That sold at $65, $70 and $75. Big 1 assortment of
colors in -all wool or silk and wool fabrics, blue serges
included. Every garment full guaranteed.. Hay den's
Cash IJrice ... ..... .. . . . .
" : T I -
Sale of Our Entire Fall and Winter Stock
FNER &. MARX, aux
SCHAF
SUITS
39
7,C , That sold at '$35 and. $40. An immense variety of, JK
yjlaapy K3t,yf uuxxo jjljvi; jaw a. xiiuiusl ciiuicoo osduxl- j:
ment of "patterns in guaranteed allXool and silk and
i n m 1 i ; ' " '
wool iaorics, at . ; . . .
Monday We Continue thei Unprecedented .
Value-Giving in
WOOL GOODS
44-inch French Serge, $1.98
All pure wool, a very close woven Serge in mqst all colors ;
plenty of navy. Our regular $3.00 quality, Special Sale, $1.98
56-inch" Plaids, $3.98 -
In a beautiful range of color combinations in both Plaids and
Checks, have been selling up to $6.98. Special Sale Price $3.98
54-inch Tricotine, $4.98
All-pure Wool, high-grade material, in both fine and medium
twills. Our regular $7.00 quality. Special Sale Price ..$4.98
'" 58-inch Suitings, $5.98
All wool, a very high-grade of Men's Wear Suiting, in a bea
tiful range of colors. Our regular $10.00 quality. Special Sale
Price $5.98
Complete Line , of Fur Eabrics ,
We carry the largest and most complete line of' Fur Fabrics in
the city, at a saving of 25 to 33. ' ' -,
Prices range from $6.48 up. '
Special Monday
RandG
Corsets
Made in Pink Coutil, topless model,
which does away with any uncom
fortable feeling around bust, all are.
daintily trimmed, all sizes, 20 to
30, special, Monday. .$3.00
Girls'
' F erris Waists v
All broken, lots in button, or hook
front, in Monday's Sale, cSoice
at ;f;-...-.'.-. .......,$1.'56
Corset Dept. Second Floor. ",
A Wonderful Showing 0 the Season's Most Beautiful
i and Popular -
- NEW SILKS
At Prices Actually Below Mill Cost '
$4.00 All Silk Satin Goetz, $2.49
Hay den's are the only agents in Omaha for this
wear-well and beautiful Satin. No Jobs or Seconds.
White
Duck''
Seba
Sailor
Taupe
Dragon
Purple
1 Sharon
Pink
Copen ,,
Labrador
Dark Navy '
Bark .'
Hunter
Grape
Artillery
Lavender Turquoise
Chinese ' Persian
Light Navy Navy
Nickel . Quail
Golden Seal
Myrtle ' Liberty
Prune Eose
African Black
$5.00 36-inch Costume Velvet, $3.49
Twilled Back.'
- Navy, Brown, Wine, Midnight Black.
- , $6.00 36-inch Costume Velvet, $4.49
! 1 , Imported and Twilled Back.
I'lieasant, topen, Wmc, Plum, Brown,tNaw, Midnight, 131atk.
CO ru A A rii tt.i J- hr m
Imported and Twilled Back.
African, Plum, Myrtle, -Navy,: Taupe and Black.
$9.50 42-inch All Silk Chiffon Velvet, $8.25
Navy, Midnight, Dark Brown, Beaver, Pckin, Taupe,
' " - listeria and Black.
Specials for ThansgivingHANDKERC HIEFS
Homers 1'ure jjnen nanaKercuieis
Embroidered designs in colors and
white; hemstitched and narrow rolled
hems. Our "ash price, 35 to 75
Women's Fine lawn Hemstitched
Handkerchiefs, embroidered In pret
ty floral designs; 3 in box Our cash
price Monday .$1.25
Women's Fine lawn Embroidered
Handkerchiefs In white with col
ored designs; also novelties in colored
borders. Our cash price Monday. 25d
.tten's Initial Handkerchiefs Hem
stitched and full size:. Ions white
initial ; 6 in box. , Our cash price Mon
day, box $2.50
Men's Cambric Handkerchiefs Hem
stitched and full size. Our cash price
Monday ......tBd. 39, 49
I Brighten Your Rooms for the Holidays
New 1921 Wall Paper at Exceptionally Low
prices.
Newest, Largest and Most Complete Depart
ment in Omaha. .
J . 24c Papers at 16 " I
For Kitchens, Bedrooms and Halls. Sold in com
bination. , s 30c Papers at 18d
For Bedrooms Colonial stripes and new chintz.
papers. Cutout borders t match. m
34c Papers at 22
Halls, Parlors, Dining Rooms and Libraries can
be decorated in new striped grass cloth and conven
tional patterns. Cutout borders to match.
Neckwear Specials for Thanksgiving Week
Collars and Caffs of imported Swiss organdie and fine net trimmed In
Venetian and Val. lace. Our cash price Monday. 1.25 to $3.25
Jfew lace Collars in Tuxedo and
fitted effects for your new suit or
dress. Our cash price Monday,
per yard ..$1.25 to $3.25
Ecru Eyelet Embroidery and net
vestees trimmed with Val. and
Venice lace. Our cash price Mon-
"ay iBl.M i O-ft.tW
low neck, trimmed with clusters
of dainty tucks and lace. Our cash
price Monday.. $2.50 to -$4.25
Ecru Eyelet Embroidery Collars
and Cuffs, lace trimmed. T)n sale
Monday, at $2.50 to $4.25
Thanksgiving Sale of
DINNERWARE
FOR TBE TAIILK
Foarth Floor thln Department
100-Pieee Dinner Set, with beautiful pink bor
der of lattice work. Intermixed with panel of
rosen and forget-me-nots; very special. 846.00
These sets are compri3ed of 12 dinner platea, 12
pie platen, 12 bread end butter plates, 12 soup
plates. 12 cups and saucers, 1 8-inch platter, 1
10-inch platter, 1 12-Jnch platter, 1 sauce boat, 1
pickle dish 1 baker, 1 covered dish and 1 cas
serole, at 846.00
25.00 100-Piece Whits Ransom Semi-Porcelain
Dinner Sets, service for VI persons. Monday
special, at ....819.50
BLUE BIRD DINNER SETS Another shipment
to complete our stocks enables us to continue
selling at these low prices. Sold in open stock.
BO-Plece Blue Bird Sets . 815.00
100-Piece Semi-Porcelain Dinner Sets, white and
gold decoration. Special, set. at. . .-. . .827 .50
$12.00 42-Piece Gold Band Dinner Set. Alonday
special, at -89.50
19 00 42-Pieee White Ransom Semi-Porcelain
Dinner. Set. service for 6 persons. Special for
Monday, at S7.50
1.000 Odd China 7-inch Dinner Plates, Souph,
Oatmeals. Bread and Butter Plates.. Tim;
to $2.00 values, while they last, choice, each. Z5e
1 Lot of Turkey Platters, values to $3.00. Spe
cial for Monday, each 81.25
$1.00 12-inch Platters. Special while they lest,
at, each ., 39
I I I I I I I H I "' "' '' '
Rfead the Big Thanksgiving Grocery Sale
Hoar, Canned C.onu, Karinaeloa
4iood, 'Ira. Coffers. Dried Fruit,
Crackers, Cbrese, Butter, Eg, Veg;e
tublc and Fruits.
100-lb. sacks Pura Gronulatcd Siignr
. Cash Price 110.75
10 lbs. Best Pure Granulated
Sugar ..$1.10
48-lb. sacks Best: HiKli-grade
Flour, per sack ft.'S
21-11). sacks Best Hipb-grads ,
Flour, per sack 91.40
Si-lb. sacks Pure Rye Flour . .1.3.1
2i-lb. sacks Pare Rye Graham Flour,
per sack (1.35 '
4 lbs. Best Hand-plcl;d Navy
Beans or . , S5c '
,7 lbs. Best White 6r Yellow Corn
meal lor fto j
5 . lbs. Best Rolled Whits Breakfast
patmeal, for S5e
Fancy Japan Rice, per lb lOe
(-oi. pkR. Beat Donjiestlc Mucun.rtl.
' Spaghetti or Eg Noodlea "Ho
T,arge Jars- Purs Fruit Preserves 38o
Beeehnut Preserves or Jellies, la rue.
- site 46n
Beoolinut Preserves oc Jellies, small '
sic 2Ao
Beechnut Catsup, bottle
I.ee A Perrln's A-l Sauce, hottle Rc
l.srge bottle gnlder'a Catsup.. .SOo
1-lh. ran Snldcr's Pork and
Beans loe
1-ib. can Snider's Tomato Soup..l0e
' 3 cans Karly June Peas, Fancy s'woet
Sugar Corn or Ripe Tomatoes 33c
Oil Said I nes, can So
16-0!!. cans dobd I.uc'i Milk.. IS'jO
10-oz. cans Pet or tarnation , .
Milk ...15c
Largo cans Table Apricots and .
Peaches, per cull ?8c
Large caua Golden Pumpkin ..lt';c
No. 2 ra3 Uoldrn Pumpkin ,...IOc
flrape Nuts, per pkg. '. .l.V
DRIED FKl'lTH ANU MTS FK
VOIR X IAXKS;iVl3 l'lDDIGS.
I'lKS AND C.'.KES.
J Crown Muscatel K.tlsins, lb. ..30o
Thompson's' Seedless Raisins, lb. 30o
Keedless Sultana Raisins, lb. ', .. ,30c
Fancy Cleaned Currants, lb 25c
Fancy MHlr Pea'ches. lb. ........SOc
Choice California Prunes, lb. ,.12
Fancy Oregon Prunes, lb. siOo
Fancy Cooking Figs, lb (lo
Fancy Kvaporated Amilen. lb, ,.?0e
Panry 7 Crown Imported Figs 35c
Fancy Fard Dates, lb. ....... ...."iSo
'lnc Meat, pkg 15e
, The Best Mixed Kuts, lb ....2Se
All Kinds nt Ntnilrlit Nuts and at
' . Lowest Prices.
TrIE TEA AM) COri'EK MABKET
OF OM AHA. ,:
Fanry (ioldcu Santos Coffee, Ih. te
Our Famous pantos Blend, lb. 33 1-3e
Our Famous Anknln Rlend. lb. . IWn
The best Tea Klftinirs. lb. ..!(.
Choice Pan Fire Japan Tea, lb. i35e
Fancy Basket Fired, Kan Dried, Oo
long, Ceylon or Gunpowder Tea.
per lb 59c
Breakfast Cocoa, lb. ......t.... 11 fee -
THE HITTER. EfiG-AMl CHEESE
MARKET UF OMAHA.
The best Creamery. Buiicr, carton 65c
The Best Cteamery Butler, bulk,
per lb. 61c
Fancy No. 1 Creamery Butter,
per Ih, 60c
Fancy No. 1 Dairy Table Butter,
per lb .. , ; 5c
Fancy Full Cream Wisconsin
'Cheese, per lb 30c
Fancy Full Cream Young America
Cheese, per lb 35c
Fancy Pull N. T. White Cheese,
per lb 40c
Fancy Full Cream BrU-k Cheese,
per lb ,, ,3Be
Fancy New Honey, per lb. ......30c
Fresh Ground, Peanut Butter,' lb, iOc
All the Best Brands Nut Butters,
per lb ,...3o
Sauer Kraut, per qt 12'tC
Fancy Kxtra Laisa Pickles, dos. 35c
Fancy Chow Chow, quart 35c
' We Carry a Full line of Hetns
Tickles, cir.
The Finest and Lnrgetd I.lne nf Freh
Southern Vegetables uid California
Fruits on the Market at Iss Than
Wholesale Prices.
Housefurnishing
; J. Specials
You'll Find Your , Thanksgiving Needs
Readily and Economically Supplied Here
Aluminum Double Boiler, Colonial Style,
for. v-.$3.85
Heavy Aluminum Percolator, t Colonial
Style, 14-cup size i.$3.95
Aluminum Four-piece Steamer and Cook-
'er Kettle for $3.98
4-qt. Aluminum Pudding Pan ..$1.00
Kound Aluminum Roaster . .... .$1,89
Polish Aluminum Roaster, with inside
tray, 20-lti. size ..$7.00
Oval Aluminum Roaster, extra large
size for ........$6.00
Lisk No. 1 Roaster at $3.65
Medium Size Gas Heaters $6.50
Largo Size Gas Heaters ......$9.00
Oil Headers $7.50;
.... ----iiiiii,ii,'
It Pay TRY HAYDEN'S FIRST It Pay
4 .
., . ..... ,....
