l6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



MANUFACTURE OF IU'ILDING BRICK 

 The total number of common building brick made in New York 

 Slate last year was 1,066,982,000. This represented a large falling 

 off from tbe total reported for 1910 which amounted to 

 1 .30,6. 606,000, tbe actual decrease being 329,624,000 or 23 per cent. 

 Tbe decline was attributable mainly to tbe dull conditions in the 

 building trades of tbe larger cities, notably of New York. Tbe 

 brick yards along tbe Hudson river which depend almost solely 

 upon the New York City markets for their outlet were operated 

 on a much reduced scale, and tbeir product showed a decrease of 

 nearly 300,000,000 for tbe year. 



Tbe value of tbe common brick was $5,310,511, or an average 

 of $4.98 a thousand, as compared with $6,563,212, an average of 

 $4.70 a thousand, in kjio. The improved showing was due to tbe 

 slightly higher prices that were obtained by the manufacturers in 

 the Hudson river valley. In 1909 tbe average price was $5.31 a 

 thousand. These prices represented the average received at the 

 yards, not inclusive of carriage or selling commissions. 



In addition to tbe common building brick there were manufac- 

 tured last year 11,037,000 front brick with a value of $132,792. In 

 tbe preceding year the number of front brick made was 7,739,000 

 valued at $119,859. Tbe aggregate output of brick for building 

 purposes was thus 1,078,019,000 valued at $5,443,303, against 

 1,404,345.000 valued at $6,683,071 in 1910. Tbe manufacture of 

 building brick was carried on in 31 counties by a total of 153 com- 

 panies or individuals. In 1909 there were 32 counties represented 

 in the list with a total of 172 producers. A tendency toward tbe 

 restriction of tbe industry to fewer plants and more favorable 

 centralized localities has been in evidence for a number of years. 

 It is more apparent in contrasting tbe present situation with that 

 for example of 1906 when there were 213 active producers dis- 

 tributed over 37 counties 



