The Washington times., 1913-10-01
SHOWS BIG DECREASE
IN BUILDING WORK
Report for 1912 Included Much
Federal Work, Is Inspec.
tors Explanation.

washington's industry Of building
construction might be a crippled indus
try If figures represented in the mos
recent issue Of the American Contrac.
tor. published by the American Con.
tractor Company of New York, are tc
be taken as correct.
According to review Of the building
situation in this city, the American
Contractor accords Washington the ex.
treme short end Of the list in percen.
tage Of loss In building operations con-
Quoted from January / to September ].
1918, as against building valuations for
the eight corresponding months Of the
year previous. The percentage de-
crease in one year is represented al
81 per cent. The next decrease listed
is n per cent given Denver, for the
period. Sixty-six cities are reported.
The total expenditure involved in
building construction during January
through August, 1913, is represented by
the American Contractor at 1855, ,ss3.
The estimated cost of building opera
tions for the eight corresponding
months of the year previous. is repre-
sented at SIS. .SS9. 133.
Federal Work Included.
Morris Hacker. building inspector of
the District. can only explain this as
tonishing decrease as due to compila-
tions of the American Contractor for
l9l2, including Government buildings.
His figures for the eight months show
building construction for these eight
Aonths OF 1872 to be valued at SH.-
ol0.o .oeo
.:The decrease, however, is especially
pronounccd." said Mr.. Hacker this
morning. 1T is explained partly by the
lull which is attendant upon change
of administration.
Washington has more of set popu-
lation, which is not likely to show any
especial increase from year to year as
long as there are no growing industries
here to invite the outsider. We are, 1t
might be said, built out.
The apartment house, now popular
home for many. takes in a great many
people who otherwise would build prop
critics here. 1t is concisely arranged.
and harbors a vast population, which
otherwise would spread out over the
city.
now Is that which is going on in the
suburbs of the city. The homeseeker.
whether or not he mas a desirable home
in the center of the city, wants to get
out in the more remote and more fash
ion seems to lead the homeseeker out
toward Chevy Chase or up Fourteenth
street. Homes are being left in the
Gcwn town centers for a choice in these
localities. ~.
Shows Tendency.
The tendency is shown in the re-
cent removal of the Central Presby-
terlan Church. at Third and I streets,
to Fifteenth and Irving. 1t is a COM
mon tendency nowadays, and it will
ultimately result in the depreciation of
realty values in the downtown resi-
Dental localities. --s
Washington's population Is Just
about cared for now. There is bound to
come time when Washington VIII be
just about built out. naturally. Wear
and tear on our buildings will have to
be cared for, to be sure, and in many
Instances improvements will have to
DC made and buildings torn down and
re-erected. But a marked decrease In
building construction is necessarily
Washingtons destiny. Other cities have
attractions which boom them in a bust
ness. and. it follows, i'm building way,
which Washington does not have"
For the period of August. 1913, as
against August. 1872. the Construction
News listed Washington as showing u
falling off of q per cent for the one