El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-27
Building Permits Double
Those Of Any Prepious
Year Except 1915.
BUILDINGS UNDER
WAY 100000
Structures Costing Up To
100000 Added to the
City's Building List.

n REDUCTIONS that 1916 would Be q
100000 year in the issuance OF
permits for building in Fl Paso
failed OF realization only because dur
Ing the weeks Iuu at holiday time.
several Of the most important under
tskings Of the year, already planned
and contracted, were not registered At
the office Of the city building inspec-
tor As the record shows. however. the
year vas practically as great as 1915
va; me amount Of permits issued
tctai'ng 1881. 90S. Work was actually
begun on buildings to cost $455,gs0 dur
ing the last few DAYS OF 1915 which
sum, added 70 the register of the in
ses in building activity.
FL PasO's Greatest Year.
me greatest year FL Paso ever ex-
per1enced in its progress toward the
Iirst rank OF all American metropolis
DrougnI Its climax when the national
guard organizations from many states
arrived mere during the summer TO be
trained into efficient units of the Uni
Of 10000 soldiers in FL Paso and its
enytrous would have overturned most
western cities, for time, because OF
tnelr limited public utilities. That j.
caused no shortage or delay in the
necessities even luxuries distributed
10 the 10000 civilians and 10000 reeu-
tar troops already resident here re
the builders Of this modern. hustIine-
place.
Reason for Values.
strangers in the city. when told that
residence lots five miles east u the
city nall are worth not less than S20O.
WITH intervening land higher in pro-
portion. wonder why values continue
so high" but only a brief investiga-
ton is required to convince. the sIxe5ti-
cal investor that the greatest reasons
exist for present real estate prices
among which may be mentioned the
steady demand for desirable homes
factory and warehouse sites and con-
stantly expanding business district:
the TACT that FL PaSO is the CONNER
cial center Of a territory 2e0 miles il.
diameter the choice Of this city as the
logical gateway to Mexico by the bust
ness world and the military arm of the
government II need be; and. by no
means the least the most favorable
climatic advantages that surround
every human undertaking here
Many Costly Buildings
No attempt is made by The Herald
TO give special mention 10 business
buildings that have cost less thar
$4,000, of which there were hundreds
built The principal buildings begun
in 1916, most Of which were promptly
finished and are occupied. are approx !.
mately zoe homes. ranging in valus<
from $4,000 TO $4,000 each; IS businsS
buildings from 5000 TO $500, 900 -
40 apartments and tenements ru
up in cost u $4,000 each: seyers
salesrooms and garages . S200,
packing house. three church
$4,000 to $50 000. two fsctorii s.
lie comfort station. and a pls3
United States public heal
These estimates do not acc =
few hundred homes perma
II brick and stone outsj5 IL
limits in new addition
the FL PasO valley. the
are in every sense resi- =
There have been thou e -
spent for repairs to
homes some of them Cd
plete remOdeling-
In keeping with Til
Sr with of business and =
tricts has been the cOnstt L.
lie edifices to take the
outgroWn 10y the pressJ r.
population and the deman,
ture- Travellers say that
the west have such handsOi
been raised for public use -
years as in FL PasO.
Vests Finest school Bull
The ambition Of Fl PasOans
the finest school building in the
was realized al the beginning
1861 term Of school. when the n
S50O.0O0 high school was opened "a
use. Very few cities in the United
States have such a spacious and com
pletely furnished plant for educatiOn&
in he higher branches. The building
is OF four stories. occupying $4,000
square feet Of ground on four blocks
bounded p} lrSmld- CHI. AnSe ana
high streets. in the northern part OF
the residence section The site over
looks the city and valley and is easily
accessible from all districts Street
car service 10 be extended in the next
year or two will bring pupils right to
the door
The high school building is of classic
design. having the form of 2 right
angle. facing the southeast fronted
lower down BY O stadium that viii
seat 1n.0tU persons In the basement
OF the building is the heating and ven
tilating equipment On the first floor
is located the manual training and do
nestle arts departments. a lunch room
with kitchen and two gyrnnasiums for
boys and girls. connected with the
stadium by tunnels A grand auditor
ium is az the verteN OF the angle on
the second floor. having seating ca
pacity Of 1901. On this floor and Is
classroolns- On the third floor is the
CONTINUED on next page Col. II