New Britain herald., 1919-12-17
THE BUILDING BOOM.

@ THE BUILDING BOOM
 In reviewing the building situation M the United States during the first rtnight of the present month, $. ". raus, ot $. W. Straus and Co.,. New Fork, draws attention to the increase operations along this line, particu- #rly in the larger numb Der of build Ngs for housing families. According his figures construction has been #ing on at the rate of $6O,0OO,000 d Beck in comparison to $5O,000,000 a #eek during November, an increase ot &reaty per cent, while it is estimated Eat progress at the rate ot $90.O00,- DO will be soon under way. Contem- *ated buildings, upon which the latter &sure is based, may be interfered with N the weather and the holidays, but #trring very untoward climatic con- Stions, January should see an enor- Nous gain in the number of places 8nder erection.
 & It is stated that there have been fore contracts let during the last two &eeks for houses than for business Hlildings. a healthy condition which 8 8Rs not existed to a great extent for #erly. The manufacturer and the &hce owner was previously the indi- Sdual who saw fit to go ahead with &s work, the one who wished home &eing reluctant to undertake it's build Sg.
 S Labor conditions are approaching Mobilization, it is now possible to fig Be upon job with some surety that #le cost for workmen will remain &-acticauy the same, but there is still 8 large shortage of building materials Nhich, of course, is having it's effect retarding operations. Manufac- #lrers of building materials hold out #tle hope that the shortage will be
 Eercome for a lengthy period. New Britain concerns which turn out #lilders' hardware are booked for d bar or so ahead and, though they are %orlxing to catch up with the demand &se finding an eager market for future #alivery. Despite the shortage in Supplies the stabilization of the labor #arket will be a great factor in the #lrtherance of work from this time on. The city has under construction in le neighborhood of three hundred
 buses, which will not be enough, &emand, but which will be of material #d in alleviating the uncomfortable Housing situation locally. Providing 41at we stood absolutely still, with no &rowth as city, we shall have to #uild more than we are now under *Rking. but we are by no means halt : lg in our progress. ,.'.
 # It has been estimated that there are Nventy five per cent more families in United States than there are resi- #ences; it is probable that this figure 8olds good in this city, if it is not eN- &eeded due to our enormous growth of #1e past two or three years. The nor
 h al surplus of families is but ten per Bent We must immediately make good 8ne shortage of fifteen per cent. of &hmilies over homes to get back to Normal and we must, at the same ! me, build for the increase in fami- 8es. Possibly if we may persuade the Younger generation from marrying off End adding to the number of families &ntil we can catch up with the de- } hand building shortage will be aided, Nut we doubt that this may be put through.
 "Own Your Own Home is fully IS { Important a slogan as it was six lonths ago despite the increase in 8uilding The importance Of erecting omes should not be lost sight of for moment. New Britain is doing well #l this line it may do better