The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-04-18
BUILDERS FACE
RECORD SEASON
United States Field Agent Re-
ports Revival All Over
the Country.
WEST CRITICIzES UNCLE SAM
improvements During 1919 VIII Equal
That of Any Five Years in the
Country's History - Report
500, 00O, 900 Contracts.

Washington.-A decided revival of
building all over the country, but par
ticularly In the middle West, is report
ed by Henry t. league, field agent for
the United States department of labor,
who has just completed a six-weeks'
tour from coast to coast.
"There will be a great deal Of public
building during the next six months"
a y league. 1.-THE public improve
ments program for 1919, I am con-
WINGED, will equal that Of any five
years In the country's history, and the
bodybuilding activities from the At
lantic to the Pacific, one they are I'M
der way, will be tremendous.
"The scope of improvement work is
much larger In the West than in the
East.
There is much criticism In the West
Of the governments failure to go ahead
with Its own building operations. In
many localities federal buildings, for
which sites, plans and appropriations
were made before the war, are held up
because the original appropriation is
not high enough to cover the increased
cost of construction and additional
money has not been granted.
New Orleans, says Mr.. league,
shows more building activities than
any city he visited. The city is spend
ing S14,OO0,000 on the municipal docks,
employing more than 10000 men.
South Bend, Ind. Is developing a
model industrial residence section, CIV
ing homes to 10000 new employees of
the Studebaker corporation, which Is
to build a new $9,OOO,O 900 factory.
Here's Building Program.
Other important building projects re-
ported by Mr.. league are:
Newark. N. J.-$3,0 100000 depart
nient store by ]. L. Bamberger.
Kansas City, Mo.-S2,000.000 inter-
urban station.
Sioux City, Ia.-$2,OO0,O 900 grain ele-
vators for the Terminal Grain corpor-
alton.
Milwaukee-S1 900, 700 apartment ho-
tel. $I5O.OOO hotel and S.,5O,OOO depart
ment store.
Allentown, Pa.-S5OO, 900 office build
ing n tHeater.
Detroit. Mich.-$35O,O 900 department
store.
Cleveland. O.-S3OO,OO 600 store and
theater building.
New Haven, Conn.-S3O0,O0O addi-
ton to Grace hospital.
Evanston. nl.-$25O,OOO hospital.
Chicago-$1S,0O0,00 900 railway station.
Dor+Ic-J n.o pEAn nnn 4 1;,., .~.l
live stock pavilion.
The department of labor's division
Of public works and construction de-
reports that approximately
900 in private building con
racts were reported to it In Febru-
Try. The total of the January con-
was only half that sum.
Nearly all the states showed an in
rease from week to week during last
Month in private construction work.
he New England states, for instance.
4 the first week of February reported
awarded to the amount of
100000; in the second week. $3.50. 900;
lird week, 100000, and fourth week,
100000. OF this construction, % per
INT was of an industrial character, 80
err cent business and 46 per cent resi-
entail.
New England's showing, however, is
If behind that of the Western states,
WA, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana,
.ichigan, Missouri and Kansas show
fivefold increase in February over
In this district the figures
-e: First week in February. $15.00O.-
70; second week. $4,000, 900; third
eek, SAG, 1000 900; fourth week. $50
70 900.
Private Work 91E Per Cent.
In the middle West 91H per cent of
e construction contracts for Febru.
y were for private construction. 8
# cent state and municipal work and
per CEN government construc-
New York and New Jersey also show
,portant increases in February. and
these two states residential building
ade up only 10 per cent of the total.
Mo, West Virginia and Pennsylvania
show a slight improvement over
e January figures. and SO per cent
the total was for residences.
Minnesota and the Dakotas report
contracts of about $1,000, 900. as
'ainst 100000 for January.
These facts show that the hesitancy
out starting construction projects be-
use of the high cost of materials Is
p%arently being overcome all over
2 country.