Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-12
DECLINE |SSH0WN
IN MAY BUILDING
Statistics Reveal 19 Per Cent
Decrease as Compared With
March and April.

pany. According to these figures.
contracts awarded during May in the
north Of the Ohio river amounted to
$24 1855. 900. compared with over $780,,
100000 for the months of March and
April.
This slackening of activity can
scarcely be more than temporary. the
causes are four: Disputes over adj
1ustments In the wage scale. princi-
pally in Chicago and the central west;
freight congestion. which is felt prin-
cipally in the east: the increasing diff
fculty of financing building opera
tons and the belief that prices Of ma
terials are due to drop.
Problems of wage adjustments and
freight congestion may be solved very
speedily. The difficulty of financing
building projects. while 1t is great. is
not lnsurmountable. The public has
already begun to see that declines in
commodity prices can only be slow, t
best. and 1t will soon realize that, in
race OF the enormous demand for con-
struction of all kinds and the pros
pect of increased freight rates, build
ing materials are likely to remain
| high longer than any other group of
commodities
! The outstanding factor in the build
ing situation, which overshadows all
| the difficulties and disturbing ele-
/
buildings. During the first five
months of 1920 the company reported
contemplated and projected work
amounting to two and -one-half bill
lion dollars. as against contract
awards amounting to one-half that
sum.
In the face of the enormous con-
structfon job this country has on It's
hands it is not going to pack up its
tools and quit, but it will rather solve
the work to completion as rapidly
as the adverse circumstances will
permit
I New England Contracts.
Building contracts awarded in May
In the New England states amounted
to. $3S.271.oo0, an increase of 33 per
cent over the figure for April, al
for March.
In detail the May figures show the
following items: $13.352, 900, or IS per
sent css cod for residential buildings; Sill.
saanee 81 Gent for ns1
for business buildings.
Contemplated projects amounting to
$4e.sS6,ooo were reported in May,
bringing the total Of contemplated
work reported from January / to June
l up to 1921. 900, including: s72.-
$4,000 for industrial buildings. 500
$4,000 for residential buildings and
| S5O,sS3.o00 for business buildings.
| New York and North New Jersey.
In New York state and northern
New Jersey building contracts in May
amounted to $751; 900, a decline Of
| So per cent from the April figure. al
| though 1t is greater by ten million
dollars than the total for May, 1919.
| The total for May, 1920. included the
cent. for public work and utilities;
$12.o64.00o, or 90 per cent. for residen-
tial buildings. and s1o.4s7.ooo, or 20
! per cent for business buildings.
Contemplated work amounting to
S106,573.000 was reported in May.
From January ! to June the amount
Of contemplated work reported was
| s510,43s.000. compared with contracts
let amounting to s296,1o4.000. The
great excess of projected work Is in
dication that the May decline in con-
tracts is probably a temporary phe-
nomenon. Projected work for the first
five months of the year include $685.
$4,000 ooo for residential buildings. s11s.-
81 100 Tor business buildings. $685.
$4,000 for public works and utilities
and $74.21o.000 for industrial plants
Warrington. Philadelphia, Baltimore.
May building contracts in eastern
Pennsylvania. southern New Jersey
Maryland. Delaware. the District Of
Columbia, and Virginia amounted to
$25.549,00O, a decline of As per cent
The May figures include the follow
ing items: s9.272.O00. or SO per cent
for residential buildings; s5,494,o00,
or 22 per cent. for public works and
utilities. and s4.053,00o. or 16 per cent,
for industrial plants.
Contemplated work reported during
May amounted to $54,989.00o, bringing
the total Of contemplated work re-
ported from January / to June | up
to 45,9s3,0o0. which includes $780,
100000 for residential buildings. $99.-
$4,000 for public works and utilities.
and s77,f45,000 for industrial plants.
|, Pittsburgh District.
II Building contracts let during Nav
In western Pennsylvania. West Vir-
ginia and Ohio amounted to $44731,-
600, decrease Of 9 per cent from the
April total. although it is greater by
sixteen million dollars than the total
for May Of last year
The May. 1920, figures include:
S11.s11 900. or rs per cent. for resi-
Dental buildings; $9.972,000 or 20 per
cent, for public works and utilities
and $9.650.000. or % per cent. for in
dustrial plants.
( Contemplated work reported in Nav
amounts to $56,279.000 bringing the
total Of projected work reported for
the first five months of the year IN
to $292,980,0O0. including. $4,000. 900
for residential buildings; s73.653. 900
LOT industrial plants. and $46,342, 900
for business buildings.
Central West Section.
Building contracts let In the central
west comprising Illinois, Indiana
Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and por-
tons of Missouri, eastern Kansas and
Nebraska) in May amounted to ST.
018.00O. decrease of Is per cent from
the April figure.
The May figures include: $2217o,-
900, or 20 per cent. for public works
and utilities: $16,4S6,000, or p per
cent. for residential buildings. and
$13, $4,000, or IT per cent. for indus
trial plants
Contemplated work was reported
during April to the amount of $110,-
$4,000. bringing the total of work
projected during the first five months
OF the year up to $939.000.OO0, includ-
ing $211.471.000 for public works and
utilities. $180.96s.000 for industrial
plants. and $16S,428.000 for residential
buildings.
II Northwest Building.
I May building contracts in Mime
I sofa and North and South Dakota
] amounted to $1o.565, 900. which was
! practically the same as the totals for
the two preceding months, although 1t
! was almost double the figure for May,
! 1919.
The May. 1920. figures included: :
works and utilities: $2500,000. or %
per cent, for educational buildings,
! and $2.3s9.0o0, or 23 per cent, for resi-
! Dental buildings.
81 Contemplated work reported In Nav
I amounted to $9,997,0G0. bringing the
/ total of work projected from Janu-
l airy ! to June to $7o.a32,ooo. includ-