The Washington herald., 1921-05-15

amount of sales and large construc-
ton Investments. is evidenced from
the records of the District building
Inspector.
Yet, regardless of the factors
which tend to delay construction.
there is seen a favorable increase
in individual home construction
plans. In residential construction
alone, the past weeks records rep
resented investment aggregating
several hundred thousands of dol
Ia-s. Interspersed in the permits
listed, are several for garage erec-
TONS
Similarly. throughout the nation
there has been a marked increase
In home construction activities, as-
cG.ding to S. w. Straus, Of New
York.
BE feels that notwithstand ndins the
retarding effects of labor dinicul-
ties in many places, building con-
ditions throughout the nation are
showing Improvement and actiVl-
ties are on the increase.
'Residential types of structures
continue to hold the lead over all
other classes of new work. de-
rIares Mr.. Straus. "and about one
third Of the country's building pro-
gram is devoted to an increase IN
housing facilities.
Difficulties Not Feared.
1T is quite generally felt that
the labor difficulties that are in
terfering with building progress
will prove transitory. and that the
season will develop increased con-
struction work.
TT is becoming more apparent
that very active building conditions
will have a stimulating effect on
general business conditions. There
Is no industry which has so many
indications and which touches
SO many varied trades. resump-
tion on a large scale this summer
will go far toward bringing back
normal conditions of prosperity to
the American people, for il will
mean employment for thousands of
men directly employed in the build
ing trades and thousands more in
allied industries. 1t will mean an
increased volume Of freight. and
more work for the steel foundrieS.
brick yards. cement mills, the lum-
ber industry and scores of other
industries which take the raw ma
terialS of our mines and forests
and convert them into finished
products. 1t will also mean in
creased business for all lines of
mercantile industry. augmented
payrolls and an increased demand
- for food. clothing and all the other
necessities of life. 1t Will mean
also an increase in public con-
fidence throughout the country
psychological factor which is just
as necessary to the return of pros
perity as any material or economic
one.
In short the building industry
Is the key to the situation. We can
not have general prosperity until
we have great activity in the build
ing industries of all the various
allied and supplementary trades.
Far-SiEhted Are Busy.
EVIDENCE is accommodating that
the more far-sighted builders have
graSped the situation and are go
ing ahead. realizing that now is the
/, most advantageous time to build
both from the standpoint of good
business and public policy.
y great many people erroneousIy
compare building costs today with
what they were five or six pears
ago On such a companion there is
a tremendous increase, but this does
not Of itself mean that building
prices will necessarily go lower,
Prices of building materials were
steadily increasing from 1910 to 1915,
and. even without the war, il is
safe to say that building material
costs would have gone up consider
ably between 1915 and the present
time, In addition to this natural in
crease, there are factors directly at
trientable to the war. including in
creased freight rates, higher wages,
unusual taxation. increased cost of
fuel and monetary imitation.
1t Is evident, therefore, that a
return of building costs to anything
like the 1915 level is out Of the
question and every consideration of
prudence and foresight unite to give
emphasis to the argument that now
Is the time to build"
Many. Permits Granted.
The list of permits follows:
W. j. Candey, to erect garage rear
1S6 Tood place northeast: cost. $500.
E. p. Bicknell. to repair 29I5 AL
oermarle street: cost, s475.
H. ]. Beuchert. 10 repair 542 Shep-
herd street; cost, $500.
II. II. Peters. to repair 1850 Neal
street northeast: cost. s40O.
z. Beall ct al, to repair 1884 ]
street southeast: cost. $3.50.
I. G. Hersey. to erect garage rear
Sso8 Fifth street; cost, $3.50.
L. r. Moss ct al. to build rwelI-
Ing 3I2O Jenifer street: cost, $1,000.
j. {. O'Brien. to erect garage 1153
Morse street northeast: cost. 1886.
E street: cost, $500.
Thomas Regan. to repair 33i III
street northeast: cost. $3.50.
J. B. Floyd. 20 build dwelling 2436
irving street northeast; cost. $4,000
$4,000 Project Planned.
NJ J. Brayton. to build two dwell
fngs, 1602-16o4 Montague street;
cost. s25.oOo.
W. F. Elfman. to build dwelling
1910 Georgia avenue; cost. s4.S50.
j. A. Burch. to erect garage rear
i2Q H street; cost. 5000.
r. F. Velhmyer, to erect garage
rear Morse street northeast; cost,
$500.
C.. H. Small. to build dwelling
$3.50 18th street; cost. $4,000.
@. w. Ackerman, to erect garage
rear 1888 c street northeast; cost,
5000. -
George s. De Neale, to erect ga
rsge rear 1907 Decatur street; cost.
e7so. -
Joseph Rodgers, to repair 2s2s
Hacomb street; cost. 5000.
Joseph Rodgers, to erect garage,
rear 1924 MscOmb street; cost, $500.
C. III. Heyi. to erect garage rear
2oos Wyoming avenue; cost, $500.