Evening star., 1922-05-13

ing done in this country during 1891
than in the year previous, measured
by the number Of permits issued IN
cities reporting to the Department
Of Labor's bureau of labor statistics.
This includes new buildings, both
residential and presidential and
alterations and repairs. but does not
include permits for the installation
of signs. awnings and articles OF like
character, for which some cities re-
quire permits.
The bureau of labor statistics
year ago collected figures for 1szo
and early this year began the col
lection Of like data for the calendar
year 1921. Thus far data for both
years are available for 140 cities.
Reports are yet expected from other
cities. t-t
There was a decrease Of 38 per cent
in the wholesale prices of building
material between the averages Tor
1920 and 1921. Between May, 1920,
and May, 1921, there was an increase
Of IN per cent in building trade
wage rates per hour The estimated
total cost of building construction
covered by permits issued In 1s2!
was II per cent over the cost covered
by permits issued In 1920, due to the
increase in the number Of permits.
Per Cent OF Increase.
The increase in the number of
building permits issued in 1921 over
1920 in the 140 cities by class OF
buildings was as follows:
One-family dwellings, II per cent;
two-familY dwellings, 211 per cent;
one family and two-family dwellings,
with stores combined. 2s0 per cent;
+multifamily dwellings apartments
and tenement houses, including those
having stores combined therewith).
201 per cent: other residential build
ings (hotels. clubs, etc., "a per cent;
non-residential buildings (stores. fac.
tories. garages, churches. etc., 80
repairs on both residential and nom
residential buildings, is per cent.
The average cost of one-family
dwellings, as indicated in the permits
of 1875 cities having completely seq,
Essss Esss5ed n d1ss; ,ssi was s4'''t in 1890 and
For two-family dwellings the av.
erage cost per building was $7,s49
in 1920 and 1854 in 1921. These av
erages are for the cities that reported
Tor both years.
Although the number of non-resi-
Dental buildings was larger than in
1920, the money expended in their
construction was less. This is &C
counted for in part by the fact that
the number of large-stzed factories
and office buildings projected during
1921 was materially smaller than
creased cost Of building material.
Additions, alterations and re-
pairs" show much the same condi-
ton as "non-residential buildings"
in that the number of permits was
greater. but the amount spent was
alterations were made. but that the
number of large additions to fac
tories, stores. etc, was not so great
The permits Of 1921 provided hous-
ing for 1875 per cent more families
than the permits for 1s2o-in other
as many families. as indicated by the
reports for 119 cities reporting for
both years.
While 1921 shows a decided gain
over 1920. it does not by any means
indicate that home building has
caught up with home needs. During
the whole war period and since there
has been slackness in home build
ing that has produced an acute need
for homes. Reports are complete as
to the number Of families provided
for in the dwelling permits issued in
1920 and 1921 in 119 cities.
Larger Number Of Families.
The number Of families provided
for in these cities by the 1920 permits
was 1861. Assuming five persons
to a family. this means providing
housing for 347.72o persons in 1920
and 1896 persons in 1921. The
normal growth in population in the
cities Of $4,000 and over in the United
which, applied to the population of
the above cities. means an increase
of 63S,761 persons.
These figures seem to indicate.
therefore, that while the building of
dwellings in 1920 did not keep up
ton, tho building OF dwellings in
1921 was somewhat above the in
creased population demand and made
a little start in reducing the housing
while the above figures speak for
several cities diffsr radically. OF the
11s cities reporting foc both years.
is show q decrease in the num-
her of families provided for in 1921.
as compared with 1920: These 16
cities are: Allentown. Pa.; Auburn.
N. T.: Butte MOnC.s CHoStcIs z - lIut'
Mich; Hamilton, Ohio; Hoboken. N.
j.; jackson. Mich: Kenosha, Wis;
Maiden, Mass; Muncie. Ind; Muske-
gon, Mich; Saginaw. Mich; st. Jo-
seph, MO: Tulsa, Okla. and Water
bury, Conn.
The permits in 1920. for Hoboken.
N, J., provided housing for one family
in 1920, while no family was provided
housing by the permits Of 1921. st:
Joseph, Mo. shows a falling OFT OF 9S
per cent, or from 3Ss families in 1920
to 7 in 1921. Flint. Mich. show. soa q
decrease Of 80 per cent. OF from $500
familIes in 1890 to S4S in 1921: Butte.
Mont, had q decrease from 13. fami-
lies In 1920 to 4 families In 1921.
or the 119 cities having complete
reports for both years. 1os showed an
Increase in tho number OF families
provided for In 1921, as compafed
with the number provided for in 1920.
In II cities tho increase was under
6o per cent; in "a cities, from 80 to
100 nor cent; in Is cities. from 100 to
160 per cent: in II cities. from 1bo
to 200 per cent: and in 26 cities an
increa1e Of 900 per cent or over: Thus,
ss eities moro than doubled in the
nermits Of 1921 the family accommo-
dations provided for In 1920: and 2S
"The Best Homes N Tokomo Pork"
4 ~