The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-15
BIG GAIN REPORTED
In BUILDING WORK
BY DODGE REVIEW
Closing Month of 1921
Shows Increase of $3.50
Over Dec. 1920.
1922 OUTLOOK GOOD
Says Demand for Building of
Every Class viii Aid
Erection.

the twenty-seven Northeastern
States Of the country, as reported
by the F. W. Dodge Company,
amounted to more than for any pre-
vious December. with the exception
OF December 1919. The total amount
of these contracts was ,1ss,51s, 900,
an increase of 3 per cent over the
November figure. whereas Decem-
Der usually shows a decline from
November. The closing month of
1921 showed an increase of 50 per
cent over the corresponding month
of 1890.
The total amount OF construction
contracts let during, 1921 was s2,-
S59,01S,o0o, only s per cent under
the 1920 total. 1t Is doubtful
whether any other business Jared
so well in 1921 as the construction
industry as a whole has, even
though the volume Of construction
has been unevenly distributed as to
classes of projects and as to To-
cality.
The predominating factor in the
years program was residential
building. which amounted to $780,
O52,o0O. which was 81 per cent of
the 1921 total, and represented an
increase of 81 per cent over 1890
residential construction. Public
works and utilities took second
place. amounting to s45s,1s4.00o, or
10 per cent of the years total. Other
important items were: Business
buildings, 1886 900, 900, or IA per
cent: educational buildings, s242,-
$4,000, or 10 per cent (this figure
representing a very considerable
increase in a number of projects
and in total value over 1890, and
industrial buildings, s173,325, 900. or
z per cent OF thc.year's total.
Forecast for 1922.
The remarkably good showing of
the month of December. following
the good records of the four previ-
Gus months. give added confirma-
ton of the revival of construction
activity. Every present indication
is that 1922 will see a measurably
larger volume of construction than
the program carried through in
1921.
The principal factors favorable
to a big construction year are the
still unsatisfied demand for build
ings of every class and the steadily
increasing amount OF money avail
able for investment in construction
projects. These factors are not uni
formly favorable everywhere. Re-
covery in recent months has been
rapid in the East and very slow
in the Central West. This uneven
ness in the rate Of recovery may be
expected to continue well into 1922.
The recovery of general prosperity
in the Central West will continue TO
be slow, and general business con-
ditions in that section will retard
speedy revival of construction activ-
ity, particularly in agricultural
communities.
While it's reasonable to expect
increased activity in every class OF
construction projects. IT Is probable
that residential building will again
predominant. Public works, busi-
ness buildings and educational
buildings, all Of which made good
records for activity in 1921, may be
expected to continue at a satisfac-
tory rate. Even Industrial build
ings. which special class is likely
to be about the last to return to a
normal rate of activity, should show
an increase over 1921.
The records OF construction that
was contemplated during. the past
three years indicate that the COM
munity comprised within the +. w.
Dodge Company's territory lin
GLIDING about thrce-fourths of the
total construction OF the country
has collectively worked toward a
three-billion-d dollar total each year.
The average accomplishment per
year has amounted to two and a half
billions. The year 1920 was the
only one since the war that started
of at a sufficiently high rate TO
reach a ee-billion-dollar total.
That rate was maintained for four
months, and then the reaction came.
This reaction was caused not only
by the reaction in general business
conditions. but II was also infiu-
enced by the fact that there was a
suficient supply of neither mate
rfais, labor nor transportation facil /
files to carry through the extensive
program that was mapped out.
In 1922 the community's collec-
tive effort will be toward a three
billion-dollar construction year Cor
four billions for the entire coun-
try). The supply of materials,
labor and transportation facilities
- still inadequate to carry through
such a large program. II Is neither
) likely nor desirable that a pro-
gram of such magnitude be actu-
ally started. Slowness of recovery
in general business. labor disputes
still unsettled. and other retarding
factors may be expected to curb a
TOO rapid boom in construction. II
this year shows a moderate mar
gin over two and a half billions
invested in construction contracts
in the twenty-seven Northeastern
States (say an increase Of or 10
per cent over 1921) rather more
evenly distributed than the 1921
construction was, II will justify
present expectations and spell in
creased prosperity for the industry:
New Engiand.
December building contracts in
the New England States amounted
to s96.474.ooo. an increase of a. per
cent over November, and double
the figure for December. 1920