Evening star., 1924-01-19
WINTER BUILDING
+. IS Unprecedented !! p h [
Survey Shows Gain of 18 Per
Cent in December. 1923,
Over Same Month in 1922.

Unprecedented winter building
throughout the whole country Is in
dicated by statistics made public yes.
terday by S. w. Straus & Co. in
statement in which they said )
In December there was a gain of
il per cent in total building permits
issued over the same month in 1922.
In November the gain was 80 per
cent and in October the increase was
substantially the same amount. 1t
must be borne in mind that these
comparisons are maze against the
greatest previous building year in
the history of the nation. With an
average gain during the last three
months of the year of 25" per cent
there is every reason to believe that
at least the early weeks of 1921 will
show greater volume Of building
than during any previous midwinter.
The value of these conditions to
The industry cannot be lightly brush
ed aside. and the eventual benefit to
the public with a continuation of this
situation will be marked. inasmuch
as 1T will tend to relieve the pressure
from the general shortage of build
fngs now existing. This does not
mean that there is likelihood of the
shortage being Immediately adjusted,
but 1t is an indication of Wholesome
conditions throughout the industry,
particularly in the stabili"ation Of
prices and the increased produce ion
of labor.
Especially Significant.
1T Is matter of special signifi-
canoe that Notwithstanding the great
volume of winter building now in
Progress in the country AMI the rec
ora breaking amount of permits that
have been issued during the tate fail
ana winter months, prices for mate
rIals have shown inconsequenti1l
: fluctuations.
'MnVan1pnfc In hn hpi TO
rails market in December were some
what irregular. A few commodities
In some cities showed further de-
clines. Structural steel shapes still
remain firm at the level reached some
months ago On the whole, while
the general level may have tended
downward, the decline is undoubtedly
less than the usual seasonal move
ment."
New records in volume of building
permits We're established for the year
1928 and for December of that year
Much significance is attached to the
fact that 266 comparable cities re-
ported loss from November to De-
oember of only approximately 10 per
cent, whereas the general tendency
for the whole country has been loss
of from 20 to % per cent between
the eleventh and twelfth months
The same 266 cities in December
gained is per cent over December
1922.
The amount of permits issued in
December, taken in conjunction With
the unusual volume of permits is
sued In October and November, indi-
Gates the likelihood of a continuance
of extensive winter building.
Based on the amount of permits
reported flom 2G6 cities ts3,:3I8Il.-
1879 the volume of building during
the year 1929 for the entire countr:
may be estimated at approximately
s5,00O,O90.O00. The 266 cities show
an increase for the year 1855 over
1922 of "a per cent.
March holds the record for the
greatest building month OF TIE YEA:
1873. The monthly curve, which be-
gan to rise in January, reached it's
apex in March: dropped st aadi!y until
July rose slightly in August: drop
through October and November rose.
Every region in the country, east.
central. south and Pacific coast.
gained over the year 1922, ranging
from II per cent in the central to ,
50 per cent in the Pacific west. Each
or these regions also gained in Do
cember, 1929, over December. 1922
excep epting the south. The percentages
or gam for the regions of the conn
Try, both during the year and for
Deeenloer. ., ls2s over 1922. are shown
IN the accompanying summary.
The twenty-five leading cities FAC
cording to volume of building for
the. entire year, show. astonishfnr
progress is being made in the coun.
try's populous centers. Greater Nrw
York shows a total exceeding twice
the. amount of building in Chicago,
which was the second city in yolume
for the year. Chicago's percentape
of gain for the year, however. was
40 per cent against 25 per cent in
Greater New York. If BROOKLYN were
considered as separate city. n
would be the third. numerically on
the years showing. but since il is
considered as a borough of Greater
New York. Los Angeles takes the
third position.
Among the twenty-five LEADING
cities Los Angeles shows the highest
percentage of gain for the year, fhe
hgures of few of the high ones
being: Los Angeles, 65 per cent: St
Louis, 64 per cent: ST. Paul so DER
cent; Milwaukee, "a per cent; Chit
cago, 50 per cent; Detroit. 81 per cent:
Atlanta, 81 per cent; Cleveland. 81
per cent, and New York, 25 per cent,
movements in the building mate
r1als market in December were some