Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-23
PLANS ARE RUSHED
FOR NEW BUILDING
Millions in New. Construction
All Over CountFy--But
Few Labor Troubles.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 23.-Building
construction in the cities outside New
York continues to hold up remarkably.
This is especially noticeable in the
South and Central West. The work
outside the cities has undoubtedly
shown a marked increase compared
with last year. There is no indica-
ton that the volume of building and
road work for the year will slump.
This tendency is borne out by the
fact that contracts for construction
let from January / to the middle of
April in the United States totaled ap-
proximateiy .$624,5S4 ,00Q%ur SIS. s6S ono
more than for I the corresponding
period of 1924. ~
Work. Being Rushed. ~.
Actual construction work is pro-
crossing at extraordinary speed This
Is evidenced by the shipments of &C.
ment for the first quarter. Cement
Is one of the. most accurate baremeters
OF the building trades, since cement is
normally used very shortly after il
Is shipped. Much of this material is
wet and poured within two weeks of
receipt by consignees. Shipments for
the hrst quarter totaled q, 456, 900 bar
reIs or slightly more than for the
corresponding period last year....-.-...,-
IL Is true that at this period OF the
year dealers. are stocking up on ce-
ment for the early season trade and
contractors for road work are putting
stocks into storage. But even so, it>is
the. opinion Of experts that not more
than three weeks normally elapses
from the time cement leaves the mill
until it is used.
Farmers Heavy Buyers.
The Importance of the activity in
farm work can be estimated from the
fact that POS OF the cement consumed
goes for miscellaneous farm purposes.
Public and commercial building con-
sumes 24.9 per cent and paving and
highways "a per cent
As the LIST of May approaches. there
do not appear to be many wage ad-
1ustments in prospect in the building
trades. Most crafts seem willing to
renew the 1924 scales. although there
may be some slight revisions upward
in the larger cities.
Workers in many localities already
have contracts with employers extend.
ing until April so, 1926 In 81 cities
reporting, only two have wage dis
putes pending. A truce has been de.
clared in the factionaI dispute between
the plasterers and@ brickfaEers here.
In Chicago marble setterss ornamental
iron workers, carpenters and hoisting
engineers have been granted an in.
crease of 12R cents an hour. The
supply of labor generally appears suf-
f1cient. -, -
Bonus System Gone.
The efficiency of workers .inz.the
building trades now is at a higher
point than at any time since the war
The bonus system, so universally in
effect a year ago, has disappeared
and the slightly larger labor supply
has enabled contractors to pick their
men and this has raised the efficiency
of individual workers.
There is every proba bility that the
country's building program for this
year will entail expenditure of at
least So. 200, 100000. The effect of this
activity is bound to be great on the
prosperity Of the country as whole.
Assurance of building activity in the
months ahead will tend to counter
balance to no small degree the forces
for reaction operating in other parts
of the business structure.