The Washington times., 1925-06-20
5. v. STRAUSCO
REPORTS ON
BUILDING
Washington Makes Good Gain
in Permits Issued; Stands
Sixth in United States.


May building permit figures IN sS5
cities was the fact that every
region OF the country, and the
twenty-five leading cities, includlng
New York city, showed substantial
gains over May, 1924. The country
at large showed pickup OF Il rer
cent for the month, turning he
volume of construction for the first
five months of the year to ! gam
Of A per cent
1t will be remembered that May,
1924, showed an pei cent Gain
over 1923, which makes new peak
for May this year. It VIII also De
recalled that January, February
and March this year showed losses
for the country at large. In ApriI
the whole country had its first IN
crease OF the year. compared with
1924. The fact that May figures
sustain the upward tendenet lies
manifest in April, would seem TO
indicate a very active summer, at
least. in the construction Industry.
The increase of volume IN Apfil
and May will also make a total
for the 365 cities reporting to the
survey well over the $4,000 OOO,OVV
mark for the first six months II
1925. even assuming that June this
year will not surpass June. 1924
The total in May, for the ass
cities reported, was $3.50 ,a23, 4b1.
compared with &340, t24,492 In May,
1924.
The Southern region took the lead
in May with gain Of 40 per cent
in sixty-four cities, and the twenty.
five leading Southern cities showed
a gain Of 46 per cent. Miami was
-sIAL .s4., ~, khn ,a,ll.fyv with 81
gain Of 265 per cent.
The Pacific west was second
among the four regions, with a gain
Of is. per cent The East was third.
with q gain Of IL per cent, assisted
by New York city, which. Tor the
second time since December, lJ14,
showed q gain.
The central region had May
gain Of II per cent, assisted by 4
gain OF $4,000, 600 IN Chicago.
Twenty-one of the twenty five
leading cities showed gains in May,
making an increase In these cen
tiers Of population of q per cent.
New York's increase was > per
cent; Chicago. rs per cent; Detroit,
per cent; Los Angeles, 81 per
cent. and Philadelphia. 80 per cent.
Los Angeles, for the first time
slnce January. went ahead OF
Philadelpiia, which stood fifth in
MAY. with Washington sixth, two
cities ahead of its April position.
Boston rose from twelfth in April
II. seventh in May. Miami came
back into the twenty-five leading
cities, TO eighth place, with a gain
of 265 per cent. Rochester rose
from twentieth place in April to
ninth in May: Pittsburgh from thir-
teenth to twelfth. Springfield
Mass. came into the twenty-five
list for the first time. Cincinnati
rose from nineteenth to four
tenth: Milwaukee from seventeenth
to fifteenth; Dallas from twenty
fourth to seventeenth: Kansas City
from twenty fourth to twentieth;
Jersey City returned to q headliner
position after a long absence; Port
land, Ore, rose one place, to TWEEN
ty-second.
Cleveland, San Francisco. Newark
and Baltimore were the only lead
ing cities which showed losses
from May, 1924.
During May, building material
Prices continued to work lower
though the decline was moderate.
The movement in the lumber |
market was, distinctly downward. !
The greatest recessions were In
Southern pine, Douglas fir, and !
in certain hardwoods. The South. |
eIn pine market was something
of an anomaly, with retail de- |
mand continuing good and prices
working lower. The trade ascribed
the weakness to oVeT.prOduction
and looked for a change in price
trend. st. Louis was practically
the only center reporting tenden- /
cies toward improvement. Foreign
demand for Douglas fir did not I
reach anticipated proportions, and
accommodating stocks caused q con-
siderable recession in both mill and |
logging activities.
With structural steel awards in |
fairly satisfactory volume. the |
earlier weakness in steel quota |
tons was less pronounced. For |
the greater part of the month
a $500 Pittsburgh equivalent was
the rule in most centers. In Phila-
delphla some orders were accepted
at $3.50 to $500, while in Chicago |
1920 continued as the prevailing |
price. In the final week Boston |
reported the market firmer than |
for some time; while Cleveland, |
on the other hand, reported ten
denotes toward lower levels.
Common brick was somewhat |
higher in New York city. while |
Boston and San Francisco both |
reported declines Of fifty cents per |
thousand. In other cen+ers there |
was no charge. Starting mate
rails are practically unchanged.