Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-17
CAPITAL FAR AHEAD.
IN new BUILDINGS
First Six Months Shows D. C.
$4,000, 900 Higher Than
Rival Cites.

Washington led in building construc.
ton ell cities in the United States
from Baltimore south and east of St.
Louis, including both of these cities.
by more than 10000 600 for the hrst
six months of the year. While Wash
ington practically maintained its con-
struction activity. as compared with
last year. its nearest competitor, Bal.
timore, fell or about $4,000 900.
Building construction in the 10
Southern States for the first SIX
months of this year broke all pre-
vious records for this period, reaching
a total of more than $500 100000, ac-
cording to statistics compiled by the
Building Construction Research Blu
reau of G.. L.. Miller & Co., investment
hond house specializing in building
construction financing.
Building permit figures from OFF,
cial sources. compiled in the survey,
show that construction In the prln'
cipal cities of the South total $685.
160,l52 for the six months period
This eclipses last years record OF $4,'
52S,30S by almost 10 per cent. It was
estimated that construction In the
large number of smaller cities and
towns which do not officially record
building permits would add between.
$75, 5000, GOO and $100,000,000 to the
total for the first half of the year.
Showing Is Impressive.
In view of the fact that considerable
losses were sustained in the border
States of Maryland, West Virginia.
Kentucky and Missouri. this showing
is regarded as phenomenal. emitting
these States. the percentage of gain
over the first six months of last year
is placed at 21.4 per cent.
With the remainder of the country
struggling to keep even with the big
building program of 1925, these large
gains in the farther South are indica-
tive of healthy business condition
in the major portion of the section and
continuation of the commercial and
industrial progress which has attract
ed nationwide attention to the South
for the past six years. Much of the
industrial building is not reflected in
the above totals. being beyond the
reach of official permits.
The largest gains were in Missis,
sippi, Georgia, Texas, Florida and
North Carolina, which ranked in the
order named. Both Mississippi and
Georgia made remarkable progress,
showing more than so per cent ad-.
vance over 1925. In Georgia, Atlanta,
Savannah and several cities near the
Florida line doubled their figures, and
in six months exceeded the totals for
the entire year 1925.
Florida Doing Finely.
Florida continued to better last
years figures every month up until
June, when abnormal totals in Palm
Beach and Miami caused slight loss.
In spite of this, the State at large
gained 80 per cent for the first half
year, indicating that while there may
have been total collapse of the spec.
ulative boom, this has not affected
the substantial building progress OF
the State.
The real sensation of the period
was the showing made by Texas.
which ranked second in total volume
of permits and third in percentage of
gain. Its principal cities reported a
total of $79,040,553. against $51,771,-
1911 last year. The unprecedented
construction activity in Houston,