Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-09
BUILDING RECORD
REACHES NEW HIGH
Report, Covering 81 States,
/ Shows 100000 Gain
Over Former Top.

Construction contracts amounting to
$500, 73S,200 were awarded last month
in the 81 States east of the Rocky
Mountains, according to r. w. Dodge
Corporation. This tops the previous
high record of August, 1925, by IS, 000,.
900. The increase over March, 1926,
was nearly per cent and the increase
over February Of this year was 81 per
cent.
The March record brought the con-
tract total for the first quarter of this
year up to $1,39S,776, 100, which is
only about Az per cent below the fig
ure for the corresponding period of
last year. At the end of January this
year was Is per cent behind last year;
at the end of February, 10 per cent
behind: at the end Of March, only Az
per cent behind. This shows that
there was in March a quite consider
able recovery from the low contract
volumes of the preceding two months.
Construction started in March in
the Middle Atlantic States eastern
Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware, District of Co
lumbia and Virginia) amounted to $780,
$4,000. This was the largest March
contract total on record for this dis
trict. 1t was 90 per cent over Febru-
ery and II per cent over March Of last
months record were: $36, 016 100, or
As per cent of all construction, for
residential buildings; $13, 124,600. or IS
per cent, for commercial buildings;
SIS, 060, 500, or Is per cent, for public
works and utilities, and $6.691 800, or
per cent, for industrial buildings.
IS Per Cent Increase.
Total work started in this district
during the first quarter of this year
has amounted to $175,405, 200 an in.
crease of IS per cent over the first
quarter of 1925.
Contemplated construction projects
were reported in the Middle Atlantic
States in March to the amount Of
$1s1 ,619, 900, which increased 96 per
cent over February and II per cent
over March of last year.
Building and engineering contracts
awarded during the month of March
IN New York State and Northern
New Jersey amounted to $153, S90, 200.
This was a 49 per cent increase over
February and per cent decrease
from March of last year.
Total building contracts for the first
quarter Of this year, amounting to
$3Te.21S.400, show a decrease of Is per
cent from the drst quarter of 1926
Contemplated new work reported in
this district last month amounted to
$g04 ,542 300. This figure shows a gain
Of 5S per cent over February and a
loss Of is per cent from March of last
year.
The March total for building con-
tracts in the New England States,
amounting to $44, 990, 900, was the
highest March figure yet recorded for
this district. 1t was more than double
the amount for the preceding month,
and 80 per cent ahead of the CORE
spending month of last year New
construction work started in this dis
trict during the first quarter of this
year reached a total of $84, 5SS, 400,
being an increase of per cent over
the corresponding period of last year.
Contemplated new work reported in
the New England States in March
amounted to Sac, 195,200. This figure
shows an increase of 80 per cent over
February and a decrease of IS per
cent from March, 1926.
Reports Of States.
March building and engineering con-
tracts reached total of $50, us, 700 in
Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
Ohio and Kentucky. This figure ex-
Ceeded February by IL per cent, but
declined from March OF last year by
~ per cent. New construction started
during the first three months of this
year, 1853, 1880 in amount, shows a
decrease Of 2 per cent from the first
quarter of 1926. Contemplated new
work reported in March for this terri
tory amounted to $50, 427 400. This
figure shows an increase Of "a per cent
over February and a decrease of 80
per cent from March of last year.
Building and engineering contracts
lot in the Central West illinois, In
d4anR, Iowa, Wisconsin, Southern
Michigan. Missouri, Kansas, Okla
hANaan nd NInln,-o