davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1935-06-01
BUILDING IN MAY
SET AT S2,ODO,OOO,
FVE-YEAR RECORD
Nearly 200 Homes Included
in List, but Work
Tapers Off.
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
SHOW SLUMP FOR WEEK
1924, 900 Total Far Under Figure
for Previous Seven Days,
Due to Holiday.
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Though official figures had not been
released today by the Building 1nspec-
tors Office, it was estimated that prl-
vste construction in Washington dur
Ing May exceeded the 100000 mark
for the first time since pre-depreSsion
days.
The major portion of this construc-
ton was residential, with one major
apartment project, numerous small
apartments and fats, and nearly 200
homes included in the list. Last month
is regarded by Capital real estate ana
building men as the best in the busi-
ness since the latter part of the last
decade.
Not only has the construction OF
homes been carried forward at rate
that approaches a boom. but home
sales have kept pace with the building.
Mortgage money, both for reflnancing
and new building. has been loosened
considerably Powerful financial in
stitutions from other cities have made
known their willingness to invest heav-
ily in District real estate. which has
been partially responsible for the more
liberal attitude of local financial in
stitutions.
Private Building Tapers OFF.
During the past week the valuation
Of private construction, as gauged by
permits issued in the Office of Col
John w Oehmann, building inspector.
tapered off somewhat from the high
weekly average of the last two months.
Due principally to the fact that the
holiday took a day from the business
week. the permits were valued at
1924 900, far under the figure for last
week.
However permits for 33 one family
dwellings were included in this week S
list of permits.
The more important permits of the
week are as follows:
R. L. Davis. Woodward Building,
owner and builder; Albert E. Alex
ander, architect; to erect five 2-story
brick and concrete block dwellings.
120 to 1913 Seventeenth street; to cost
$25.OO0
D. j. DUNCAN, Inc, Tower Building,
owners and builders; George T. SAINT
myers, architect; to erect four 2-story
brick dwellings. 2o1 jefferson street
ana OflZ 10 OflO ScCOtlo StEett, 10
cost S25.000.
N. NJ. L. Jenkins, Denrike Building,
owner and builder; Joseph G. Her.
bert. architect: to erect two 2-story
brick flats, 115-119 Concord avenue;
TO cost $25,000.
$4,000 Building Authorized.
Samuel Fig, 5808 Eighth street,
owner: E. j. Conner. designer; C. R.
Matheny, 6l47 Thirty-first street,
builder; to erect one 2-story brick
apartment, 909-9l3 E street south
east; to cost $4,000.
Joseph A. Katz. 801 H street, owner
and builder; J. A. Melby, architect:
to erect one 2-story brick fiat, SSH
and 5515 Second street; to cost $12,-
600
J. Edw. Farrar, 927 Fifteenth street,
owner and builder; John D. Cobb, 927
Fifteenth street, architect: to erect
Continued on Page 2, Column 1)
Evening star., 1935-06-01

Residential construction continues
to reflect encouraging improvement,
the F. w. Dodge Corp. reported to-
day. and for the first half of May
contracts let for this type of building
were approximately 80 per cent ahead
Of the total shown in the correspond
ing period Of May, 1884.
For the 81 States east of the Rocky
Mountains the Dodge Corp. reported
a residential building total of $22,-
072 500 for the first Is days of May:
during the first half of April the total
was s20,6l0900 while for the initial
IS days of May, 1884, the volume was
only S12,421, 500
The contract total for all classes of
construction inclusive of residential
building amounted to 60,961 300 for
the initial half Of May as against
SCI 969 900 for the first half Of April
and s67 7,18l 400 for the first IS days
Of May. 1884, the organization re-
ported,
Evening star., 1935-06-01
283 PROPERTIES
ARE BENEFITED
Few Applications for Mort
gage Insurance Rejected
in D. G.
Commitments for mortgage in

Commitments for mortgage inSur-
ance. under title 2 of the national
housing act, actually have been issued
on 283 properties, representing valu-
alton Of nearly two million collars
since the first of the year. H. H. Dear
ing. F. H. A. director for the Dis
trict. announced today
Dearing stated that appraisal fees
have been accepted and preliminary
commitments issued OH 594 properties,
representing S3.9l5 1000 in mortgages.
The director stated that approximate
ly 40 per cent of the commitments
and applications nave been ter new
construction.
There has been surprisingly small
percentage of reflections of commit
ments on properties which were given
preliminary approval for insurance,
Evening star., 1935-06-01

Dearing said Since the F. E. A.
launched the program under title 2
January l, there nave been Only So
rejections of insurance.
Bearings Office has been kept busy
despite the holiday this week. During
the five days It was open. 393 home
owners and prospective home owners
were interviewed n regard to financ-
ing through the F. H. A. plan. From
this number, o1 applications for
mortgage insurance were received. Ap-
praisal fees were taken in each in
stance.
The director declared that the new
method of home financing sponsored
Evening star., 1935-06-01

by the administration has made
gratifying" progress in Washington.
Speculative builders and brokers.
DearIng added, hPve been lending ex-
cellent cooperation to his Office The
number of applications for mortgage
insurance have shown an almost
weekly increase during the past two
months.
Evening star., 1935-09-10
.USURY CAMPAIGN
GAINS MOMENTUM
Unlicensed Operator Cuts
$50 to $25 to Escape
Prosecution.

The drive of Corporation Counsel
Prettyman against practice OF usury
in the small loan business here took
on new strength today latter one un-
licensed operator had been forced to
slash from $50 to $25 charges assessed
against one borrower.
Prettyman issued an invitation to
other borrowers who believe they are
being compelled to pay usurious rates
to bring their facts and complaints to
his Office for investigation. Active
legal prosecution is to start next week.
First fruits of the campaign to break
up illegal operations came yesterday
when one lender settled with his client
after a conference with Assistant
Corporation Counsel Edward M. Cur
ran. The names of persons involved
were not made public.
The borrower obtained a loan of
$125, giving his automobile as COL
lateral. The interest and other fees
were to amount to $50. That was
added to the principal, making the
loan $l55. The loan was for one
month.
The borrower was unable to meet
the loan and had to pay $25 for a
one-month extension and another
S25 for second month extension.
The case was settled with payment of
500, giving credit for the previous two
payments of $25, so that his net bill
was $25 instead of $50.
Even so, it was computed his actual
bill for the use of SIPS for three
months was at the rate of 20 per cent
for three months, or 80 per cent a
year. The agreement was accepted by
the District, it was said, only because
the borrower agreed and the District
no longer had complainant.
Since the drive started two firms
have applied for license to operate
under the 1918 law, fixing the limit of
charges at l per cent month. The
applicants are the Fidelity Plan Corp.
and the Washington Industrial Loan
Co.
Evening star., 1935-09-10

partment Of Public Welfare is familiar
with both the good and the bad"
Street asserted Judge Mattingly Is
in the position Of a specialist who
treats only one kind of disease, hence
looks for that one ailment alone when
examining q patient.
Cross Section Of Humanity.
Transients cared for here, Street
said, are a fair cross-section Of hu-
manity from the illiterate to the man
who has reached the early years Of
college. 81 believe" he declared, that
the members of the Transient Bureau
are generally more fitted for construc-
tive work than are the average per-
sons on relief. We have some men
who have had as many as two years
of college and many who have COM
pleted high school. We also have a
large number of skilled workers who
are awaiting their opportunity to con-
tribute to the economic and social
welfare of the Nation"
Judge Mattingly's attack upon the
bureau was the result Of having han
died many cases involving tntoxica-
ton, disorderly conduct, assault and
similar charges against Transient Bu-
reau members. Two youths who yes
terday were convicted Of the theft Of
clothing said they had to steal because
all Of their clothing had been stolen
from them. 1T seems every one down
there steals from every one else," the
youths told the court.
Evening star., 1935-09-10
Ickes
Continued From First Page.)

to the theory of Hopkins, who insists
on putting 3,500,000 men to work by
November as the first goal of the $4,-
900, 100000 program. Hopkins plans
simple jobs along the order of the
old C. w. A. for which the top wage
is $94 a month. Many P. w. A.
projects called for skilled labor of a
type not on relief rolls which must
be paid prevailing union wages far
in advance of the pay which Hopkins
feels the workers can live on.
Many Projects Seem Doomed.
With permission in the work-relief
act to spend $500, 100000, Ickes has
been able to find only $4,000, 900
worth of public works projects, which
the President, who has final say in
the program, would approve. P. w. A.
now has a list of projects totaling
$500 ,O00,0 900 in Hopkins files, but the
vast majority of them seem doomed.
At present 20 new P. w. A. projects,
employing 800 persons and being paid
with $4,000, 900 from the huge works
fund are under way.
P. w. A. operates on As per
cent Federal loan and SIS per cent
grant basis, while w. P. A. makes
outright grants of Federal funds.
Money withheld from Ickes for dis
tribution to the States through his
channels eventually gets to the States
through the works progress regional
offices.
While the breach widens between
Hopkins and Ickes, a showdown
neared between the cross-purpose
housing plans Of Undersecretary Of
Agriculture Tugwell and Ickes. Ickes
has made objections to Tugwells
rural resettlement low-cost housing
proposals in the suburbs on the ground
they directly conflict with the P. w.
A. slum- clearance program. Tugwell's
lands call for no slum clearance, but
erection of model housing groups in
areas near cities to provide cheap
homes for persons who might move
from urban slum districts.
The White House deadline estab-
lished for P. w. A. low-cost housing
bid advertising is October % and for
contract-letting December IS. 1t is
conceded by public works officials 1t
would be almost impossible to acquire
sites and complete plans for the
rs projects in the program by the first
date, even with the new policy of
buying vacant land in outlying sec
tions to erect the buildings.
Five P. w. A. housing projects are
under way now and two more are to
be launched within the week, but
these seven, under present conditions,
seem to be all that will be completed.
Those under construction include two
in Atlanta, one in Indianapolis. one In
Cleveland and one in Montgomery,
Ala. The two others on the list are
in Cleveland.
Ickes said his office had been de-
Evening star., 1935-09-10
Trahsients
Continued From First Page.)

country on August Is, the date Of the
last census. OF these 122,018 were
unattached individuals, 123,248 were
members Of transient families and
10,445 were homeless individuals be-
ing cared for in communities where
they usually lived.
At the end Of August there were
1924 transient cases on the rolls Of
the District Emergency Relief Admin
istration. For September the Federal
grant for transient aid here amounted
to $4,000. Welfare Director Street
estimated that about 125 new applica-
tions for transient aid were received
per day. Not all are granted. since
the staff has an investigation plan.
Meanwhile Elwood Street, director
Of public welfare for the District,
today took issue with the remarks
Of Judge Mattingly.
II have the highest respect for Judge
Mattingly," Street said, but I am
afraid he is in a position to OBJ
serve only the bad, whereas the De-
Evening star., 1935-09-10

Senator Long may bring chaotic po-
litical conditions and the overthrow
of the Long machine. Long DOM
mated that machine and the State
absolutely. He was in a position to
deliver the electoral vote of the State
Of Louisiana either to himself, if he
we're a candidate for President, or to
some other candidate. Under the
laws which he had passed through
the Legislature, only Long or his ap-
pointees selected the election officials
and watchers.
From Gov. oscar K Allen, whom
Long had elected chief executive of
the State, down, all the officials of
the State government and the division
commanders of the Long political ma
chine were dependent upon him per-
sonally. Whether any one of them
now has the capacity for leadership
which will enable him to step into
Longs shoes remains to be seen. No
crown prince" has yet shown him
self.
scramble IOr rover Looms.
Gov. Aliens term of Office expires
in May, 1886. 1t is generally believed
here that there will be wild scramble
for power among the Long following.
A campaign this Winter is in the
ofdng. In some quarters Long was
reported to have been grooming the
Lieutenant Governor, James A. Noe,
for Governor next year.
In the meantime the Long opposi-
ton in Louisiana, which has been
under the heel of the Senator for
years. is expected to take all possible
advantage of the situation created by
Longs death. Without Long as the
directing hand, the machine he set up
may be vulnerable to degree. The
opposition has several strong leaders,
but whether it will produce the men
to swing the State back to a more
republican form of government also
remains to be seen.
A Democrat to fill the vacancy in
the Senate will be named by Gov.
Allen, it is expected. Longs term of
oftice will expire on January 3, 1887.
He would therefore have been up for
denomination and reelection next
year had he decided to be a candidate
to succeed himself At various times
he was reported undecided whether to
run again for Senator, to run for
Governor or to be a candidate for
President. Senator Overton, the jun
lor Senator from LOUISIANA, was elect
ed in 1882 with the support of the
Long machine, defeating former Sen
ator BrouSSard.
Self-AppOintee May Be Rejected.
Gov. Allen will, it is expected, ap-
point a Long man to fill the vacancy
in the Senate. There was speculation
in Washington as to whether he would
not appoint himself to that Office,
through the lieutenant governor. For
mer Gov. Erickson, Democrat of Mon
tana, in 1888 resigned and had him.
self appointed to the Senate to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of the
late Senator Thomas j. Walsh. Erick-
son was strongly criticized. There is
reason to believe that the next cover
nor who has himself appointed to fill
Senate vacancy may have rough
shedding, although Erickson was per-
mltted to fill out the Walsh term.
Nothing has so kept Long in the
political foreground nationally as his
break with President Roosevelt after
the inauguration of the President in
1888 He has denounced the Roose-
velt New Deal from one end of the
land to the other. He has offered in
Evening star., 1935-09-10
Lincoln

Continued From First Page.)
Evening star., 1935-09-10

luged during the past two days with
P. w. A. applications.
"It is gratifying that the country
has such confidence in our type of
help" Ickes said. THE applications
are coming in flood. They total far
more than we anticipated in any Of
our preliminary figures"
Hopkins vetoes have caused dis
content in the affected localities be-
cause many of the States by special
legislative action have appropriated
funds to match Federal grants and
levied extra taxes to provide the
money. The sum to have been ad-
vanced by the States totals almost
81 ,000, ,000, 900.
Evening star., 1935-09-10

Rome of Rev. John 8. Spence, assist
ant at the Shrine Of the Sacred Heart,
Is attached to the Denver diocese. He
studied for five years in Rome. obtain
ing his doctorate in Sacred Theology
from the Gregorian University.
An outstanding artist in the Catho-
lie clergy, DR.. Doran formerly directed
the North American College Choir.
As a member Of the famous Sistins
Choir, he has sung before the King Of
Italy and many other distinguished
audiences.
Evening star., 1935-09-10
BAD WINTER INDICATED

LONG BRANCH, N. j., September
10 P).-Capt. Bill Tracy went to sea
for fish yesterday and came back with
a Goldfish.
That, said Capt. Bill, who is an
old timer and ought to know, Is an
indication of an early Winter, q long
Winter and a cold one. Goldfish, he
said. aren't due to reach this section
until late in December.
Evening star., 1935-09-10

in filibusters at the close Of both the
last sessions of Congress, he had
much to do with forcing through the
railroad pension act and the first
Frazier-Lemke farm moratorium act,
which the Supreme Court later held
unconstitutional. At the close of the
last session he filibustered to death the
third deficiency appropriation bill be-
cause the leaders would not permit
a vote in the House on the cotton
and wheat loan amendments to that
measure,
Evening star., 1935-09-10
SISTINE CHOIR TENOR
IS GUEST IN CAPITAL

DR.. Thomas A. Doran, tenor of the
sistine Choir Of Rome, will be a guest
of the Shrine Of the Sacred Heart
parish this week and will sing several
selections at the Holy Name mass
next Sunday at 8 am.
DR.. Doran, o former classmate In
Evening star., 1935-03-16
Old Lighting Made New.

Modernizing of old lighting equip
ment is made easy by a new line of
indirect light fixtures (of spun alumni
NUM- which are installed simply by
screwing them into the old light
socket.
Evening star., 1935-03-16
MODEL HOUSING
ACT PROPOSED
Realtors Discuss Plans to
Aid Sound Rebuilding
of U. S. Cities.

Looking toward the creation OF
model State acts of new type to
aid In the sound rebuilding of Ameri-
can cities, a preliminary discussion of
what form such acts might most use
fully take was opened at a meeting
held at the Union League Club. Chi
cago, Thursday, at the invitation of
the National Association Of Real
Estate Boards.
The association in its program for
1885 has taken as an immediate CEN
trail objective the devising Of practical
legal instruments needed in the re-
building of American cities. It pro-
posed to set up:
/. A model State act embodying
minimum housing standards.
2. A model State act to permit land
assembly and reassembly. The model
act would look toward the creation
of improvement districts or housing
districts, a needed instrument for i'm
proving the character of blighted
neighborhoods or neighborhoods
threatened with blight.
3. A plan for the authorization of
limited dividend housing corporations
in such way as to make them prac-
tical instruments for attacking the
problem of low-cost housing.
The association. through its COM
mittee on housing, of which John
McC. Mowbray, Baltimore, is chair
man, is seeking the aid and support
of men notable for their study of
these problems in the development
Of the proposed model acts. Among
those who took part in the March
IA discussion we're: DR.. Ernest M.
Fisher. economic adviser. Federal
Housing Administration. and Miles
Colean, director of the technical
division of F. H. A; Harland Bar
tholomew, st. Louis. past president
Of the American City Planning In
stitute, city planning consultant to
the National Association of Real Es-
tate Boards; Clarence Perry of the
Russell Sage Foundation, New York;
Col. Horatio B. Hackett, head OF the
housing division of P. w. A.; Donald
H. McNeal. Washington. director of
reconditioning, H. Q. L. c., and hous-
ing adviser to the board: Arthur C.
Holden. New York, of Holden, Nc
Laughlin and associates, who, with a
group of engineers assigned to him
by P. w. A.. is engaged in studies for
the reassembling of land for housing
development in the New York area;
Coleman Woodbury.. Chicago. presi-
dent Of, the National Association of
Housing Officials; Walter S. Schmidt,
Cincinnati, president of the National
Association of Real Estate Boards;
Herbert U. Nelson. Chicago, secre-
tary to the association. AS soon as
tentative instruments can be drafted
the association will place them before
its members for concrete discussion.
Evening star., 1935-03-16

thinking to economic, bought bar
gain-price paint merchandise. To-
day they are discovering that the
low-priced, inferior paint Is peeling off
or is failing to protect the underlying
surface properly. AS consequence
these property owners are sadder but
wiser.
Better Qualities Used.
Painting contractors also are de-
manding better paint because they
realize that it goes farther, lasts
longer and requires less labor in ap-
plication. Customers are thoroughly
satisfied, and the painting contractor s
business benefits as a result" Mr..
Trigg states. In one Southern city,
dealers report that rs per cent of
paint being sold now is of quality
material. Three years ago the op-
posite was true"
One thing that has stimulated the
demand for the better grade of paint
is the supervision given by Govern
ment agencies to many renovating
jobs. The H. o. L. c. specifies the
best grade on all its jobs; the leading
mortgage companies take the same
attitude and the Federal Housing
Administration urges that "only ma
terials of proved durability and suita-
bility for their purpose be utilized
in modernization work"
Evening star., 1935-03-16
Some Tung Oil Statistics.

The tung oil used annually in the
United States paint manufactured
hoated from China in barrels-would
require one barrel for every 200 feet
of the 5000 miles of ocean.
Evening star., 1935-03-16
WORKERS HOUSING.
Project OFFERED.
Group Proposes Federal
Employees Launch Own
Construction Scheme.

Government employees and other
organized groups in the District are
urged to "solve their own housing
problems by forming cooperative
housing associations to acquire land
and construct dwellings for them
selves, in a letter printed this week
by the Washington Committee on
Housing.
1t is pointed out in the letter that
10000 Government employees in the
Capital earn $4,000 or less a year
and that S43 is the maximum
monthly rent they should pay If heat
Is included. The publication COM
ments that good dwellings at that
rental are scarce" The Editorial
Advisory Committee of this Housing
Letter" is composed of Clarence
Phelps Dodge, Rev. Anson Phelps
Stokes and j. Bernard Wyckoff.
Perhaps the Federation of Fed
eral Employees and other organiza-
tions," the letter continues, could
find among their members groups of
similar income and congenial interest
that would be venturesome enough
to attempt to solve their own housing
problem by forming cooperative
housing associations to acquire land
and construct dwellings for them
selves.
Bulletin Available.
'The Bureau of Labor Statistics of
hn a,f, @f
bulletin in July, 1884, entitled Or
ganization and Management of Co.
operative Housing Associations This
bulletin discusses methods of organi-
zation, contains model bylaws, model
lease, balance sheet and yearly in
come and expense account.
Much of the cooperative housing
in this country is not really co-opera-
tive because the speculative element
is permitted to enter. In true CO.
operative housing each member owns
shares in the association and does
not hold title to any individual
dwelling.
when member withdraws from
the association his shares can be
bought only by the association and
at the price he paid for them. As
a further safeguard against the urge
for speculative profits, it is suggested
that provision be made in the by
laws that members shares be kept
at par and any profit made by sale
of the property through dissolution
of the association be given for some
philanthropic use.
Interest on the investment is in
the form of lower rent than could
otherwise be obtained, Tenant-mem-
bers of the association pay a sum
to cover fixed charges such