Evening star., 1937-03-13
NATIONAL BUILDING
VALUE UP 81 PCT.
824 CITIES REPORT.
Valuation of ST, ,325,890, 900
in 1886 Revealed by
Statistics Unit.
CONSTRUCTION VOLUME
is HIGHEST SINCE 1881
Washington in Third Place, With
Total of $47,771 ,546-New
York S224,O66,924.
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Building construction in 824 cities
throughout the Natior in 1886 reached
valuation of S1,325 $50 900, an in
crease of 81 per cent over 1895, ac-
cordng to official Bureau of Labor
Statistics figures made public today
by Secretary Perkins.
The expansion of building con-
structiOn,' Secretary Perkins stated
in her report, which started in 1885
was vigorously continued in 1886. This
expansion in activity brought the
total volume to the highest level since
1881. The value Of new residential
buildings for which permits were is
sued in 1896 was 1l3 per cent greater
than in the preceding year. The
value of new non-residential building
showed gain of 34 per cent, and
additions, alterations and repairs 81
per cent"
Washington Valuation Third.
Washington was third among the
major cities of the country in valua-
ton of 1886 construction, the survey
revealed. Including public building
as well as private the construction
total for the Capital was SAITH. .546
This figure was surpassed only in New
York City. which showed a total of
1924 ,066.92 and in Los Angeles.
where all types of construction reached
valuation Of S64.l1O341. Detroit
was fourth, followed by Chicago Gin
cinnati, Philadelphia. San Francisco,
~ lyIroI 1l.nn n -
timore.
Despite its comparatively small size
Alexandria was ranked second to
Richmond among the cities in Vir-
ginia of 1885 construction The Al
eXandria total of 50 .267,887 was more
than 100 per cent greater than the
total for 1885.
"All types Of residential buildings
shared in the increase" Secretary
Perkins report continued The esti-
mated value of one-family dwellings
for which permits were issued last year
was nearly twice as great as during
1885. The value Of apartment houses
increased by more than 100 per cent.
Except for public buildings and
farm buildings, all types of non-resi-
dental construction showed gains in
indicated expenditures. The greatest
increase in valuation, 1875 per cent,
was shown for office buildings The
valuation of factory buildings during
the year amounted to $4,000, 900, an
increase Of over 81 per cent, COM
pared with the previous year. More
than S85000,000 was spent for the
erection of school buildings. an in
crease of 55 per cent. A decided gain
occurred in expenditures for stores
and warehouses, where the permit
valuation of S77000OOO in 1886 rep
resented an increase Of so per cent
over 1895.
The value of additions, alterations
and repairs TO existing structures
amounted to S3O0,OOOOOO. This is an
increase of S70.OO0,OOO, or more than
80 per cent, compared with the pre-
ceding year"
The survey showed that of l53,237
family dwelling units provided in the
824 cities in 1886, 81 $50, or so per
cent, We're in One-family dwellings,
and 5303l, Or 35 per cent, were in
apartment houses. The remainder
were in two-familv dwellings. The
number Of family dwelling units pro-
vided in these cities during the year
was nearly 100 per cent greater than in
1895.
Great gains in construction were
registered in New York City, Los An
eeles, Detroit and Chico go In Wash
ington the increase over 1885 vas less.
as the revival OF the building industry
IN the capital began earlier than
elsewhere.