Evening star., 1939-07-29
Building Volume
Shows Rebound for
6 Months Of 1899
DifferentiuI Labor
Rates on Construction
Further Enters Picture

Building volume, comments E. M.
Craig, secretary of the National
Association of Building Trades EN-
ployers, had substantial rebound
the first half of 1899, when COM
pared to the like 1898 period.
This optimistic observation was
disclosed in the midyear building
survey of A States and Al key cities,
compiled by Robert D. Steele, the
association statistician. The esti-
mated dollar value of the A States
for the first six months of 1899 was
S1858 ,298 ,628, compared to $1,315,-
062,077 for the 1888 like period.
During the first half of 1899, Al
key cities showed 1875, 1877 permits is
sued and an estimated dollar value
of 1886 ,055, 1866.
Los Angeles Second.
New York continues to maintain
It's leadership on dollar turnover.
Los Angeles holds to second place,
Detroit is third, while Chicago re-
mains in seventh place. Chicago,
Houston and San Francisco ran a
photo-finish race for the 1899 mid
year and registered a construction
volume of $l4,000,O0O. PHILADELPHIA,
Cleveland and Boston held broad
gains at the 1889 halfway mark,
when compared to the 1888 like
period. Los Angeles with 20,220
permits was the leading city on per-
mits issued. Milwaukee was second,
with 14,147.
During the first 1899 half year
there were 24,728 homes constructed
and started, with dollar value of
$126,904 ,397. During the first 1888
half there were started and con-
structed 1888 homes with a dollar
value Of s75,8O8, 1866. Home building
reports are lacking from New York
and Philadelphia, so on the face of
returns Los Angeles is the home
building leader, although their home
total also includes apartment build
ings. youngstown scored the widest
gain, 686 homes with a value of
$2,3l7,650. In the like 1898 period
youngstown reported 48 homes with
a value Of 1929 ,450.
Labor Rates Stable.
Building labor rates continue prac-
tically on the same footing as one
year ago. Several cities report minor
increases and decreases among GER
tain trades. Differential rates on
residential and non-residential work
are gaining in popularity In several
cities. These cities feel hopeful that
the experiment will be successful.
Countrywide contractors point out
that wage cuts should be general in
scope among all building trades and
should apply to all building types.
In New York several trades have
established a S1-an-hour rate for
one and two family dwellings, but
II Is not general. Detroit plasterers
on residential work receive s11 day;
on non-residential work s12.4o a day.
st. Louis residential work is one
nall TO tWo-thirds of the established
union rates. Des Moines maintains
a dlf1erential rate on residential and
commercial buildings owing to the
variation Of skill that is required
Buftalo carpenters have SLAM
hour rate for residential work and
other building crafts of that city are
now considering taking similar steps.
Employment Affected.
When functioning normally the
building industry speaks in manv
billions. From 1925 to 1880. incllI.
slVe, more than 80 billions of dollars
were dispensed for all building types.
since 1882 a sharp decline of so per
cent was recorded, with construction
totals dropping to 40 billions. It is
OBVIOUS that the building industry's
latent condition has not aided orr
eVer-groWing unemployment prob
lem, and only helped to swell the
ranks of the relief. Between 1e2n
and 1880 more than 5000 900 work
ers were employed on construction
sues or producing building essentials.
since 1892 approximately so per cent
OF these building and related trades
workers have been jobless.
Many building mechanics are now
employed on small home construc-
tion work. However, the number
mus employed is insignificant when
compared to the number that would
oe employed on large-scaIe projects
1t Is estimated that on a large build
Ing project as many or more work.
ers would be employed as on a group
OF LOCO or more homes. While onlv
certain trades work on small-home
construction the contractor EMPLOYS
all types of building mechanics on a
large commercial project