Evening Star Newspaper, February 5, 1927, Page 21

REAL CONTRACTORS SEE NO BUILDING DROP Association Expects Just as Much Business This Year as Last. ASHEVILLE, N The volume of in the United St s to equal record-brealki vities of last in the opinion of more than 2,000 of the leading con ors of the country as expressed in a sta men issued at the eighth annual meet- of the Associated Gener: rs of America, held here. he prediction is vased upon ob- servations made in virtually every State in the Union. ‘“We are convinced. the statement declare ¥ t a large number of economic and - soclological influences are currently at work to create a steady demand for conservatively financed, well designed and soundly built structures cf various types. The ennual increase in population requires & large amount of construction of all kinds Feel Modernization. “While some cities may not need fmmediate additional hotel, office or Juxuriant apartment floor space, all types of construction activities are feeling the effect of the trend toward izatl Obsolescence of of. bulldings, theaters constantly ing a ructures. Railroads elimination of grade ossings, elevation of tracks and new ze to meet newly developing con- ditions. The vast volume of automo- bile ic is demanding not only thousands of miles of paved highways but that roads be widened, an opera- tion virtually 1dentical with the con- struction of new roads. A large num- ber of garages are being required to offset ‘no. ng’ ordinances in cities. and toll bridges are springing up all over the country. “Public utilities corporations are being forced to meet demands for in- creased service by making large addi- tions to their plants, w Schools Required. “Revision and expansion of educa- tional methods are requiring new com- munity, vocational and high school buildings. America is on a higher plane of demand for satisfaction of What may be termed its ‘personal de- sires’ which are manifested in the creation of palatial movie houses,] country clubs apartment houses, libraries and water works and sewer systems which provide the latest fm- provements. “Banks and mortgage bond houses which handle financing of construc- tion operations should not depend upon the volume of building permits in the cities for their information in drawing conclusions concerning the trend of future construction. These building permits statistics do not form a true barometer of the activities of the construction indus- tries, for they failed to include the vast volume of construction of public works, highways, railroad improve- ment and much public utility work. There is also a time lag between is- suance of per and the financing ESTATE. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTOX, D. PRESSING NEED OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CITY CITED (Continued from Seventeenth Page. the most part, deflected into real estate investments. The pricking of the real estate bub- ble of that day was not long in com- ng. The story, which is told in W B. Bryan's “History of the National Capital,” is too long to relate here. It is enough to state that real estate speculation, unsupported by other forms of business enterprise, did not prove to be a sufficient means of sup- porting _the growing life of the Na- tional Capital. " Recovery Held Slow. The recovery of Washington was slow. Had it not been for the fact that our country was rapidly expand ing, and that this expansion was re flected in the rapid growth of the functions and activities of the Federal Government here, Washington would have found herself in a condition o itter poverty. As it was, the city itself was neglected until ‘“Boss’ Shepherd undertook by strong-arm methods to remove from the city the stigma of the current descriptive phrase, “the city of mud and dust,” that Washington as a municipality commenced to receive the public serv ices which its size and station de manded. The Civil War gave Washington a fresh start. The intensification o :nd completion of buildings. “The increased volume of saving and Insurance funds which seek in- vestment, the fact that there is no reason for expecting an increase in the wages of construction labor, the tendency toward lower interest rates, the general prosperity of the country, the large volume of farm and mine production, the increasing demand for electricity, gas, water and transporta- tion facllities, all tend to confirm the general view that 1927 will be an active construction year. “Comparison of post-war costs with pre-war prices forces the conclusion that the American construction pro- eram is on a normal basis.” Federal activities brought back some semblance of prosperity. The swing back toward George Washington's jdeal of a self-supporting city seems to have commenced about this time, and we come upon definite efforts to expand the business life of the Na tional Capital. The first manifesta tions of this movement took the forn of business undertakings usually not classed as industries, such as news papers, banks, retail stores, markets theaters, street railways and public utilities of various types and kinds. In addition, light manufacturing establishments commenced to multiply. By 1899 there were 491 concerns of this type, employing over 6,000 wage earners and producing products valued in excess of $16,000,000. From 1899 on the amount of the amount of the wages paid and the value of products of maufacture estab- lishments steadlly increased. Wages rose from over $£3,000,000 to over $15,- 000,000 and the value of manufactured products from over $16,000,000 to over $80,000,000, as previously stated. A study of the business develop- ment of the National Capital shows that the present tendency is in the direction of the conception held by ‘Washington, Jefferson, Madison and others, which was so ably expounded for the country at large by Alexander Hamilton in his famous “Report on Manufacturers,” published in the Fed- eralist. The réasons for this tendency also are shown by study of present con ditions. Although the total value of products manufactured in the Dis trict now is greater than 1919, the number of employes today is some what less than in that year. Along with this slight decrease in employ ment opportunities, there is the policy of retrenchment of the Federal Gov ernment, which keeps Government employes at a minimum. It seems ap parent that if Washington s to retair its own boys and girls in their home town, additional employment must b created. Colonial front porch, sleeping porc! $250 $8,950. A New Home Two stories, tapestry brick, built-in refrigerator, automatic hot-water heater, laundry trays. Never before have you been offered a home of {his type for such a small cash outlay. Special terms can be arranged—price is 5029 7th Place N.W. Open Daily and Sunday, 9 AM. to 9 P.M. 2 - = 919 15th St. N.W. Phone Main 8949 six rooms, tiled bath, shower, , breakfast porch, outside pantry, cash Ivp Castle in Spain” Brought Within Your Grasp! After all, any one of a hundred builders can give you as good a mechanical house as the next one. Most houses are well built. j There are always three points, however, where houses differ—one, location; two, the quality of intelligent imagination in design; three, the relation of builder’s cost to sell- ing price. So, with these three points in min Spanish houses at— d, we invite you to consider the new group of three Quesada Street and Nevada Avenue Chevy Chase, D. C. Location: 11 blocks from Chevy Chase Circle, in the heart of a nationally-known suburb—close to schools, churches, stores and excellent transportation—and surrounded by homes in the $25.000 class. Designed by a skilled architect who has devoted himself to a study of true Spanish home production and has put all his knowledge, all his experience and all his intelligence into thece homes. The result is not “flashy” or otherwise tiresome; it is—well, you've seen the house of a born gentlewoman—it is that kind of a house! As to mechanical equipment—there are 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, oil heating, electric refrigeration, and— But Come Out and See Open Every Day (Including Sunday) From 1to 9 AURORA HILLS HOMES, Inc. ESTATE. C., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1927. OWN YOUR OWN HOME —AND REALLY LIVE! Proven the Best “Home Buys” 1n Town DUNIGAN’S PETWORTH HOMES On Farragut St. N.W. On Hamilton St. N.W. LARGEST HOMES IN THE NORTHWEST AT THE PRICE JUST WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE Perfectly Constructed and Appointed \ Real “Home Like” Features that You Won’t Find in Most Homes / © (#) COME OUT AND SEE THEM SUNDAY Open and Lighted Daily and Sunday Till 9 P.M. 2 sl FARRAGUT ST HOMES: 6 Lag oms Bth WITH EVERY MODERN CONVENIENCE THAT IS NEW TODAY, these homes are 32 feet deep on extra large lot 142 feet to paved alley. Convenient to busses, cars, stores, schools, churches and moving pictures. JUST NORTH OF SHERMAN CIRCLE. all means. See them Sunday by See Them Sunday—All Sold But 3 Sample House 620 Hamilton St. N.W. Large Rooms, Perfect Bath Concrete Street, Paved Alley Large Lot 137 Feet Deep HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR A HOME OF THIS CHARACTER and size. We can honestly say that we don’t think there are any homes in the City of Washington that can approach them in beauty, construction and value for the price we are selling them for. * You have your choice of THREE DISTINCT STYLES as shown in picture on right. These homes have large covered front porches, double back gorch, large cozy rooms arranged for perfect housekeeping; a con- veniently planned kitchen, a perfeot bath; latest style electric fixtures, hot water heating plant and concrete cellar. Convenient to Both Car Lines Take 14th street car marked “Takoma,” get off at 7th and Kennedy streets, walk south to Hamilton, or take Sth street car to Hamilton street, walk east to houses. 1319 Sample 629 Farragut Street N.W. Southern Exposure Paved Alley Thru Street New York Ave Realtors and Builders J 1015 15th Street N.W. Main 7343