Evening Star Newspaper, February 23, 1935, Page 20

BOOM IN OFFING FOR MODERNIZING Easy Loan Plan and Ap- proach of Spring Among Favorable Factors. One of the biggest modernizing booms “of all time” is rapidly getting under way, according to building an- alysts and experts close to the con- struction industry of the Nation, the Federal Housing Administration has been informed. Given as reason for this opinion are the following factors in present- day modernization impetus: The easy - payment, ‘“no - money- down” features of the Federal Housing Administration’s modernization loan plan. Ideal Season Approaching. The approach of Spring and Sum- mer, ideal building and repair seasons. ‘The Nation-wide set-up of financial Institutions as lending agencies under the modernization credit plan. ' More widespread understanding of the true nature of the Federal Housing Administration’s plan of financing and more general appreciation of the prof- its open to financial - institutions through the making of “character loans” for modernizing. A noticeable “modernization con- sciousness” on the part of the general public, resulting from steady and fre- quently repeated publicity of all phases of the modernization credit plan. Builders Now “Sold.” The fact that contractors, builders, carpenters, dealers and subcontrac- tors have become “sufficiently sold” on the better housing program, and are now making serious efforts to merchandise building materials and sell the idea of renovizing to the gen- eral public. The introduction into the building trades of the installment selling method. The Housing Administration also has been notified that there is a wide- spread understanding of the difficul- ties that attended the organization of the better housing program and that the building trades are conscious of the fact that the housing movement was slow to get into full swing be- cause of the magnitude of the project. Now that the foundation has been well laid, the sentiment on every hand is that the Spring of 1935 will mark a boom period in modernization in the United States that is without prece- dent in history. Sales on Upgrade. Sale of building materials is on the upgrade; sales methods are being taught to the widespread members of the same trades; every impetus that is available is being placed behind the drive to “step up” housing and mod- ernization activity in every village, town, hamlet and metropolitan center. 1t is predicted authoritatively that the Spring of 1935 will bear out these contentions. $5,000 HOUSE NOW MADE LUXURIOUS THE EVENING STAR, Apartment House Purchased The building contains 20 units. This apartment at 3620 Connecticut avenue has been purchased by an unnamed investor from the Union Trust Co., through the offices of Cuvier A. Metzler, realtor. ~—Star Staff Photo. Air Conditioning Air and Its Condition Er- " roneously Is Taken for Granted. BY LAWRENCE TUCKER. The majority of people have taken granted in the past. While we have become increasingly particular about the food we eat, the water we drink and almost every other element that affects our physical well-being, air is taken as it is delivered to us—good or bad. Most of us think of air as an in- tangible quantity almost beyond com- prehension, although we have prob- ably heard vaguely that it contains Earley Tells Concrete Institute Convention Possibilities of Prefabrication. ‘That it will be possible through prefabrication to put into a $5,000 house the comforts and luxuries that heretofore have only been available in houses costing $10,000 is the opinion of John J. Earley of Wash- ington, who addressed the American Concrete Institute at its thirty-first ennual convention in New York City this week. Mr. Earley described his prefabricated mosaic concrete house on the Colesville Pike opposite the Indian Spring Country Club. The little bungalow has attracted Nation- wide attention, Mr. Earley said: “Much of the progress science has made in heat- | ing, lighting, eir conditioning and such equipment has been restricted in its use to a limited few. Prefabri- cation of houses promises to distribute those benefits to all. Through sav- ings in mass production, beautiful, everlasting walls requiring no main- tenance, can be produced as cheaply 8s frame. Modern labor-saving de- vices can only be fully enjoyed be- hind the protection of genuinely modern walls.” Mr. Earley, who holds the institute's ‘Turner gold medal “for making con- crete an architectural medium,” de- scribed how his richly colored Wash- ington bungalow was assembled from 32 panels precast at his plant in Rosslyn, Va. The slabs are joined together by an ingenious system which, while it makes the house com- Ppletely weatherproof, yet is not rigid. TAX LIMIT IS SOUGHT Campaign for Charter Amendment Begins in Baltimore. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, February 23.—A campaign for enactment of a charter amendment {o fix a limit on the levy- ing of taxes on real estate was in- augurated at a meeting of representa- tives of taxpayers' groups and the Real Estate Board this week. It is the pian of the taxpayer bodies to have the charter amend- ment put on the ballot in the May election through the petition method as it is deemed unlikely that the City Council would approve the neces- #ary enactment. The petition would Tequire 10,000 signatures of bona fide voters to be effective. Under the plan adopted the legal limit on real estate taxes is placed &t $2 per $100. —_ SALES STIMULATED Business Picked Up by Emer- gency Relief Workers. Emergency relief workers, put to work by Crowley, La., building sup- ply dealers, have been developing a sizeable volume of new business. While the work helped to relieve the local unemployment problem, the men also produced sales that showed modernization enthusiasm in the community. During the first 20 days of Jan- uary a worker employed by s lum- ber company obtained $1,900 new business; a paint company solicitor, $2,460, and a roofing concern sales- man, $2,438. The salesmen had prev- iously worked in the general modern- ization canvass of the section. —_— Costs Minimized. Bath rooms adjoining one another, or placed in tiers one above the other from the basement to the attic, mini- mize installation cests. Savings in material and labor costs are effected ‘when they are so oxygen, nitrogen and certain other elements such as helilum, argon and neon. The fact that a large percent- age of the space ia which we live is actually filled with water vapor had been overlooked almost universally until the advent of air conditioning. However, as its use becomes even more prevalent, we will learn to take into consideration this very vital factor. Water Has Its Effect. 1t is difficult to believe that the air in an average sized room contains many quarts of water if it is to be in ideal condition for breathing. It would seem that a diver’s suit would be nec- essary for existence in such an atmos- phere, but the water vapor is present nevertheless and has a tremendous effect on our reactions to temperature, the condition of the delicate mem- branes in our nose and throat, as well as on various materials, such as paper and cloth. The fact that this water is sus- pended in the air and can either be removed or added constitutes the basic element of air conditioning. From many years of experience air conditioning engineers have learned just how much water should be pres- ent at various temperatures to obtain comfort, and by designing their equipment properly can control this moisture at will. Water Strange Sight. It is an interesting sight to see an air-conditioning machine in opera- tion on a hot, sultry Summer day and watch a constant stream of water pour from it, as seemingly dry air is passed over the cold surfaces of the machine. The result of passing the air in the room over this sur- face is exactly the same as the for- mation of beads of water on the sides of a glass of cold water. This is caused by the fact that the water- carrying capacity of air is directly dependent upon its temperature. The higher the temperature the more water it can hold and vice versa. Hence when the water-laden air strikes something that is below the temperature that permits it to hold on to that water, it must drop it, with a resulting formation of mols- ture. 1t is obvious, therefore, that when an air-conditioning system is designed it is necessary to create a certain temperature at the point where the air strikes the cooling surface, or with the cold water spray through which the air is being blowsn. This tem- perature, called the dew point, is chosen very accurately and will lower the temperature of the air to such & point that exactly the right amount of moisture will be removed, with a resulting dehumidifying the total volume being conditioned. Moisture Is Added. In the Wintertime, when the alr is cold and very dry, it is, of course, necessary to add moisture if the heated air is to be kept from being This house contains 6 rooms (3 bed rooms), 2 baths, recreation room, breakfast nook. On large, deep Iot in a convenient re- stricted neighborhood. Oil burner, garage. Moderately priced. Convenient terms. Drive out Georgia Ave. to Dahlia St. Turn right to 8th St. to home, alr and its condition pretty much for | even drier. The temperature of the walls limits the amount of moisture | that can be added in cold weather as usually a theoretically perfect amount of humidity will cause water to con- |dense on those cold surfaces. This | situation can be helped by adding | adequate insulation which will help keep the wall temperature above the dew point. The time is not far distant when ‘| every one will demand to know the relative humidity, or moisture con- tent of the air in addition to the so-called dry bulb temperature by which we now determine comfortable living conditions. When that time comes and the proper steps are taken to control the moisture the year around, we will certainly live in a more healthful and invigorating at- mosphere. \INDUSTRY LOOKING TO CONSTRUCTION | Prospects Are Declared Better Than at Any Time in Three Years. J. H. Manning, president of the Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. of New York, says that the outlook for industrial construction is better than at any time in three years. “We are today observing all the signs which, during the nearly 50 years of our experience, have always preceded an important industrial building program,” he says. “Modernization work, for example, Justifies its costs very rapidly on a rising volume of production, and the amount of such work to be done has been variously estimated at figures over a billion dollars. In this classi- fication alone the fully developed volume of construction would be suf- ficient to employ many hundreds of thousands of men directly and indi- rectly.” Mr. Manning visions in the immedi- ate future the construction of chemi- cal plants, factory buildings, boiler plants, rolling mills, pipe lines—in fact, all types of construction which characterize the normal building re- Quirements of American industry, 01d Chairs in Demand. Old-fashioned wooden chairs with flower-painted backs are now in de- mand by collectors of antiques. They are being salvaged from kitchens and attics and after being carefully cleaned become welcome accessories in modern homs Model Furnished Home COMPARE THESE FEATURES Recessed 1 tel Ciherisiripoiae Stene Garase ‘Screens | 1322 Rittenhouse St. N.W. in Convenient 16th Street Heights ce Linoleum in hen 'ROOM IN BASEMENT HELD INEXPENSIVE Better Housing Campaign of F. H. A. Tells Owners How to Improve Cellars. ‘The problem of transforming the basement from a musty hole in the ground into an to receive a great deal of consider- ation during the better housing program of the Federal Housing Ad- ministration. Dry, livable basement rooms have become very popular dur- ing recent years, and may be low cost. The first step is to waterproof the walls and floor, as a damp basement is unhealthful and uncomfortable. One of the best known methods is the application of a plaster coat of cement mortar, finishing with paint, wall board or any other attractive material. The furnace will appear more like a piece of furniture than ugly, out-of-place equipment if in- closed in one of the attractive packets now on the market. A further improvement is the build- ing of a furnace room around the heating equipment and coal pile. If | the basement is sufficiently large, the rest of it may be partitioned off with | decorated wall board or plaster walls to provide a recreation room, nursery, laundry, work shop or storage pantry. The floor can be covered with lin- oleum or some other material applied over building paper, and every cor- ner of the basement put to some use- ful purpose. Besides adding to the comfort of the family, the finished basement will add to the value of the house. — Wire Outlets Important. In building a new home, plans for radio wiring and outlets should not be overlooked. For a neat job they should be put in before the walls and ceiling are plastered. 314 Rittenhouse St. N.W. New—Detached—Brick $9,750 A modern 6-room home on large lot 52x177 feet in & most convenient location. Open Sunday, 10-8 Daily, 2-8 Floyd E. Davis Co. REALTORS 733 12th N.W. NAt. 0353 Your very last chance to buy an ALL-STONE HOME Washington’s Most Sensational Value Built to Last for Generations [ ] Less Fuel Less Upkeep Open Daily 9t 9 D"ovm,l (;U‘l' NOW and see the WastanL Y Bome of this tvwe in MODEL FURNISHED HOME OPEN DAILY DL 3100 tractive room is due | B—4 x» REAL ESTATE, WASHINGTON, D. €., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1935. =B ee REAL e AR, T NN A N N G Ny .y s BUILDING ANDLOAN SESSIONS TO OPEN Many Leaders Expected Here, and Moffett and Fahey Will Speak. (Continued From First Page.) been announced for the conference, including James A. Moffett, Federal housing administrator, and John H. Fahey, chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. It is anticipated that the Federal Government's part in encouraging and furnishing credit for home building and refinancing of existing mortgages will be one of the major subjects for discussion both at the conference and in the Executive Committee session. Affiliation Issue. = ‘The question of building and loan association affillation with the Fed- eral Housing Administration in op- eration of title II of the national housing act, the mutual mortgage insurance phase, is expected to be a major issue. To date none of the associations in the District has | applied to F. H. A. for approval | to act as mortgagees under the pro- | visions of title IL. Within recent weeks there have been some indica- tions, however, that a number of the local associations will enter into the | mortgage insurance idea. An argu- ment put forward by the local asso- | ciations in support of their remain- ing out of the mortgage insurance idea is that the associations already | are able to lend money for home | financing at rates equally as favora- | ble as those provided by the Housing | Administration. | Officials of Washington associations are making every preparation for the entertainment of their distinguished visitors. Fred A. Smith of the Co- lumbia Permanent Building Associa- | tion heads the Entertainment Com- mittee and is being assisted actively | by Carl J. Bergmann of the Wash- ington Permanent Building Associa- tion and president of the District Building and Loan League. They are planning to make the banquet Tues- day night at the Mayflower the out- standing event of the three-day meets | ing. Senator Robert J. Bulkley of Ohio, chairman of the Banking and Currency Subcommittee, which han- dles all matters pertaining to home financing in the Senate, will be the | principal speaker. Several unusual entertainment features are being ar- | ranged and dancing will follow the | formal program. Prominent Officials Expected. Among the prominent building and loan officials who will be in Washing- ton for the meeting are: I. Friedlander of Houston, Tex., president of the United States Buillding and Loan League: LeGrand W. Pellett, New- burgh, N. Y., and Harold T. Donald- son, Lansing, Mich.. first and second vice presidents, respectively; H. F.! Cellarius of Cincinnati, who for 40 | years has been a national leader in | building and loan affairs, and Morton Bodfish, executive vice president of | the United States League and a mem- had at | ber of the original Federal Home Loan | the fire might get into the crowns Bank Board. | Inaddition to Administrator Moffett and Chairman Fahey, other promi- | Plans Meeting CARL J. BERGMANN, President District Bullding and Loan League. John R. B. Byers of the Federal Hous- ing Administration, Edward C. Baltz of Washington, a director of the United States League; Fred T. Green, execu- tive secretary of the New York State League of Savings and Loan Associa- tions, and L. A. Hickman, president of the Kentucky State League. Home taxation and recent State constitutional exemptions from such taxes, repair and moderization loans on homes, operations of titles II and III of the national housing act, fed- eralization of building and loan asso- ciations and the status and prospects of real estate will be among the sub- jects of address and discussion at the various meetings. RAVAGES OF WINTER ADD TO FIRE THREAT Down Timber to Heighten Men- ace to Forests in Dry Season. Due to ravages of sleet and snow storms during the last few weeks, forests in Maryland face danger of even greater loss from fire if imme- diate steps are not taken to clear the woodland floor of debris, broken tops, limbs and bent trees, according to W. W. Simonds, forester for the Uni- versity of Maryland extension service. According to Mr. Simonds, the past Winter has been one of the most de- structive to State woodlands in many years. He says that in many sections of the Eastern Shore there is such a tangle of fallen trees, broken limbs | and tree tops that not only would this material form splendid tinder for a ground fire, but it would aid great- ly in frustrating attempts of fire- fighters to get through the woods with equipment. Danger of fire will become greater as the woods dry out during the Spring, says Mr. Simonds, and, with the quantity of fallen timber there is on the ground there is danger that | of the trees, which would be far more ; destructive and difficult to control. He urges all landowners to get into REAL ESTATE. FARMERS' INCOME INCREASES BILLION Improved Conditions Are Re- flected in Heavy Sales of Equipment. Farmers of the United States as a whole received close to $1,000,000,000 more cash income in 1934 than in 1933, according to preliminary esti- mates from several sources, while estimates of their 1935 income runs | as high as $9,000,000,000 and $10,- | 000,000,000. This strong improvement in farm- ers’ income has already been reflected in farm equipment sales, according to figures gathered by Dun & Brad- street. Sales for 1933 were around | $120,000,000, while sales for 1934 were | around $185,000,000. | Many Pumps Sold. ‘The past year was the best in the last decade for the sale of pumps, | water tanks, wagon tanks and well | drilling equipment. This was mani- | festly due to the great need for water | supply equipment of all kinds in the | drought areas. In spite of the great improvement last year, however, practically every farmer is still in need of new equip- ment. In the past four years sales of farm equipment have averaged around $250,000,000 a year below the period from 1925 through 1929. This indicates that the farmers are still around $1,000,000,000 behind in their purchases of equipment. Optimism Prevails. Optimism for the coming year is shown in nearly every statement con- | cerning farm purchases. A survey by Sales Management indicates that the greatest improvement for | 1935 is to be expected in the East North Central, the West North Cen- | tral and the South Atlantic States, | with the Middle Atlantic, the East | South Central, the West South Cen- | tral and the Pacific Coast groups not far behind. Prospects for other sec- tions of the country are good, according to this survey, although | not quite up to the expectations for the leaders. New Material Is Used. A new aluminum-base alloy 1s utilized in a new line of gift wares— trays, candy dishes, vases, etc. It is described as light, hard, non-tarnish- | ing, having the luster of old silver. | A U. S. PAINTS FAVORED Exports Show 24 Per Cent Gain Over 1933. Property owners in foreign coun- tries are showing a growing prefer- ence for Americar ready-mixed paints, stains, enamels and carbon black, according to a report by the Department of Commerce. During the first 11 months of 1934 paint products exported from the United States reached a total value of $12,652,000, an increase of 24 per cent over the same period in 1933, Foreign propetry owners are particu- larly partial to the American-type ready-mixed paints. During the 11- months’ period our exports of this product amounted to 1665000 gal- lons, having a value of $3,000,000, an increase of 55 per cent both in quan- tity and value in comparison with the 1933 period. Paint Advised for Floors. In reconditioning old houses with wide pine board flooring, painting is especially appropriate, says an archi- tect who has successfully remodeled many Colonial farm houses. In one old house recently, the reconditioned floors in different rooms were painted old gold, marine blue and dark green, TODAY.. See the Sensational New 1935 STUDIO HOMES Model Furnished Home 218 Emerson St. N.W. Open Daily 9 AM. to 9 PM. Beautiful! New! Complet Studio Living Room...beamed ceiling . Italian fireplace step-up Dining Room...3 fine bed rooms.. recreation room with fireplace. . .deep lot garage. . fine location. THIS 1S AN ELECTRIC KIZCHEN HEALTH HOME only 8,850 DRIVZ OUT NOW Out Georgia Ave. to Emerson St. N.W. and right to bome. OWNER-BUILDER New Home nent speakers at the meetings will | their woods as soon as possible and include: Sullivan W. Jones, chairman | clear away this fallen timber so that of the National Construction, Planning | by the time it has dried out danger jand Adjustment Board: Representa- | from further loss through fire will tive Frank Hancock of North Carolina, ' have been averted. A FINELY BUILT HOME REMARKABLY PRICED 1628 Montague St. NW. Near Rock Creek Park, % block west of 16th St. $12,500 4 BED ROOMS 3019 FOXHALL RD. Beautiful 8.room home fast nearing completion. Comprises living room, dining room, kitchen, library and bath, 3 bed rooms, 2 baths on second floor; storage or play room in attic. Also servant’s room and bath in basement, two-car garage. Constructed of brick and stone, containing latest building novations, including “Stran Steel” fram- ing. modern insulation, etc. About 14.281 square feet of heautiful grounds. Exceptional value. Open Daily and Sunday. 3110 44th STREET N.W. 2 BATHS Completely redeco- rated. Containing living room with wood-burning fire- place, dining room, kitchen and solari- um. Automatic heat and built-in garage. Open Saturday and Sunday Till Dark CEETEETR 738 15th St. I“OHSHER&@ Northwest INCORPORATED Dist. 6830 No builder has ever dared make such an offer. Ungquestionably the VALUE SENSATION of All Time! ° Just Completed! 3 NEW BRICK HOMES [1516 ASTREET N. E.] 36,750 7,150 o o« and a Sensible Payment Plan $500 CASH ..and then $62.50 monthly pays everything! All interest and Curtail- ment, Taxes, even Water Rent. No extras of any kind. It's exactly like paying rent! HOT WATER HEAT WITH Week Days OIL BURNER Mastis BUILT RIGHT by STEUART BROS. 138 12th St. N_E LINCOLN 4300 Rooms—2 Baths Large front & rear porch © 3 Bedrooms @ Master Bedroom has 3 windows © Finished Recreation Room In Basement © Latest Type Bath Fixtures @ Hardwood Floors & Trim Throughout © Ample Coat Closet © Hot Water Hoat with Ol Burner © Amgle Linen Closet OPEN All Day Sunday Till 9 P. M. Priced for Quick Sale A 3-bed-room house, large lot, fine trees, lovely house. Reasonable cash payment. Easy terms. House open daily and Sunday. W. C. & A. N. MILLER Dist. 464 Loans 1119 17th St Rents Insurance NECESSITY, ras Made It Possible for You to Buy This Home at a Savings g "A Real Value for Today’s Bu.yer.'- Balance Above Reasonable Cash Payment Financed in One Mortgage Until Paid 815 MAPLE LANE SILVER SPRING, MD. $12,9590 HIS attractive dwelling is modern throughout— it contalns a step-down living room with beam ceiling, den, dining room, kitchen, four bed rooms, two baths, floored attic, maid’s room and shower bath, two-c:‘r bufllt-ln sa;:%e, tl;a:gse 1ookin acious lawns 3 &?erp;’:filhr::a;rgg inc utsllijng Oil Heat. Lot, 185 ft. front. D To Reach: Drive out to Silver Spring Armory, take left fork at Armory to house on Maple Lane. J. Wesley B 916 15th St. N.W. , Inc. MEt. 11434 ?chanan