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June 28, 1929 WILMETTE LIFE 53 DECUNE SHOWN IN U. S. BUILDING DURING MAr Straus Report Covers 591 Cities and Shows Losses Over Same Month of 1928 Official reports of building permits issued or plans filed in 591 leading cities and towns of the United States made to S. W. Straus and company for the month of May, show that substantial losses generally have been sustained as compared with the records of the previous May, although the seasonal variation from April to May was less pronounced than the normal de:. cline. The May total of $307,908,668 was 19% less than the May, 1928, totals, amounting to $381 ,78G,960; it was 43% less than the April, 1929, record, amounting to $539,423,086. These figures, however, are not to be taken as an index of conditions in the national building industry, for the reason that they have been greatly affected by an abnormal situation in New York City. The Multiple DweJlings bill, pending in the State legislature at Albany and later awaiting the signature of Governor Roosevelt, brought about a rush to file plans in New York City. Thus, ' the figures for March and April were abnormally large, while the May figures "'ere far below normal, as millions of dollars' worth of plans that ordinarily would I have gone on the records for that month were filed earlier. vVhen a study is made of the 590 centers outside ~ew York City it :s found that the total issue of permits for May was $265,699,470, which compares with a total for ~1ay, 1928, of $294,861,699, a loss of slightly less than IO't~. In the same cities permits amounting to $278.268.818 were issued in April this year, the loss in ~fay com- . pared with these figures being less than 5%. The normal seasonal variation from April to May is a decline approximately of 157<. Twenty-five Leading Cities The twenty-five cities, reporting the largest volume of plans filed and permits issued in l\f ay, showed a total of $169,228,729. The same cities reported $214,847,657 in May. 1928; $193,394,556 in May, 1927, and $36-J,390,514 in April, this year. These figures represent a loss of 21% from May, 1928, and 12% from May, 1927. Here again we find that comparative figures outside oi .K ew York seem to indicate a not unfavorable tone in the industry. Chicago, while somewhat below May, 1928, was well ahead cf May, 1927, and April, 1929. In Detroit, which ranked as the third building city, conditions were revealed as just about ' on a par with those of the two previous Mays and with April this year. Philadelphia showed a considerable falling : off, but Los Angeles was only slightly : behind last May. · Boston, Denver, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and San Francisco, which completed the list of the first ten cities of the group, all showed commendab!e gains. It is interesting to observe that a number of cities which do not rank among the first twenty-five in population, found their way in May into the twenty-five city group of leading building cities. These were Atlantic City, Akron, Oklahoma City, Providence, Yonkers, Belleville, N. ] ., Albany and Long Beach, Calif. 1' . TO SERVE CLIENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY .... Expanded Facilities and Resources BILLS REALTY, INc., is pleased to announce an increase in its capital to $1,000,000, the expansion of its J)irectorate, and tht absorption of the Bills Trust Company. These developments, together with the increased facilities of its various departments, will enable the consolidated corporation to offer its clients a more highly specialized and a more comprehensive realty and investment banking type of . service. DIRECTORS SIDNEY Y. BALL President, Norris, A lister, Ball, Bridges Co. LAIRD BELL Fislter,. Boyden, K,ales & Bell GEORGE BRANDENBURG President, Brandenburg Bros. RUSH C. BtTTLER Butler, Lamb, Foster & Pope BENJAMIN F. BILLS Cltainnan, Bills Realty, Inc. HENRY. W. DRUCKER Urion, Drucker, Reichmann & Bontell H. W. BILLS p,·eside1ll, Bills B1·os., Inc. W. FRANK McCLURE Vice-President and Western Manager of Albert F1·ank & Co. MARKHAM B. ORDE . Tt·easurer, Chicago Surface Lines President, Hubbm·d Woods Trust and Savings Bank, and Glencoe State Bank DR. F. BLAINE RHOBOTHAM Director, Children's Clitaic and Faculty Member, N orthwester~t U taiversity A. W. SHAW President, Shaw & Co., Inc. C. M. BILLS Head, C. M. Bills and Sons GEORGE M. WILLETTS Vice-President, Armout· & Co. GEORGE WOLFE President, Wolf & Co. . H. C. EDMONDS Mmwger, Bass Estate; Director, Valley Forge Steel & Tool Company F. W. BILLS President, Bills Realty, Inc. RALPH E. HEILMAN Dean, School of Commerce, Northwestern University OFFICERS BENJAMIN BILLS, Chairman F. W. BILLS, President WHITNEY WALL, JR., Vice-President GEORGE B. STEPHENSON, Vice-President H. W. BILLS, Vice-President CLARENCE E. DRAYER, Vice-President HOWARD M. SLOAN, Secretary NELSON CULP, Treasut·er Capita/ One 1l1illion Dollars BILLS REALTY, INC. I nvestment. fi-F inancing · In building a new Ia wn there are several fundamental rules which should be followed: namely, thoroughly prepare all soil, mixing it with some ric!l black loam, manure, peet, moss, or organic matter, which are free from weeds· the establishing of proper draina~e; planting of sufficient quantity .ot l)igh grade ~eed in the fall of the year. 208 South La Salle Street Indian Hill Estates Offices, Locust and Ashland, Wilmette North Shore Offices, Del Lago District