3c.

ing construction put in place shaded the $125 million of secondranking Turner Construction Company, also of New York, and was well ahead of the $104 million of Del E. Webb Construction Company of Phoenix, which was third.

On the whole, says Forum, the contractors expect 1958 will be a somewhat better year than 1957. Ot 80 firms that estimated their work for this year. as well as last. 42 expected to improve their showings in 1958. Of the others, 31 expected to do worse, while 7 foresaw no change. The estimates of the 80 companies indicate that, as a group, they expect to put in place 7.4/o more construction in 1958 than they did last year. This optimism on the part of the biggest builders reinforces the many signs that construction has once again resumed its strong uptrend, Forum said.

_ The 25 largest building contractors include Hilp & Rhodes (San Francisco) and C. L. Peck (Los Angeles).

(Tell them Aou s&lD it in The California Lumber Merchant)