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Construction Controcts Set New Record, Soys Dodge

Sharp gains in all three major construction categories in November sent total construction contracts to a new record for the month, 22 per cent above November a year ago, tr'. W. Dodge Corporation reported at the year's end.

Contracts for non-residential buildings and heavy engineering construction registered notable increases for the fourth month in a row, while residential building contracts exceeded year-earlier : levels for the first time this year in November.

November construction contracts totaled 92,886,131,000, the highest level on record for the month, Dodge said. After adjustment for normal seasonal patterns, however, the November contracts dipped slightly from the very high October figure. The seasonally adjusted Dodge Index of construction contracts stood at 280 in November (1947-49:100), compared with 294 in October and, 271 in September.

Dodge vice president and chief economist George Cline Smith said that the 22 per cent gain over November, 1959 was abnormally large, due to the steel strike which held last year's flgure dorvn to a relatively low level.

"Ilowever," he added, "this should not obscure the fact that the current figures are the highest ever recorded for any November, providing a note of encouragement for business in general."

Contracts for non-residential building in November rose 14 per cent above a year ago to $915,683,000, with every major building type sharing in the gain.

Heavy eng'ineering contracts in November were valued at $7L7,447,O00, a full 50 per cent above November 1959. Public works contracts, sparked by highways, and bridges rose 44 per cent, while utilities soared 77 per cent over last year with all major categories scoring substantial increases.

November contracts for residential buildings rose 15 per cent over a year ag:o to 91,253,001,000, Chief factor in the residential gain was a very sharp increase in apartment building contracts, while single family homes were down I per eent from last year.

New Roseburg Represenlqtive

The Roseburg Lumber Co. of Roseburg, Oregon, has a new sales representative in their new southwest sales territory of California, Lrizona, Nevada and Utah, He is Leon L. Lambach of Sunnyvale, California, who has been affiliated with other lumber companies in various capacities. Mr. Lambach's address in Sunnyvale will be P.O. Box 322.