DUNNING SAYS - -

James Marion West, of Houston, Texas, died suddenly in Kansas City, Mo., where he was on a business trip. He was reputed to be the wealthiest man in the entire South. He made a great fortune in the sawmill business, invested heavily in the retail lumber business, then made a fabulous fortune in oil. He still operates many lumber yards in Texas under the name of The South Texas Lumber Company. He operated sawmills in East Texas from 1890 until 1941, more than a dozen big mills in all, and made a success with every one of them. In the last ten years he made one oil strike that is reported to have brought him thirty to forty millions of dollars. IIe was probably the richest individual lumberman in America at the time of his death. He was likewise one of the biggest land and cattle owners in Texas. He was 70 vears old.

FHA Loans Increage

Washington, Aug. 25.-The Federal Housing Administration reported today that all but 10 states increased FHA insured home building activity during the first half of 1941.

The six months' total was $382,154,000, the largest for any comparable period and an increase of. $62,223,179 over the first six months of last year, the FHA said.

The largest gains compared with the 1940 period were in Kentucky, with 77.88 per cent increase, and Nebraska, with a gain of 77.79 per cent.