ARGATA * REDW00D

September 1953 Construction Expenditures Totol $3.3 Billion

Expenditures totaling $3.3 billion for nerv constructiorr in September were virtually the same as the record August figtrre and were 5 percent above September 1952, according to pretiminary estimates of the U. S' Labor Depattment's Bureau of I-abor Statistics and the Building Materials and Construction Division of the U. S. Department'of Commerce. Private construction accounted for the entire increase froln 1952.

Private expenditures for new construction ($2.2 billion) were 8 percent above the September 1952 figure, while total public outlays ($1.1 billion) were about the same as a year ago.

Commercial building rose contraseasonally to a new peak in September, and private outlays for public utility construction held at the record August level. Residential building declined about seasonally in September. Private industrial building, which normally rises in August and September, remained steady for tl-re second successive month after a gradual decline earlier in the year. Highway construction declined slightly less than seasonally from the record August figure, and public school building continued the upward trend that began in X{arcir. I{ilitary and naval construction has remained at the same dollar level for the past four months.

For the first 9 months of 1953, expenditures for all types of new construction amounted to $25.9 billion-7 percent above the January-September 1952 total. Physical volume (expenditures adjusted for cost changes) also was up moderately from last year.

Private outlays in 1953 maintained about a 9-percent lead over 1952 in each of the first three quarters, and by the end of September totaled $17.5 billion. The increase from a year ago occurred chiefly because of substantial gains in commercial building, and increased private spending spending for public utility and residential construction. Private educational and religious building rvere about a fifth higher than in 1952, and private outlays for new industrial plant were practically unchanged.

Total public expenditures for new construction thus far i:r 1953 ($8.4 billion) were about 5 percent above the JanuarvSeptember 1952 total. Hou,ever, the n-rargin of gain over 1952 has narrowed from about 1O percent in the first quarter to 3 and 2 percent in the second and third quarters, respectivelyThe gains this year largely reflect more spending for highways and public industrial plant. Increased outlays for schools and tor sewer and water facilities also contributed to the over all 1953 rise in public activities.

Hesds Southwest Lumber Mills

(Continued from Page 41)

Central Avenue in that city, Post Office box No. 908. Mr. Edens now makes his home and headquarters iu Phoenix. He continues to be president and directing executive of the EdensBirch Lumber Company, Corrigan, Texas. All sales from all of Mr. Edens' mills will be handled in the State of Texas by the George C. Vaughan Lumber Company of San Antonicr, which is associated with Mr. Edens financially in all his enterprises. Other distribution for the Arizona mills will be handled through the Phoenix offrce.

O. B. Mehan is Sales Manager for the Phoenix office.

SO. PASADENA YARD: SYcqmore 9-1197

PYromid l-1197

855 El Gentro 9treet