The year 1919 has been one of exceptional prosperity in the City of Halifax. It has been a record year for building. Permits to the approximate value of $5,000,000 have been issued to the engineer's office, the largest amount by far in its history, the amount being practically ten times that of 1913, or the year before the Great War commenced. A part of this only can be attributed to the terrible explosion of 1917. He refers to the great amount of construction going on in the western and northwestern parts of the city which were relatively untouched by the disaster. The Mayor further states: It must be remembered that it is only two years since the devastation caused by the explosion and strangers in the city have considered it wonderful that we are so far advanced in building up that portion which only a year ago had not a house upon it. The following tabulation gives the building figures according to the permits issued at the City Hall. It shows a remarkable recent increase. Building Permits 1910 .................... $471,140 1911 .................... 508,836 1912 .................... 589,775 1913 .................... 839,635 1914 .................... 874,320 1915 .................... 1,066,938 1916 .................... 1,177,509 1917 .................... 844,079 1918 .................... 2,955,406 1919 .................... 5,194,806 With regard to real estate the Mayor writes in December 1919 The increase in the selling values of properties is remarkable. Business property has taken a jump in value, and it is difficult to get for business purposes property well situated unless at very high prices. Property has been known to change hands within a year at approximately double the amount originally paid. The Secretary of the Board of Trade reports: Real estate has been active, and prices have been obtained greatly in excess of what properties were valued at in pre-war days. In the matter of bank clearings[160] the following table indicates a very considerable change: Bank Clearings 1910 .................... $95,855,319 1911 .................... 87,994,043 1912 .................... 100,466,672 1913 .................... 105,347,626 1914 .................... 100,280,107 1915 .................... 104,414,598 1916 .................... 125,997,881 1917 .................... 151,182,752 1918 .................... 216,084,415 1919 .................... 241,200,194 [160] The reader will of course remember the general inflation of currency. As to business failures the Secretary says: Business failures have been few--practically the whole amount of the liabilities will be made up of one failure, and it is believed the loss to creditors in this particular case will be slight. Additional Indices Gross Postal Revenue Tramway Receipts (gross)