Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-05

151 on Tooth street. and 10s feet on 10th
street. Cash was paid for the land and
the money for the building has already
been subscribed. This new church is
branch of the First Church of Christ,
whose congregation moved into million
dollar temple on Sth avenue fronting CEN
trail Park only five years ago. For two
years its pews have been overcrowded,
and last fall it was decided to build an
other temple. equal in dimensions and
ma gnificence. to accommodate the wor-
shippers who live farther up town.
1t is true. as suggested. that some OF
the downtown churches are not we'll at
tended. The pews are only haif niied
and the congregations continue TO grow
smaller but that is due to the migration
of the members farther up town. where
any one who cares to investigate this
question can find abundant evidence every
Sunday. That is one matter about which
there is no mystery and no deception.
Religion Not Dying Out.
Any one who cares to know whether re-
lieion is diving out in New York can visit
any one of the churches above saith street
and witness nmstakable signs to the
contrary. The churches of New York are
as we'll filed as they ever were. not
withstanding their rapid increase in num-
bers. and a comparison of statistics VIII
SHOW tIfdI the COHSItSdtiohS ihNC III
creased quite as rapidly as the popula-
tion while the mission work has ex-
panded much more rapidly. 1t must be
taken into consideration that large pro-
portion of the increase in the population
comes from foreign immigration; but
these same immigrants. the Italian peas
ants, the Russian Jews and the Greeks
from the orient are quite as regular IN
their neutrality-suspicious. even more so-as
the descendants of the Pilgrim fathers
uyhn hero New England to
do business and make their homes.
Financial Facts.
Although 1908 was a year of financial
depression many big things happened.
The receipts at the United States sub
treasury We're 50. 429 100000 and the pay
ments were S243s. OOO.OoO.
In 1907 the receipts were So. 451 .2I', 900,
or $50 600, 600 more than in 1908. and the
payments S2471 Pa 900, or $33,2o4 more
than in 1903.
The exchanges at the clearing house for
the year were $40, 295, $50, 256.
The customs collections fell from S216,-
800, 600 in 1907 to Sis. 0O0. 600 in 1905.
On the stock exchange 163. sos, 6o2 shares
Of listed stocks were sold against 1oo.-
S79,176 shares in 1907: of unlisted stocks
%, ia 700 shares were sold against 81
$50 547 in 1907.
The value of state and railroad bonds
sold in 1908 was $500. 1873 400. against So13.-
%, 542 in 1907, and $113,s25,OOO unlisted
bonds were sold in 1908 against S15, 023,-
III in 1907.
This increase is accounted for by the
enormous amount of gilt-edged bonds and
other securities that have been bought up
during the year at low prices by perma-
nent investors. There were never SO many
small transactions recorded on the stock
exchange. and never before were so. many
certificates of stock issued for small
number of shares. This INDICATES the
tI.,t
ing into the hands of people with small
income.
Cash Xmas Presents Sent Abroad.
The auditor of the post Office is not yet
ready to give the totals of foreign money
orders issued, but the clerks agree that
the number was quite as large, although
the average and the total amount may
turn out to be smaller than in 1906. which
was the banner year. This means that
the Italians. Swedes. Irish, Germans.
Norwegians. Hungarians, Poles and other
recent additions to our body polite sent
home quite many Christmas gifts In
cash as ever before. although they were
not able to send as much this year as
usual.
In December. 1907. both the number and
the amount of money orders issued fell
off considerably. and I heard a good deal
of talk about the consequences in Ireland
ii
of employment made necessary by the in
dustrial depression, but since the fac
tories and the payrolls are being made
up again throughout the country, the
money order business has revived, and
probably eight million dollars, If not
more, were sent as Christmas gifts in
that form to the old folks at home
through the post office during the month
of December.
Smaller Amounts Sent.
New York is the largest money order
center. and the average number of orders
issued is about 10000 a month. In De-
cember, 1906, this total ran up to nearly
800 900. and 1t is expected that the re-
port for this year will show a similar
number although reduced amount.
The largest number of postal orders go
to Italy: the next to Austria-Hungary.
then ireland. England, Russia Norway
and Sweden in order. The largest num-
Der of Russian money orders are sent
just before the Passover. and the re-
mainder at Christmas.
The Grand street branch of the New
York post Office issues more foreign
money orders than any Office in Che
United States. although 1t is in the heart
of the slums. Its business will average
eight hundred orders a day, and they are
issued almost entirely to Italians, Huns
and Russian Jews.
NApvY AMI HTPT CITES