Evening star., 1915-03-26
BONDS IN GOOD DEMAND
AND AT HIGHER PRICES
Potomac Electric IS and Gas IS in
Favor-Overdrafts of Local
Banks Have Decreased.
Railway Preferred the Only Active
Stock-Values Generally Steady.
Dividends Declared.
BY I. A. FLEMING.

The feature of the daily session oi
| the Washington Stock Exchange today
was the demand for bonds. Many in
vestors do not care to follow the mar.
| ket for stocks to higher levels. others
cannot bring themselves to buy stocks
being so conservative, that bonds are
! more suited to their views of condi-
tions. Banks. too, are daily investing
some of their surplus funds in high
grade bonds.
Prices were decidedly strong on all
issues sold today. Washington Gas 5S
sold up. to 1047 Is. the highest price since
cents: Potomac Electric first mortgage
IS. that have shown but once on the
sales sheet since the reopening OF the
exchange, moved up point to 10a
and in all $4,000 par value changed
hands Potomac Consolidated os also
sold at new high for the year, 99A
and sale of United States registered
As was made. $4,000 at 10.
In the stock list Washington Rail
way preferred was again the leader
so shares selling at S4. There was nc
change in values in stocks in which
there was no trading.
Bank stocks were nominally un-
changed.
Dividends Declared.
The Commercial National Bank will
pay a quarterly dividend of 2k per
cent April l to shareholders of record
March 81.
a quarterly dividend of per cent
April l to stockholders of record March
81.
Bank Figures.
The six trust companies of Washing
ifc 10 0r1
demand March 4, 1915, and s2,710,S74
time deposits. These figures show a
loss of 100000 in demand deposits, but
an increase of S2,305.000 in time de-
posits, as compared with the report of
December 81.
The eighteen savings banks show de-
posits, as of March 4, of S11, ,406,097 and
S22o,794 time deposits, the latter an in
crease of s211 900 as compared with De-
cember 81.
The thirteen national banks. March
4, showed S2S,536,307 demand deposits
and s4,279,395 time deposits. decrease
of S567 900 in time deposits.
Reduction in Overdrafts.
Washington bankers have not been in
the habit of making loans in the form
of overdrafts, to any extent, hence the
overdraft has not been as important a
factor III local H1aNClil opeTdtlOHS DIS III
some states, where this practice has
been general.
But there has been considerable re-
duction in overdrafts, as shown by the
report of the banks in the District to
the controller of the currency as OF
March 4. compared with the aggregate
outstanding December 81, 1914, the
date of the previous call by the cou-
troller.
The overdraft circular issued by the
controller of the currency was mailed
to banks late in January.
From statistics of the two calls the
reduction in overdrafts, as reported at
the close of business March 4. COM
pared with the showing December 81,
1914, was nearly $4,000.
The six trust companies reduced
their overdrafts from .454 to s5.69s;
the thirteen national banks from s25.-
45s to $21.612, and the eighteen savings
banks from S16,S67 to $2.675. The totals
s53.s23, compared with s30.092. show
an aggregate reduction of $23,731.
II these averages are kept UP all over
the country the controller will have ac-
complished much, even if the banks find
it impossible to meet his edict for the
absolute elimination of the overdraft.