The Washington times., 1919-10-08
29,736D. c. INCOME
TAX RETURNS FILED

The Bureau OF Internal Revenue
has made public statistics OF in
come complied from Individual and
corporation returns for the calendar
year, ended December 81, 1917. The
report shows that 29,737 persons in
the District Of Columbia filed per-
sonal income tax returns for that
year with an aggregate net income
Of &S2,375,392. This represented an
increase of S15,O4O,T71 over the re-
turns Of 1915, and an increase Of
22,s29 persons filing returns The
large increase is due to the lower
exemption provided in the act Of Oc-
tOber 3, 1917, and in part to a gen.
eral increase in the scale Of wages,
salaries and other forms of com
pensation.
In the District Of Columbia for the
calender year ended December 81,
1917, there were 1865 persons who
paid income tax on salaries and in
comes OF $4,000 or over. while 1902
persons submitted returns on incomes
between $1,000 and $4,000.
The report shows a marked in
crease in 1917 over 1915 OF the num-
Der OF persons reporting net incomes
Of less than $15O,OOO and a consider
able decrease in the number report
ing incomes in excess Of SI5O,OOO q
The lack OF industrial concerns in
Washington is evident from the re-
turns on corporation income tax. The
personal returns filed exceeded the
corporate returns by approximately
5000, 900.
One million dollars worth Of 6 per
cent noncumulative preferred stock
will eb issued by the Washington,
Baltimore and Annapolis Railway
Company to meet expenses of i'm
prOvements at the stations here and
Baltimore. IL was decided 70 issue
the stock at a meeting Of tn board
Of directors ystrday.
Gradual steps tending toward a
merger OF the two traction lines oper-
ating in the District Of Columbia are
now being taken by the Public Util-
tiles Committee Of the Washington
Chamber Of Commerce, acting in CO.
operation with the heads OF the rail-
way companies. II a plan now in the
hands Of the railway officials is con-
sidered favorably, q bill will be in
troduced into Congress, in the very
near future, making the consolida-
ton Of the two companies possible
II Is agreed among business men
that no merger can be effected with
out the acquiescence Of the railway
companies themselves. and that Con-
gress cannot force the two lines to
join forces. There Is no desire on the
part Of any OF the members. OF the
Chamber Of Commerce committee to
act hastily in the matter or to give
the impression OF a bias one way or
another. A concrete suggestion, in
the form Of a bill to Congress, has
been made to the companies by the
committee for their consideration.
A certain amount OF opposition to
this plan is anticipated from the small
stockholders in the companies, but il
is expected that IL the heads Of the
companies agree to the plan Il will be
possible to put it into effect. Accord
ing to the present draft OF the bill.
there will be no preferred stock in the
new company.
Trading on the local stock exchange
continued active tolay, with a ten
dency toward firmness in all active
stocks. Fifty-1ve shares Of Wash
ton Railway preferred sold at %,
which was firm with the bulk OF yes
terday's offerings Of this stock. Small
lots OF Capital Traction sold at SO&.
and Lanston were
slightly below yesterdays high mark
for these stocks.
At a meeting OF the governing
committee OF the Washington Stock
yesterday, the stock OF the
United States Savings Bank, Four
teeuth and u streets northwest, capt.
talized at 500 900. was listed % the
local exchange. Today l75 was bid
for the stock, and il was offered at
200