Evening star., 1926-05-18
BANK CLEAR|NGS
GAIN IN DISTRICT
Business of Capital Better in
May. Figures Show
Prices Lower.
BY EDWARD G.. STONE.


ing the first two weeks in MAY sur
passed those for the same period in
April by more than 81 500 900 and eA-
"eeded the total cleariuEs for the same
period year ago by nearly 81 100000
AS cleared checks are considered 10
he the best known trade indicator
business in the National Capital now
is considerably better than il was
either month ago on last year
According TO the Washington Clear
ing House figures. as kept by the man
ager. &. r.. Bright. local clearings for
the first week this month. ending on
May S, were $2S,S79944.42. and for
the second week. S2S. .539 .S37 80 max
ing total for the half month Of s57-
4l9,7S2.32. The total for the Same
period in the preceding month was
$51.SS0 .S63 So the exact increase in
May thus being 81 53S .918.75. The
total clearings for the first two weeks
I'm May year ago We're S56.440. .944.S7.
so tSat the gain over 1925 is s97S-
S37.45.
business. therefore. is holding up
very well here. Local trade NAV he
feeling the result OF lower retail pr..e-,
on many commodities than prevailed
at the same time year ago. II is q
matter of record that the trend Of
for many months and that fact MAY
have made possible enough retail price
reductions to increase sales To quite
an extent. So many different factors
enter into the business situation that
II is difficult 20 point to any one reason
for the gains indicated so clearly hy
the clearing house figures.
Auditorium's Best Year.
Robert y. Harper. president of III"
Washington Auditorium Corporation.
announced today thar the Auditorium
soon will end the most successful year
that il has vet enjoyed While com.
plete financial details arc not Vet ready
for stockholders the corporations
president stated that earnings are we'll
ahead Of last year
During the first three months Of
the Winter season the Auditorium
earned more than was taken In
throughout the whole sea son a year
ago. While earnings during the rest
of the sea son are not expected to reach
this figure, vet they are considered
very satisfactory.
The season will close with the grad
uating exercises OF George Washing
ton University and the conclusion o.
the oratorical contest. which has al
ready attracted such wide interest.
Heat Wallops Stock Market.
The Summer heat or something
dealt the Washington Stock Exchange
severe blow today. The result was
a new record for the least business
being transacted in one day i'm "a long
time. Just four issues appeared on
the board.
Washington Gas 6s figured in one
sale at l02 and there was one sale
of Capital Traction 5s at 1904. One
share of District National Bank stock
sold at 216 and trading ended with q
turnover of six shares of Riggs Ma
tional at 456.
Farm Credit Banks Report.
The Federal Farm Loan Board has
just made public statement showing
that the total assets for the l. Fed
eral intermediate credit banks as of
the close of business on April go
amounted to 27.66S.o63. In April
these banks made direct loans OF
S40.S19,3s3, rediscounts amounted To
$40. .531 and cash in hand aggre-
gated 81. .465 AZ. Capital stock call
able from the United States Treasury
was placed at $50 .0000 900.
The statement also revealed that
these banks at the end of April had a
surplus fund of S1,1S9,174, undivided
profits of $465,3s4 and $5s.565 900 in
debentures outstanding. Notes and
bills payable amounted to $3.50 ,O0c
notes and bills discounted S3.101 96t
and interest collected. but not earned
$569,140