Evening star., 1930-12-11
H|DBS CELEBRATES
HIS 66TH BIRTHDAY
Dean of District Brokerage
Fraternity Has Had Inter-
esting Career.

william B. Hibbs, founder of W. B.
Hibbs & Co., is celebrating his sixty
sixth birthday anniversary today. The
dean of Washington's brokers is in ex-
cellent health, after watching the beats
of the Capitals financial pulse for half
a century, and looks very much younger
than the calendar says he is.
Mr. Hibbs has had a most interesting
career. He is Virginian, born at Cor
louisville, Va, on December IL, 1864.
His parents were not wealthy and dur
ing his boyhood days he delivered news
papers in Washington. His paternal
grandfather came to this country from
England we'll over 100 years ago and
his father was the first white child Of
English parentage born in this city.
After getting his education in the
schools here, Mr. Hibbs found he had
a liking for the brokerage business and
after large preliminary experience,
started w. B. Hibbs & Co. in 1885, hav-
ing been at the head of the firm ever
since. During the World War, in addi-
tion to attending to his brokerage busi-
ness, Mr.. Hibbs was an active member
of all the Liberty Loan Committees and
rendered valuable service to the Gov
ernment.
Leader on Local Exchange.
Mr.. Hibbs is a trustee in many in
| stltutions, thirty-second degree Ma
son and member of several other
fraternal orders and clubs, such as the
Racquet, Alibi and Chevy Chase. For
many years he was the most active
| trader on the Washington Stock Ex-
change, always being willing to make
market for stock when business was
bit Slow. He is a former president
OF the exchange and has served on
the board OF governors more years than
can be counted on the fingers of both
hands. Nowadays he spends quite a
little OF his time at his country estate
in Leesburg, Va, which is one of the
show places of the Old Dominion.
Asked to make prediction regard
ing the business outlook for 1881, Mr..
Hibbs declined to, tell just what is
going to happen. He thinks it an in
opportune time for stock market fore
casts. believing there are too many
divergent interests at work at present
to make any representations accurate
or wise. Yet he is highly optimistic
on the long pull outlook. He is lust
as sure as day follows night that good
times will follow the present national
and world depression.
Sees Steady Progress Here.
''The picture, so far as Washington
is concerned, is a different proposition, -
Mr.. Hibbs declares Nothing can stop
the progress of Washington except the
complete collapse of the Nation, and
that is an impossibility. I have wit
messed the growth of this city for over
half century. 1 have viewed the mar
velous expansion that has taken place,
especially in the last decade Wash
| tngton is destined to move forward in
population and in wealth, which, of
course, means that it will provide bet
ter and bigger business for its mer-
chants and more employment for its
citizens.
I'VE may not advance as rapidly in
1881 as We could wish, but the city
and its business will go forward, and
that is the bright spot as see it," MIR.
Hibbs concluded.
In. commenting on the New York
stock market situation at the time of
the last big break, the veteran broker
asserted that over 80 per cent of the
people who lose money in Wall Street
lose it because of overextension of their
accounts.