Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-10
D. BANKS regret
Loss OF EXPERTS
Revenue Men Win Not Be
Available to Assist in
slA So &
Tax Reports.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

BY EDWARD C. STONE.
Local bank officials expressed much
disappointment today over the an
nouncement that the Internal Revenue
Bureau is not to assign, revenue experts
to the larger Washington. banks and
department stores to assist clients in
making out their income taxes. Last
year 26 men were assigned to the work
here and rendered a great help to Gus
toners of the local banks. In other
years they also rendered the same
service.
The Treasury Departments Baltimore
tax ONCE announces that the men are
needed in the Internal Revenue Bureau
to complete certain work before March
is, so cannot be sent to the banks this
year. Several local banks had been as
signed the same revenue specialists for
several years. They had come to know
the customers and their special tax
problems and could furnish needed ad-
vice very quickly.
The public service rendered was
greatly appreciated by the customers and
also by the banks. For people Of large
means the making out of the annual
income tax returns is a difficult and
complicated task. Bank officials always
give a great QSdl Oh blI1lG W t1ilo WOIA
during the tax return period, but the
presence in the banks OF tax experts
from the Internal Revenue Bureau
greatly simplifies matters. Questions
come up with which they are perfectly
familiar and others require quick rul-
ing by the department, such decisions
being obtained much sooner than
through the bank officials.
The revenue employees In the past
have been assigned for is days begin
ming March /. Unless this years ruling
Is changed, those wanting income-tax
advice will have to go to Room 1902
in the Internal Revenue Building.
C, p. Telephone Directors Reelected.
At the annual meeting of the Chesa-
peake g. Potomac Telephone Cos, held in
New York City yesterday, all directors
were re-elected-William w. Everett,
Robert v. Fleming, Edwin G. Graham,
DR.. Gilbert Grosvenor, John Poole, Merle
Thorpe, Lloyd B. Wilson, Philip o. Cof-
I'm and Marshal D. Sedan of Washing
ton, and Walter S. Clifford and Eugene
s. Wilson, New York.
Plant additions, betterments and re-
placements to be made by the company
in the District of Columbia during the
next three years will involve gross ex-
penditures of approximately $11, $50 900,
It was disclosed at the meeting. OF this
amount 1t is estimated that $3.50, 900
will be expended during 1881. The COM
panys expansion program provides for
a net gain of 26.900 telephones by the
end of 1888. With this gain Washing
ton be served by more than 1876 900 tele-
phones at that time. During 1881 il is
estimated that $500 telephones will be
added to the 1853, 480 in service January
/, making approximately 7.400 In
service at the end of the year
Last year the telephone company's
construction program included gross ex-
penditures of $3,413,403. Major items
were: Land and buildings, $45,231; GEN.
trail Office equipment. S596.58l; station
equipment on the subscribers premises,
Sl,S63,924, and exchange and toll lines,
$749,789. At the close of the year the
company's plant investment in the Dis
trict of Columbia amounted to $780,
1922.
City Holds World Record.
Telephone development in Washing
ton is one of the highest of any city in
the world, there now being one tele-
phone for every three people Tele-
phones in Washington were increased
last year by 9,567, or 8 per cent. Dur
ing the year telephone users made APP
proximately 205,OO0, 900 calls, which
was an increase of 2 per cent over the
NUMBER maze IN lSZS.
Telephone operating revenue during
the year amounted to $8,654,3 which
was an increase of 3.S per cent over the
previous year. Expenses, including de-
probation, uncollectible, taxes, rent and
miscellaneous deductions, amounted to
$6,952,172. This was an increase Of 81
per cent. Net telephone revenues last
year were s1,7o2,162. other net in
come amounted to $60,159 making total
ret aarnfYUR 5GQ al nio far
interest and dividends. One of the
large items Of expense, the report dis
closes, Is operating taxes, which for
the year amounted to $570, $40. During
1880 operating taxes required approx
1mately 6.6 per cent Of the company's
gross revenues.
Substantial service improvements were
made during the year. with the result
that operating errors were reduced by
IL per cent.
Progress was made during the year in
reducing the time required for the in
stallation Of telephones. On the aver
age telephones are now being installed
in less than two days after the appli-
cation Is made.
New Way Of Handling Bills.
Conversion of approximately $4,000
telephones, or IS per cent of the total
number in service. to dial operation
May 8 Is noted IN the report. This
project involved gross expenditures of
about $4,150,000. including the cost of
land, building and equipment.
Attention Is called to the new plan
introduced during the year whereby
subscribers bills are rendered at differ
ent dates during the month, all charges
and credits being shown up to the date
of the bill The introduction of this
system of billing relieves congestion in
the business Office by spreading the
collection work through the month.
Due in part to this plan, errors in bills
were reduced by more than so per cent.
Last year Is bank collection agencies
were established in various locations
throughout the city for the convenience
of subscribers in the payment of their
bills.
Chain Store Stock Offered.
Five local investment banking houses
are participating today with New York
firms in an offering Of common stock OF
Chain Store Shareowners, Inc, diver
sified investment in the. common stocks
of IS different companies, which the
announcement says, do 10 per cent OF
the entire retail merchandising busi-
ness of the country.
The announcement states that chain
store merchandising has more than
treb.ed in the past 10 years. OF the
common stocks making up the list, rs
are traded in on the New York Stock
Exchange and nine on the New York
Curb Market.
The business of the chain stores in
the list has been summarized in the
circular, over a period Of years, show
ing an unusual record in growth OF
Ak~