Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20
BUILDING PERMITS
IN DISTRICT THIRD
AMONG u. S. CITIES
Report Reveals Major Gain
in August Over Previous
Month and Year Ago.
Kraft AT EQUITABLE
INSURANCE OFFICE HERE
Fewer Failures Indicate Turn in
Business-Dividends and
Other Notes.
az EnWARn c. STONE.

0t1OWu1B mdJOT gains over DOCl III
previous month and the corresponding
month q year ago, Washington u
August took third place among Ameri
can cities in volume OF building permit
issued, according to official reports mad'
to S. w. Straus g. Co. The total las
month was $3,375, $50 against 81, 303, IL!
In July and 81, 396, $50 in August, 1890
The District Of Columbia was exceeded
only by eight States In volume of pros
pective building activity. The entir,
survey covered $50 communities in tht
United States.
Building permits In all the cities ant
towns covered by the survey amountet
to $l10, ,954 in August, a decline O
81 per cent from July of this year wheI
the volume was 13,957,349 for tn,
same communities. Permits reported
last month fell 30.13 per cent below thu
August, 1880, total Of $157, $50 ,389.
As group the Is cities reporting tht
largest volume Of permits for the month
showed an increase of 1890 per cen
from July and decline of II per CEN
from August last year. Eleven of tn,
cities made individual gains over August
.1s3O-New York. Cincinnati, Washing
ton, Boston, San Francisco, Jersey City
Indianapolis, Racine, Newton, Worcestel
and Denver. Seven of these IS citiel
registered advances over August, 1925
Washington being included.
Kraft Joins Equitable stan.
Announcement was made yesterday
that Harold d. Kraft has resigned hi.
position as general agent of the Stats
Mutual Life Assurance Co. and is nov
associated with the David S. Bethune
Agency Of the Equitable Life Assurance
Society Of the United States, in Wash
r. - Erx.-wxa .z.ef
dent Of the District of Columbia Under
writers Association and unusually we'll
known in insurance circles.
Born In Minneapolis in 1896, he gol
his early education there, later gradual
ing from Wesleyan University, Middle
town, Conn. He was an officer during
the World War and saw long service tn
France. Returning home, he made his
first business connection with the
Wasilburn-C Crosby Co., working through
several departments into responsible
position in the sales end Of the bust
ness.
He entered the insurance business in
1928 with the Standard Life Insurance
Co., In Pittsburgh. Later Mr.. Kraft
started an agency Of his own, meet
ing with marked success. He made q
special study Of life insurance in the
School of Business Administration, Uni
versity of Pittsburgh, and has done q
large amount Of lecturtng along this
line. notably IN Washington, Chicago,
Pittsburgh and Wheeling, w. Va.
Mr.. Krafft moved to washington In
March. 1927, and in 1923 was appointed
general agent Of the State Mutual, the
business having enjoyed unusual ex-
pansion since that time. Aside from
being president Of the District Under
writer's Association, he has served the
organization as director, secretary
treasurer and vice president, also as
chairman Of the Sales Congress CON-
mfttee.
New institute Instructor.
Prof. Willard II. Yeager, Of George
washington University, viii conduct q
new course IN debate at Washington
Chapter, American Institute Of Banking
according 10 announcement by Richard
A. Norris, educational committee chair
man. Prof. Yeager Is both q teacher
and writer. He Is a graduate Of Ohio
State University and has studied at Co
lumbiA University, University Of Michi-
gan and University of Illinois
Prof. Yeager has had a good deal OF
experience in debate work, having been
on the faculties Of Ohio State and Uni
versity Of Illinois before going to George
with Prof. w. p. Sanford Of the Uni
versity of Illinois, of Successful Speak
ing" Principles of Effective Speaking,
Business and Professional Speaking, o
Problems in Business and Professional
Speaking" and Business Speeches By
Business Men"
A. w. Sherman, American Security
q Trust Co., Is chairman Of the new
debate section. The class is to be lin.
tied to IS members and already hal,
that number have enrolled. The com.
rnittee plans TO develop a team for de-
bates with Baltimore, Richmond anC
other nearby institute chapters, the sue.
cess Of last years work in public speak
ing having aroused great interest in Thu
art.
Fewer Failures in South.
Dun's compilation Of insolvency sta.
tisticS reveals fewer business failures II
the South in August, indicating i'm
proved business conditions. The report
shows "a failures in the Richmond Re.
serve district, against 119 In August
1880, and 122 in August, 1929.
In the Atlanta Federal Reserve dis.
trict the report reveals practically thu
same conditions as a year ago-S3 thii
year In August, "a last year In the same
month and 80 in 1929. Covering othe1
districts, the report adds:
"a separation of the August repor
by Federal Reserve districts shows fewe'
failures in the Boston district than IL
August Of last year. The Boston Fed
eral Reserve district comprises prac
= ticaIly all of New England, and an!
improvement In that section Is certain
to have a beneficial effect on business
conditions in the country as a whole
Furthermore, in the South and IL
the Chicago district fewer mercantile
defaults occurred this year. The i'm
povement shown in the three importan
sections, especially in the manufac
turing districts OF New England ant
Chicago, are particularly worthy o
note"
Heard In Financial District.
The Arundel Co., which has man.
shareholders In this city, has declares
the regular quarterly dividend Of II
cents, payable October / to stock o
record September 1. The stock Is hstet
on the Baltimore exchange.
Sears, Roebuck g. Co. has declares
the regular quarterly dividend OF 62h
cents per share, payable November
to stock OF record September 3.
Francis M. Savage, former Wash
} 1ngton bank president, has returneS
. from . Summer outing, passed chien,
on Nantucket Island and at Madison
w. W. gpaid, partner In W. b. Hibb
a Co., IS home from a two-week vaca
ton 10 the Pocano Mountains in Penn
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