Evening star., 1931-12-21
INSURANCE SALES
&, INCREASE IN D. c.
November Figures Reveal
Gain of II Per Cent Over
Same 1880 Month.
BY EDWARD c. STONE.

BY EDWARD c. STONE.
Life insurance sales in Washington
In November scored an increase of IL
per cent over November, 1880, accord
ing to reports received today from Hart
ford For the country as a whole,
there was a decrease of per cent.
Virginia was also in the list which
had gains, / per cent being recorded in
the Old Dominion. Florida made the
best showing of any State in the South,
reporting an increase Of II per cent.
In the southern group South Caro-
lima was off II per cent, Maryland,
West Virginia, Alabama and North
Carolina were down Is per cent. Ne
vada led the whole list with As per
cent gain and South Dakota stood at
the bottom with a slump Of 40 per cent
In November business.
Insurance written in Washington dur
ing November amounted to S5,669,000,
November sales in Maryland totaled
S8055, 900. in Virginia, $63660 900, and
in West Virginia $458l000
Insurance Trend Improves
Although average figures for 1881 are
below those of last year. the trend dur
ing the past few months has been very
encouraging Sales in the United States
as a whole for the first 10 months of
1881 were Is per cent below 1880 for
the same period, while sales in NoVem-
ber of this year show decrease OF only
. per cent when compared to Novem-
ber year ago. Since life insurance
is an excellent reflector of general
economic conditions, this improvement
in life insurance sales indicates better
business conditions.
The improvement is not confined to
any particular part of the country;
substantially better conditions were
evident in every section: Thirty-eight
States showed an upward trend. Two
sections of the country, the Middle At
lantic and Pacific States recorded not
only an Improvement over previous
months of the year but increased sales
over November, 1880. Sales in New
York increased 2 per cent over Novem-
Der. 1880, in Pennsylvania per cent,
and California, per cent.
Decreased incomes in 1880 and 1881,
however, retarded the growth of life in
y surance sales. The economic situation
= during 1881 has been one of the most
severe in history-incomes of all classes
have been cut, in many cases complete
ly wiped out. DaSpite such decreased
earnings, life insurance has been af-
fected less than most industries. Using
a conservative estimate for December,
sales during 1881 averaged about $780,
ooU,ooO Tor every working day.
d. C. Banks in Gala Attire.
Local banks were never more at
tractively decorated at Christmas time
than they are this year. Many final
over-Sunday touches were added AL
most every bank in the city has one or
more trees and all the fiXings.
Perhaps the most elaborately deco
rated bank in the downtown section of
the city is the branch in the Southern
Building at Fifteenth and H streets of
the Federal American National Bank
g. Trust Co. In addition to the tree
and the other usual decorations in the
way of greenerv, the clerks erected a
fireplace in the lobby over the entrance
to the bank and placed large Santa
Claus beside it. The arrival of Santa
Claus and the warm glow from the
f.earth made an unusually pleasing pic
ture
Frank P. Harmon, jr, and his as
sociates in the bank received many
hearty congratulations today on the
success of the whole decorative scheme
Today's Trading on Exchange.
Washington Gas 6s. series A. opened
trading on the Washington Stock Ex-
change today with a $1,000 sale and
500 sale at par.
Lanston Monotype was active on the
IOCdl DOdIQ GOOdy, llRuTuS III SIX safes
in small lots, all at S.
National Savings g. Trust Co. stock
was the market leader today. so shares
In six transactions changing hands at
375. Another bank stock to appear on
the board was American Security &,
Trust Co., which sold to the extent of
five shares at 800.
The Columbia Medical Building Cor
poration's 6 per cent stock and the
Ny1rl l, ,s,,erA T0,,;1l
poration's 7 per cent stock has been
added to the list now being quoted ex-
dividend on the exchange. There are
now 10 issues in this list.
New President Takes Chair.
Rolfe E. Boiling assumed his new
duties as president of the Liberty Ma
tional Bank today, following his elec-
ton by the directors last Friday. The
mornings mail was good to him. His
desk was covered with congratulatory
notes from host of friends. Many
local bankers also called at the bank
today to express best wishes in person.
M. H Calnan, vice president and
cashier, has also received many COM
plinentS on the manner in which he
handled affairs at the bank while the
institution was without a president.
= Heard in Financial District.
The Bank of Commerce & Savings is
another local institution which has
voted a Christmas bonus for employees
Marked reduction in bank failures
during November is reported by the
Federal Reserve Board in it's monthly
review of banking conditions. Novem-
Der suspensions totaled l69. The pre-
vious month there were 522 The No
Nenber suspensions involved deposits of
ss3.409, 900. the board said, while in
october total OF s493, ISL 900 was af-
fected.
First National Bank of Baltimore has
declared the regularly quarterly div
dend of so cents, payable January to