Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-26
Sharp Advance in Stock Re-
calls Wide Moves in
Recent Years.
DIVIDEND BEING EARNED;
TAXI RATE WAR WATCHED
New Figures on Insurance Death
Claim Payments-Fifth Dis
trict Bank Notes.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

Capital Traction stock, which has
caused so much surprise. on the Wash
1ngton Stock Exchange by advancing
about 10 points since the first of the
year, and points within the past few
days, has varied good deal in quo
tations in recent years.
Comparisons show that in 1926 the
stock sold from 118 down to 103 In
1927 the local utility issue made high
mark of 112 and dropped down to
1924. In 1928 the stock climbed to
116l2 and at one time during the year
was down to 1852.
The next year, 1929, found the stock
reaching its highest point at 1919 and
then joining in the general crash late
IN the year and tumbling to 74A al
though bus competition with the street
car lire; had more to do with the
slump than the Wall Street break.
=, The, Fock sold well below par
througholt 1880. The highest it got
was 92la and the low mark was way
down to- 40. During the long and
gradual $ecline the dividend had been
reduced tom per cent to per cent,
where it now stands.
From tie low of 40 in 1880 the stock
continuedto so lower until it hit 1914
earlier th$ year. Then the turn came
and it stated back, very slowly at first
and then faster until it has now in
creased il total value about one-third
from the low of the year.
The stdk has par value of 500
a share, With S12,000,000 capital out
standing. Practically all of the 10000
shares araheld in Washington, so that
it is only batural that its recent mar
ket action should have aroused such
great inteest.
Traction touched 40 during the week,
but settled back point in Fridays
closing tr3ing, small lot selling at
AZ. Earrings covered dividend require
ments in te first half year, the results
causing grRt joy among the stockhold-
ers. Whatwill happen in the last half
depends OF the outcome of the taxicab
rate war.
d. c. hyments Cause Surprise.
Insurand men here were intensely
interested p the announcement made
by the Naonal Underwater that the
District ofColumbia had the largest
amount of death claim payments per
capita Of ny section of the United
States in $50. AS noted in yesterdays
Star, per hpita payments on death
claims averge $26.62, followed by New
York with q average of $3.50.
Further aldy Of the report covering
conditions II over the country shows
that there ere TIA life insurance deaths
claims Of $1,000 or more in 1880, which
accounted ir ID per cent of the total.
OF these even payments were for
100000 + more, l6 from 100000
to 81 10000 IS from $3.50, 900 to $780,
600, and 10 for 100000 or more. The
claims for 100000 or more amounted
to S21 ,800,1e or 8 per cent of the grand
total. The laims for 100000 or more
totaled $5290087, or II per cent of
the grand tai.
Although the large life insurance
death claimare more spectacular and
attract mordlotice, 81 per cent of the
large volumpaid out on death claims
in 1880 wento the beneficiaries of the
many small plicyholders in the country
Not only ! life insurance companies
pay huge inns annually. for death
claims, butln 1880 these companies
paid $53,53P34 permanent disability
claims, conAred with S34,2l3, 500 in
1924 a gairpf 19,323,332, or 56.4 per
cent.
The largeSlife insurance claims paid
in 1880 on t lives of women were on
Elizabeth MAShforth, New York, who
left $499,4l life insurance, and Mrs.
Joel C. CloreWife of prominent Gin
cinnati attoriy, who left 100000.
Fifth ntrict Reserve Notes.
The July hletin of the Federal Re-
serve Board bows that the rediscount
rate of the ederal Reserve Bank of
Richmond hs changed but twice dur
ing the past bar. Just a little over a
year ago it III been 4 per cent for
long time. July IS, 1880, it was
reduced to 3Aper cent and on May Is
last it was lored to 3 per cent, where
1t now stands
The reviewgives building contracts
comparisons r May and April and
May of last lar. Building contracts
in the Richmd district in May totaled
$20,972 900 inh lue, against S21 1877 900
in April and p,943,000 in May a year
ago.
Building paits issued in Is cities
in the Richm& district in May totaled
$9,602 900, colared with $9,274000 in
April Of thiSear and $8,492 900 in
May, 1880.
Commercialhilures in this district
in May numhd 149, compared with
156 in April I'D the lower figure of
1874 in May dear ago. Liabilities in
May, 1881. toIed 2,297,000, compared
with the high figure of $3,878,000 in
ApIl IL d1lQ IIIcESllCL VI po,OOoJ-
900 in May, H.
Debts to infidual accounts in the
Richmond Bal in May totaled SEAL
100000 in SIN financial centers,
against 1854 10000 in April and $771,-
100000 in Maj year ago.
Other nanciaI Notes.
Once again kshington leads al the
eities III the Fl Federal Reserve dis
trict in depahent store sales, the
gain of g.; pScent over June, 1880,
being well an the district average
of "a per cen
PennSylvaniaRailroa stockholders
reached new ak on June /, 1881, at
PAL asa. On Ju /, 1881, the total was
240,734, a deere of 100 from the June
peak, but al comparing with $685.
Ala on Januai l, 1881, an increase
of 1920 for thhalf-year period, and
with 207, 1859 oSuly /, 1880, increase
of 32,865 for Il IL months.
Members Of Bank Women's Club
of Washington ID their annual outing
at Indian Spr1 Farm, near Pohick,
Va, yesterday. large representation
of the members attended.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.