Evening star., 1935-12-14
POSTAL RECEIPTS
GAIN IN DISTRICT
Reveal Notable Rise in
Trade Activity Over
Last Year.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

BIZ EDWARD Y. OAONL'
Latest reports on receipts at the
City Post Office give further evidence
of the substantial increase in business
activity in the Capital and the hol-
day boom now around its peak.
Postal receipts in November in the
Washington Office totaled $580,619 in
comparison with $528,238 in Novem-
Der, 1884, an increase of $52,336. Re-
ceipts were somewhat lower than the
figures for october, but the october
returns were far ahead of october
year ago.
In the last II months the returns
for each month have revealed gains
of marked proportions over the CORE
spending months in 1884. AS first
class business barometer, they have
shown constant improvement. ~
Postal receipts during the present
month will reflect the same or even
more striking increases. Up to the
middle of this week December receipts
were running 81 per cent higher than
in the comparable December period in
1894.
From the Washington Association
OF Credit Men also comes confirmation
Of the happy state of holiday trade.
The association expects an increase in
business of perhaps 25 per cent over
last year. 1t is added that the credit
situation was never better"
Trade in Washington is still ahead
of the other leading cities in the fifth
Federal Reserve district, the latest re-
port being up more than IS per cent
from last year, against a gain in the
whole district of IL per cent.
Buyers PocketbOoks Fatter.
Continued rise in wages, and a
definite break during the third quar-
ter of 1885 in the long uptrend OF
food prices, combined to produce
net increase In the actual buying
power of the average American fam
lily, according to the Family Buying
Power Index issued by the North
western National Life Insurance Co.
OF Minneapolis.
Food which could be bought for the
family'S budget allowance of $50 in
the Autumn of 1884 shows an in
crease of S72 per cent in cost, ne
cessitating a monthly grocery, meat
and milk bill of S32 81 to set the same
table in the Autumn of 1885. This is
substantially less than the spread be-
tween food prices of the second quar-
ters of "a and '35, however.
A slight drop in costs for clothing,
fuel and light partially Offset these
increases, with the net result that a
scale of living which could be sup
ported on the family's Sl25 per month
income in 1884 cost $12893 per month
to maintain in the Autumn of 1885.
However, with gain of 5.18 per cent
In average earnings, to $l3l.48, the
index shows that the same fanily's
pocketbook is richer by $2.55 net gain
over outgoes each month-an increase
OF 2 per cent in actual buying power.
With money coming in again after
long unemployment, with raises
boosting pay envelopes after lean de-
preston years, more American FAM
lilies are keeping books" on their
income and outgo than ever before
budgets and family expense journals
are climbing to record highs, the same
insurance company finds.
1886 Outlook Held Bright.
c. w. Young g. Co., investment
managers, have issued a most inter-
esting report on recovery throughout
the world and in the United States
during the last year. The company,
which maintains Washington office,
is very cheerful on the prospects for
1896, having this to say:
"It is our belief that the funda-
mental forces of recovery in this
country have become so strong, and
that confidence has been repaired to
such an extent, that elation or dis
appointment over the election of one
presidential candidate or another next
Fall will not affect more than tenn
porarily the course of business i'm
provement.
"'The sharp recovery of confidence
from the low level prevailing during
the first quarter of 1885, found i'm
mediate reflection not only in rising
security prices and in an increase in
the production of consumption goods,
but also in substantial upturn in
automobile production, and in the
first real increase in activity in the
capital goods industries, notably in
residential building Likewise, the
capital investment market has shown
more vitality the past Summer and
Fall than for a number of years, even
though so far the financing under
taken has been largely confined to
fefunding operations.
I'VE look with increasing optimism
upon the prospects for residential
building because of the great shortage
of modern homes now existent. be-
cause of the upturn of some IL per
cent in rents since 1884 and because
of the revival of mortgages lending
at relatively low rates of interest. For
instance, Al leading life insurance
companies have made mortgage loans
at the rate of approximately S3,000,-
900 week in 1885 as compared with
less than 100000 week in 1884"
Financial District Gossip.
The banking situation is improving
oOCoOA4y AL OAAC SAIy 81 4dI do
are concerned. In the last few days
the Lincoln National, Bank of Com
merce and Savings and the Munsey
Trust Co. have all declared extra
dividends in addition to the regular
disbursements.
Several New York Stock Exchange
firms are to pay Christmas bonuses
the New York Times stataS The
paper adds that the increase in volume
has ended Scotch weeks" when GUS
toners men drew considerably reduced
pay.
William S. Wilson of Stein Bros.
Boyce has been elected a director il
the Morris Plan Industrial Bank O.
New York.
NEW YORK BANK STOCKS