Evening star., 1935-01-21
STORE SALES UP
|NF|F FTHD|STR|CT
First Half of January Brings
Volume Increase Over
Level Year Ago.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

Retail trade IN the nrSC nan oi
January in the fifth Federal reserve
district. which includes Washington,
MARYLAND. Virginia, West Virginia and
the Carolinas, has been better than
the first half of the same month a
year ago, the Federal Reserve Bank
of Richmond reports. The general
business picture is also better than a
wear ago. the bank adds, increased
bank clearingS in the larger cities
being a most important factor in the
upturn.
This encouraging report for the new
year follows a most glowing finish IN
the fifth district to the old year. Final
December figures. now compiled, re-
veal that in Washington alone bank
clearingS scored a gain of more than
Sl3.OO0.O00 over December, 1888, and
were more than 120000,000 better
than the previous year. December in
creases in telephone calls and number
of phones in use told the same story.
December postal receipts in Wash
ington were far ahead of December,
1898. Retail trade was up 20,9 per
cent over the corresponding month in
the previous year. The demand for
electric power was also highly ia
vorable, presenting an 1l.74 per cent
increase in total kilowatt-hour sales
as compared with the record in De-
Cember 1888.
Reports for the whole fifth district
on December building operations show
an advance of 73 per cent over De-
Cember, 1888 Permits represented in
value Sl,9l3866, compared with ST.
lO6.687 in December, 1888. Accord
ing to the Richmond bank, however
they do not represent all the work
coming into the building trades as g
result of the Federal housing act, for
the reason that no records of painting
papering and many other forms OF
improvement are kept.
PerIey Announces Committees.
The personnel of the committee to
arrange for the thirtieth annual BAN
quet of Washington Chapter, Ameri-
can Institute of Banking, was an
nounced today by Frank NJ Perley
general chairman of the Banquet
Committee. and consists of the fol-
lowing local bankers:
Vice Chairmen. James C. Dulin, jr.
American Security g. Trust Co., T
Hunton Leith, Security Savings g.
Commercial Bank, I. j. Roberts. Riggs
National Bank, and James A. Soper
Lincoln National Bank: treasurer. j
Earle McGeary. W. B. Hibbs & Co.;
secretary, Louise Mantz, American
Security e. Trust Co.
Chairmen of subcommittee dance
Constance D. Fogel, Riggs National
Bank: decorations. Robert G. Whit
ton. First National Bank, Alexandria
Va; dinner, G. Elmer Flather, Union
Trust Co.; entertainment. Paul J.
Setter. American Security g. Trust
Co.; finance. Richard A. Norris Lin
coin National Bank; invitations, Will
liam H. Laughlin, Washington Loan
& Trust Co.; publicity, Aubrey O.
Dooley, Hamilton National Bank;
seating, Robert H. Lacey, Columbis
National Bank: reception, James C.
Dulin, jr., American Security & Trust
Co
Members of the General Committee:
3. Bruce FTantz, Alfred w. Sherman
and William A. Cady. American Sc
curity e. Trust; Francis E. Robey
Bank of Commerce & Savings; Frank
w. Lee and Lincoln H. Phillips, City
Bank: Alice H. Whitton and E. Wal
lace Schreiner, First National, Alex
andria. Va; A. E. Henze and Kath-
arine w. McCalmont w. B. Hibbs &,
Co.; Gertrude c. Wick, Liberty Ma
tional; Robert E. Lee, Lincoln Ma
tional: Anne P. Crawford, McLachlen
Banking Corp: Willard G. Barker
Morris Plan Bank: Theodore B. Bog
icy, Munsey Trust Co: L. Harry
Rider and S. Winifred Burwell, Ma
tional Metropolitan Douglas R
Smith, National Savings & Trust;
Robert NJ. Poole and G. Edward Fore
man. Riggs National; Stuart S. Ogilvle
LLOYD Coates and Joseph R. Fitzpatrick
Second National; Ruth 1. Gordon, Sc
curity Savings & Commercial; Ed
ward M. Blaiklock. Herbert D. Law
son, Norman E. ToWson, Mabel V
Royce and Rose L. Royce, Washing
ton Loan & Trust.
The annual dinner and dance is to
be held at the Willard Hotel Satur-
dav. February 16 According to Mr.
Perley there are already over zoo
reservations made and this definitely
indicates that the attendance Will be
larger than at the last banquet which
exceeded 450.
Traction Bonds in Demand.
CAPITAL Traction SIS were in tht
largest demand in many months or
the Washington Stock Exchange to-
dav. Fourteen consecutive sales were
recorded. all made at the strong price
of 81. Two $4,000 sales took place
Cne $500 and the rest were all II
$1,000 denominations. The days
transactions totaled $3l500. Tht
sales were made at the same price a
which the bonds closed last week.
Potomac Electric Power 6 per cen
preferred was strong at Ill today
and the same corporations 5l3 pc
cent preferred again came out
ll1a4 on a small lot sale. Other is
sues were neglected, but tbe day
volume was the largest of the presen
year.
Housing Drive Aids Railroads.
Fenner g. Beane New York Stool
Exchange firm, has assembled infor
nation to show how much help tn
Federal Housing Administration
better homes program means to tn
railroads in increased traffic in tn
carrying of building materials an
equipment. The Lehigh & New Eng
land R. R. reported an increase O
SO per cent in the amount of cemen
hauled in December over Decembel
1898. The Louisville & Nashville re
ported gain of 1857 per cent il
lime shipments.
The Baltimore & Ohio had recen
gain of 81 per cent in hauling paints
oils and varnishes. The Norfolk {