Evening star., 1936-11-15
BUILDING PERMITS
IN CAPITAL JUMP
ABOVE WEEK AGO
Bank CIearings and Retail
Sales Also Well Ahead
of Same 1885 Period.
WEATHER AIDS TRADE
IN NEARBY TERRITORY
Railway & Electric Preferred Ac.
tive on Exchange-Insurance
Firm Notes Anniversary.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.


In a weekly survey of business con-
ditions in SO important cities, the De-
partment Of Commerce reported yes
terday that the value Of the weeks
building permits in Washington was
TAG per cent above the previous week
and 67.5 per cent greater than in the
same week in 1885, while the total
value for October was $1,587,275,
which was 3.5 per cent less than total
building permits granted in October
q year ago.
Retail trade, which has been mount
ing steadily for many weeks, revealed
q further gain of 25.3 per cent over
the corresponding week in 1885, al
though it was of II per cent from the
previous week. At the same time bank
clearings advanced per cent over the
previous week and scored Is per cent
rise over the same week last year.
Tourist activities we're slightly lower
than the previous week, but main
tained their margin over last year, as
evidenced by visitors to the Washing
ton Monument.
Trade throughout the rest of the
NTH reserve district continued to hold
o wide gain over the comparable 1885
week. Bank debts, clearings, store
sales and wholesale business hung up
better than seasonal records in most
cities and towns. The weather en-
hanced demand for seasonable goods,
Baltimore reporting the best trade in
i've or six years.
Railroad Preferred Active.
Washington Railway g. Electric pre-
ferred led trading on the Washington
Stock Exchange as the week closed.
One 85-share and two 5o-share sales
were registered at 110H, ex dividend.
The stock closed "a up from Friday,
when more than 100 shares sold
around 110.
Mergenthaler Linotype appeared on
the board again yesterday with several
10-share sales at Sc. of a point, and
the final sale Of five shares at 55%.
A 10-share lot sold In Boston Friday
at 55h. During the week the stock
made q new 1885 high on the ex-
change here when 1t reached 81.
Capital Transit ended the week at
13h on light sales. Holders are
evidently awaiting coming action by
the Public Utilities Commission on the
company's request to raise the cost
OF weekly passes" to uniform price
of S1.25. It will be recalled that such
q request was made several months
ago. It would seem that some kind of
q ruling on this matter must be made
in the near future, perhaps during the
present month. While the transit
company showed a deficit in Septem-
Der, the october earnings are ex-
pected to be well in the black.
Potomac Electric Power 512 and
per cent preferred issues are now being
quoted eX-dividend, as are Washing
ton Railway & Electric common and
preferred and Mergenthaler Linotype.
These dividends will be paid shortly.
Volume Of trading during the week
was highly satisfactory, with prices
Eemaining strong.
Sun Life Notes Anniversary.
The Sun Life Insurance Co. of
America celebrated its tenth business
year in Washington yesterday at the
Offices in the Edmunds Building, 917
Fifteenth street. During that time
great progress has been made both in
the industrial and other insurance di-
visions. Organized in Baltimore IS
years ago, the company now has more
than $100.000,000 insurance in force.
Jose L. Hirsh was the first manager
of the Washington Office. He is now
one Of the company's supervisors and
Earnest o. Ulrich heads the office,
having been here since 1888, the office
having expanded until there are now
81 representatives. The personnel In
the Capital has grown to 81 repre-
sentatives.
The celebration wound up last night
with banquet at the Hamilton Hotel,
attended by all the Washington repre-
sentatives and their wives and many
officials from the home office IN Balti-
more. j. Balch Moor, superintendent
of insurance in the District, was q
special guest.
Railroad Earnings Climb.
Nineteen class I railroads, repre-
senting 66 per cent of total operat-
ing revenues in the Southern district,
had estimated operating revenues OF
s3o,417,183 in October, compared with
$26,458,163 in october. 1885, and $685.
O08, ,49l in October, 1890, Is per cent
above the same month last year, but
13.1 per cent below October, 1890.
Freight revenues Of those railroads
IN October amounted to $25,712,723,
compared with $22,733,344 in Octo-
ber. 1885, and $28, ,746, ,691 in October.
1880, l4.s per cent above the same
month in 1885, but 1o.6 per cent be-
low the same month in 1880.
Passenger revenues Of those roads
In October totaled $2,322,386, COM
pared with $1,937,706 in October last
year and $3,511,224 in october, 1880,
being 1919 per cent above October one
year ago, but 33.s per cent below octo-
Der, 1880.
Heard i'm Financial District.
Directors of Peoples Drug Stores,
Inc, have deferred the meeting for
dividend action on the common stock
until the middle of December, when
they will have more complete re-
ports on the years operations.
Possible restriction Of foreign buy
ing Of American securities was the
chief tonic of conversation in the
brokerage houses yesterday. 1t was
pointed out that United States officials
have no immediate plans for attempt
ing to curb such trading, that the
matter Is only in the study stage
and that drafting Of any legislation
would take long time and its pas
sage still longer. \