Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-18

-. ,,., quarters general
fitness of the crowds of shoppers jam
ming stores in every city and hamlet
in the United States, indicating that
the present holiday season will be the
best since 1880. and in many sections
the best since 1929.
The survey states that during No.
vernber the actual number of unit sales
registered an increase of 4 per cent.
At the same time dollar sales in de-
partment stores, according to Federal
Reserve reports. increased per cent.
This second report indicates an in
crease in the amount of the average
sale and reveals a tendency on the
part of the public this year to make
holiday purchases of more costly and
greater luxury nature.
Reports from stores in the South
where bad weather handicapped busi-
ness early in December express conf
dence that they will make higher
percentage gain during the remainder
of the shopping season, the report
states. A host of the kilograms re-
ceived by the Dry Goods Association
flashed the biggest business since
1929" in their answers.
McAlvanan Joins Exchange.
James A. McAlvanan, who is only 25
gears old, has just bought seat on
the New York Stock Exchange He
purchased an exchange seat for $l04,-
900 and has become known as the
baby of the exchange because of his
tender years 1t is reported in Wan
Street that young McAlvanan received
the seat as a Christmas gift from his
employer, w. Lee Guynne, according
to the Associated Press.
Rural Retail Sales Climb.
Daily average sales of general mer-
chandise in small towns and rural
areas for November were about l8 per
cent higher in dollar volume than for
November, 1885, and were 81 per cent
above those for the same month OF
1884, the Bureau of Foreign and Do
mestic Commerce reports. Sales for
the first II months of the year were
about IS per cent above those for the
corresponding period of 1885.
More Dividends Announced.
Directors of the Security Storage
Co. have declared the regular dividend
of SIPS per share on the capital stock
of the company, payable January II.
1887, to stockholders of record at the
close of business January 6, Secretary
e. P. Ravenburg announced today.
The State Loan Co., with main Of
Tel
Rainier, Md, and another at Silver
Spring, today announced distribution
of the regular semi-annual dividend
of 50 per share on the preferred stock
ard the declaration of so cents per
share on the common for the year
1886. the latter being closely held.
Adam Weir is president of the COM
pany.
Legal notice is now being given of
The plan of the Potomac Joint Stock
Land Bank of Alexandria, Va, to re-
deem on January l. 1887. the per
cent bonds dated July 1,-1923, callable
July /, 1888, and due July /, 1885.
The bonds are payable at. the Riggs
National Bank and will cease paying
Interest at the end of this year.
Bankers Note Realty Upturn.
A more active market for buildings
and land are reported by majority
Of bank realty officers questioned on
the real estate outlook, the magazine
Banking says.
The eastern North Central States
Increased mortgage lending, hous
ing shortage, rising rents and higher
farm values prevail in number of
key centers, according to the reports.
High taxes and the burden of old
property were mentioned as deterrents
to recovery in some replies, Banking
states, but on the whole the views were
optimistic.
The eastern North Central States
especially report improvements and
promises of further gains, the publ
cation continues, while in parts IF
New England and some parts of the
atlantic Coast improvement has been
held back by the drag of older realty
and high costs.
Bill Payments Speeding Up.
Payments on open-credit accounts
receivable of department stores were
made at higher rate during October
this year than for any month since
January, 1884, the first month COW
cred by this series. according to the
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce. The increase in the Oc-
tober rate over the September rate this
gear was largely seasonal in character.
The installment collection rate was
higher in October than in September
this year and October year ago. The
tnstallment collection percentages
were 17.8 for October and 1865 for
September this year, as compared with
a7.4 for October last year.
Today's Trading on Exchange.
Many members of the Washington
Stock Exchange were doing their
Christmas shopping todaf-at least
they failed to do much business On
the board. There was just one sale,
six shares of Capital Transit stock
changing ownership at 13A. The
stock closed with 13A bid and Az
asked.
Bids on other stocks and bonds were
arm. Among the issues on the Ex-
change now quoted ex dividend De-
cause of payments due in few days
are Lincoln National Bank, Bank of
Bethesda, Bank of Commerce & Saw
ings, Carpet Corp, Peoples Drug Stores
preferred and Real Estate Mortgage
b. Guaranty preferred.
Financial District Gossip.
The Federal Savings g. Loan In
sufance Corp, which protects savings
and loan associations in the way
performed for banks by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corp, is consid-
ering an advertising campaign to in
crease the number of associations in
the corporation. A committee has
been studying the feasibility of edu-
eating the public to the advantages
AZ the corn0rntinn urithniit anv