The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-13
SHAFT VISITORS
HINT BOOM
IN DISTRICT
By EARL GOODWIN

When the elevator man at the
Washington Mon m mt pro-
nounces the well.used phrase go
ing up!" he is doing something
more than merely announcing his
flight to the top Of the best
known shaft in the United States
he also is paralleling the latest
use of the Monument by business
sharks who seek indications as to
business from various human &C
Invites.
To make it Subdivisions to
the top of the Monument are the
latest indicators of the trend OF
Washington business. When the
visitors fall off mot the monu-
ment. but the record, the business
indicators are filled with gloom.
. When the visitors crowd the
Monument, Washington business
prophets smile their best smiles.
For some reason or other, the
old Monument is not only a me-
mortal to the Father of His Coun-
try but an index to the business
conditions in the National Capital
named for George Washington.
Interest Increases
Whether or not Norman Tow
son, of the washington Loan and
Trust Company, chairman of a
District Bankers Association COM
mittee on commercial activity,
first used the ups-and-downs of the
Washington Monument elevator
for a business index, nevertheless
he has used it in one or more re-
ports. If the index is of any serv-
ice, then, be it known that the
interest in the old shaft is on the
which is taken to mean
more folks are visiting Wash
ington.
Palpitating boosters for the ma
TONS capital should know that
881, 900 persons went up and down
the shaft in 1886, which was
10000 more than in 1885, while
the sweet-voiced young lady who
answers when a telephone in
quiry is made on this subject of
Marshall Finnan. National Capital
Parks chief, says that the trend
of Monument visitors is all on the
up and up. That iS-an increas-
ing number all the time. One
hundred and twenty five thou
sand in June, 1903 900 in May, and
10000 in April-reflecting the
Easter visitors.
She thinks that there will be
q million this year-but if so the
visit of the Boy Scouts will be
largely responsible-9,000 a day
for 10 days. The Boy Scouts prac-
tically stuffed the Monument full.
White House Draws Many
White House visitors are even
more numerous than Monument
visitors. Capt. Clarence Dalrymple,
Of the White House police, reports
more than a million last year.
This year the number will exceed
that by 100000 at least. June saw
100000 tourists in the White
House; while the 10 Boy Scout
days saw practically $4,000
Scouts and other visitors march
through the rooms open to the
public.
Washington retail business Ger.
tainly gets a continued benefit
from the ever-increasing army of
visitors to Washington. Incident
ally, the general idea is that the
good old days of vacation and tour
ist prosperity have struck every ma
tional park in the country. The
Park Service officials of the De-
partment of the Interior declare
the parks are just overrun with
visitors" this year.
To get back to the matter of
Washington busineSs-it doesn't
require count of the Washing
ton Monument visitors to tell the
real story. All bankers who have
reams of statistical reports on
their desks report that there is a
gradual annual increase in the
volume. Bank clearings, increas-
ing by 20 per cent year for the
past two years. tell their own
story. Building operations are on
the up-and-up, showing a perma-
nent increase which telephone en-
gineers say will bring the town to
q million in at least Is years