Evening star., 1937-03-03

w. W. ho"mah' Vice President,
who was engaged at the time in max
ing plans for his Inauguration the
next day.
President William NJ Hoffman and
the other officers received many con-
gratulations today on the century OF
progress. The company has made
most enviable record during the 10
decades. The history of the company
brings to light remarkable list OF
distinguished names besides those al
ready mentioned.
Long after the company was we'll
esta blished, certain changes were made
at different times in the regulations
and here again appeared prominent
names, including the signatures of
five other Presidents-Franklin Pierce,
Andrew johnson. Grover Cleveland.
William Howard Taft and Herbert
Hoover.
The first meeting of the company
was held in the Franklin Engine
House, which stood on the southeast
corner of Fourteenth street and Penn
sylvania avenue, near where the statue
of Gov. A. R. Shepherd now stands in
front of the District Building. From
1888 to the present time the offices
have been within block or so of
the present location and near the old
Center Market, where the Archives
Building now stands. The history of
the company has been most envcr-
tainingly written by John Glage.t
Proctor and published by the American
Historical Society.
William NJ Hoffman became con-
nected with the company in 1892 and
president in 1921. Other officers in
clude Albert w. Howard, vice presi-
dent and secretary; Edward G. Baltz,
vice president; James M. Fitzpatrick.
jr., assistant secretary, and V. MAN.
ming Hoffman, assistant secretary. Di-
rectors are Millard T. Dixon, Raymond
x. Espey, Leroy Gaddis, Parke A. GAL
liner, ]. Logan Hopkins, Charles H.
Kindle, Schuyler S. Symons, John H.
Snyder, Albert w. Walker and James
M. woodward.
Barber G. Ross Has Fine Year.
The Barber g. Ross Co., dealers in
building materials, with headquarters
at Fifth and v streets northeast, had
a remarkably good year, according to
the annual report just sent to stock
holders, showing an operating proflt
IF moro than Sl00 0O0
The report states that operating
profits during the year 1886 amount
ed to S100,644.58, from which only
S2419.92 had to be written off, leav-
ing a net profit of S98,644.66 The
balance sheet shows that liabilities
and assets now stand at S849, ,488.20.
Both Barber g. Ross stock and bonds
are very widely held in Washington.
The pickup in the building industry
came at a time when the firm most
needed the additional business. It
was said in the financial district today
that if present building activity con-
tinues and the firms business runs
along at the rate it is going now the
bondholders should eventually get
full payment for their bonds. The
bonds have to be paid off before any
dividends can be paid on the stock.
After the bonds are paid earnings
will go directly to the stock.
The bonds are now being quoted at
So, but holders appear unwilling to
sell at that price. Barber & Ross pre-
ferred stock is quoted at 5. The pres
ent officers are Harry Blake, chairman
of the board; William L. Browning,
president; Miller B. Stevinson, vice
president; John w. Hardell, treasurer,
and Harry L. Light, secretary. Direc-
tors include the three senior officers,
John c. Baird, Robert E. Craig, Will
liam H. Lipscomb and Eugene E.
Thompson.
Banks Get No Tax Experts.
Announcement by the Income Tax
Bureau that no highly trained revenue
agents will be supplied the Washing
ton banks this year means that large
number of bank patrons will have to &c
to the bureau headquarters on Twelfth
street for their income tax advice. Fol-
several years many of the banks have
had these revenue men in their lobbies
during the income tax rush.
They will be missed this year. The
banks, however, take the position that
most of the income tax work should be
done at the Income Tax Bureau, where
experts are ready to render all needed
assistance. The banks originally
undertook this work before the bureau
had any such elaborate facilities as
now exist. OF course, the banks will
be asked to aid certain Of their patrons
and will be glad to do SO. In other
cases, people Of extended means will
consult their lawyers instead of their
banks.
Before ruling on the matter, Gov
ernment tax officials discussed the sit.
uation with representatives of the Dis
trict Bankers Association, Frederick
P. H. Siddons being chairman of thu
Committee on Treasury Relations.
Fleming on Advisory Council.
Coincident with the announcement
of the two-day session of the Bushes.
Advisory Council of the Department o1
Commerce, being held in Washington
today and tomorrow, it became known
that Robert v. Fleming, president o1
the Riggs National Bank of this city
and immediate past president of tht
American Bankers Association, ha.
accepted the invitation of Secretary
Roper to serve as a member Of thi.
important body.
The Business Advisory Council con
sists of a cross-section of leading bust
ness men and industrialists from
throughout the Nation.
Capital Traction SIS opened at 961.
and closed at 96 on the Washington
Stock Exchange today. Both Potomac
Electric Power preferred stocks ap'
peared on the board, selling arounc
recent levels.
Robert c. Jones & Co., investment
firm, is distributing survey of tn,
steel industry. covering MANY recen,