Evening star., 1937-12-24
INSURANCE SALES
/ TOP 1886 LEVELS
D. c. Total for II Months
-. Is 6 Per Cent Ahead of
Last Year.
BY EDWARD C. STONE.


alone scored a gain of 2 pAr cent over
last year, the Sales Research Bureau,
Hartford, reported today The No
vember record is exactly the same
as the national average, but the ma
tional figure for the II months is only
4 per cent ahead of 1886
The survey shows that Washington
agents so far this year have written
a total of s67,804,0O0 in new policies,
86 per cent of the companies repre-
sented here doing more business than
they did last year. In November new
business in the Capital totaled S.
8l6000. The reports taken together
indicate clearly that the volume. of
new life insurance for the full year
1887 will be well ahead of the 1886
mark
Maryland Reports Gains.
Maryland also reported gain of 6
per cent in business in the first IL
months over last year and per cent in
November. Policies totaled S7,823, 900
IN November and SOL ,682, 900 in the
II months, when IS per cent of the
offices increased their business over
1896.
Writing S82, ,l85 900 in new policies
In IL months, Virginia agents reported
gain of S per cent over the same 1886
period. They fell down in November
reporting a 9 per cent drop from last
year, although new life policies
amounted to $6,956,0O0
West Virginia made brilliant show
ing, gaining S per cent in the IL
months, with S57,693,0 900 as the total,
and Jump of is per cent in Novem-
ber, when new business totaled S.
10000. North Carolina was 4 per
cent ahead Oh the year and per cent
in November, while South Carolina
is per cent ahead for the year to
date.
South Atlantic Sales Up.
Policyholders in the South Atlantic
section purchased S610,457 900 in the
IL months, an increase of per cent,
and the whole United States produced
a total of S6,604, ,424 900 in the same
period and s573,345 900 in November.
Sales in New York State totaled
sl,033,79l 900 in IL months, in Illinois
S529,021 900 and in Pennsylvania
$565, ,727oOO
So far this year Washington is ahead
OF Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, New
York, Philadelphia and st. Louis, but
behind Cleveland and Chicago.
st. Louis topped all other big cities
in November with II per cent pick
up.
Wholesale Trade Exceeds 1886.
Wholesale firms in Washington and
the rest of the fifth district did more
business in the first II months of this
year than in 1886, the Reserve Bank
of Richmond reported today, in a
survey covering five important lines
Hardware sales made the best ad-
vance. l7.3 per cent. Groceries sales
were up 9.5 per cent, dry goods, OIL
per cent: shoes, As, and drugs, 8.5.
In November alone grocery sales were
up 81 per cent over November, 1896,
dry goods off II, shoes off 81, hardware
down 6. and drugs 4 per cent better
than year ago. In all lines but
drugs sales were much lower than in
October.
November wholesale stocks on hand
of groceries were per cent lower than
last year, 81 higher in dry goods, up
13 per cent in shoes, per cent in
hardware and per cent in drugs.
November bill collections were good,
ia per cent for groceries, dry goods,
43 per cent; shoes, So; hardware, As,
and drugs, II per cent, the survey
stated.
Weeks Clearings Under 1886.
The Washington Clearing Houe re-
ports total bank clearings of S24,30I,-
1883 for the week ended Wednesday,
December %, which compares with
$24, 733, ,45306 in the corresponding
period last year, decrease of S426,-
1888. In comparison with a total
OF S23.l6l, ,68l.39 for the previous
week, clearings here increased 49 per
cent.
While bank clearings for the whole
country were off IA per cent from the
same week last year, Baltimore re-
ported gain of 1.9 per cent and
Richmond 0.6 per cent, indicating bet
ter business in the fifth Reserve dis
trict than in many other localities.
FenWlCk heduS Loan OrOup.
Edward T. Fenwick has been elected
president of the Arlington Fairfax
Building & Loan Association, succeed
ing DR.. James B. Gould, who died in
November at his winter home in
Florida. The new president is a
washington attorney, member of the
flrm of Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence.
Fl q 1oc lnl -, Ere e% T7on
for more than Is years and has been
connected with the loan association
since it was organized, in 1928 He
has been vice president and in recent
weeks acting president.
In addition to the president, other
directors are Julius H. Parmelee, John
Bethune, Charles A. Stewart, F. D.
Richardson and Harry A. Thomas. Mr..
Bethune, a former Mayor of Falls
Church and former chief clerk of the
United States Tariff Commission, has
been secretary of the association since
July, when G.. A. Stewart resigned on
account of i'll health. The concerns
resources are now about $860O0O.
Capital Transit Stronger.
Capital Transit stock sold at 7A on
the Washington Stock Exchange to-
day, up an eighth from yesterdays low
mark. Two 10-share lots changed
hands. The market closed with IA
bid for the stock while the asked price
was moved up to 9. Other stocks and
bonds were neglected, quotations be-
ing practically unchanged.
Sales of the American Stores Co.
for the four weeks ended November 81
totaled $8,845, 1856, an increase of 13
per cent over November, 1896. For the
first II months of this year sales
totaled 08,070,163, gain of O5 per
cent. October sales were per cent
ahead Of last year.
With the whole city Christmas shop
ping bent, it believed that holiday
trade has come very close to last years
mark and may have exceeded it. The
&c &s1I L. 1.