Evening star., 1938-07-05
Total S306, ,857 ,607. SO
Calls Cover I3.135 Ranks

Total s3O6, s57 ,6o7 SO
Calls Cover 1876 Banks.
In addition to the Controllers call
covering all the national banks in the
United States and all banks in the
District OF Columbia. the Federal Re-
serve Board and the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corp, also asked banks
which they examine to report their
condition on June 80.
The three agencies together asked
for reports from 1875 banking in
stitutlons. both national and State, or
nearly every bank in the country.
This is the second call this year,
there usually being four during the
whole II months.
Bank Reviews Trade Status.
Details from the monthly review of
the Federal Reserve Bank of Rich
mond show that business in the fifth
district in May and the first half of
June continued at about the same
level as in the early months Of the
year. There were a few instances
IF improvement but on the whole little
progress was indicated Increased ac-
tlvity in the cotton textile industry
In June was the chief improvement.
number of mills resuming operations
after idleness because of excess in
yentories.
Tobacco manufacturing increased
substantially and production of to-
10 " |a,
IN the same month yeal ago in all
lines except cigars. The number of
cigarettes manufactured was 96 per
cent above May, 1887, an important
iact as the fifth district manufactures
approximately 83 per cent of Amer
can cigarettes.
In banking. there were no important
changes. Member bank deposits were
higher in June than year ago. En-
ployment showed little change al
though work increased in the textile
industry and prospects improved for
workers in the building trades There
we're 55 commercial failures in the
district against AZ in May. 1887. Liza
bilities totaled S462 900 compared with
100000, the review stated
Capitals Pay Roll Steady.
The Richmond review reports gain
sf 0.3 per cent in the amount of pay
roll in the Capital. From April to
May, however, there was a drop of
ID per cent in the number of people
employed
There was a small decrease of 18
ger cent in Maryland employment and
IL per cent in total pay roll, the re-
port adds. In Virginia, there was
a decrease of pa in employment and
OF per cent in total pay rolls
Sales of new passenger automobiles
declined further in May and were 81
per cent less than in May year ago,
the largest percentage decline in any
month this year
The Reserve Bank says that Vir-
einia auto sales in May made the best
showing in the district, 1904 registra-
tions being reported against 5,459 a
year ago, drop of As per cent. In
the District of Columbia 1875 cars
we're sold in May against 3179 last
gear, down As per cent, while Maryland
reported that 1882 passenger auto
mobiles were sold. as compared with
s,179 year ago. slump of Sill per
cent.
In the first five months of this year
1856 new passenger automobiles were
sold in Washington, against 13,415
in May. 1887 decrease of 429 per
cent. Cumulative sales in the whole
fifth district in the five months were
a. per cent behind last year
Big Building Contracts Let.
Today's review states that the Dis
trict of Columbia building permits is
sued in May totaled ST 1867, ,425. against
s4,122l35 for May, 1887. The survey
adds that Washington permits reached
the highest valuation of any fifth dis
trict city, $l,867,425, with Norfolk
second and Baltimore third
Some large contracts let in the fifth
district during April and May were as
follows: State Penitentiary, Roxbury
Md, S2,000,000; apartment house
group, Baltimore. s1.O00,00O apart
ment house, Richmond, s83O,OOO; vet
erans hospital, Roanoke, S495,000;
warehouse, Washington, $1,OOO,OO0;
college faculty building. Washington
s400,000; Ohio River flood control
project. Huntington, w. Va, $685.
900; highway bridge, Morgan County,
w. Va. $338000; hydroelectric dam,
Greenwood County, S. c.. $617,O0O;
apartment house, Winston Salem,
N c., S430,OO0, and apartment house,
Raleigh, N. c.. 100000.
Sales in 81 department stores in the
fifth district in May totaled So, 1895, ,769,
against sl0,772,918. off II per cent.
As already announced, retail sales in
Washington were off 3.9 per cent in
The first five months of 1888. COM
pared with 1887; 40 per cent in Bal
timore and per cent for the whole
fifth district.
Sales of l79 wholesale firms in the
fifth district totaled s10823,O0O in
May, against sl2,7s5, 900 q year ago,
the survey announced