Evening star., 1938-08-14
Retail Volumes Register
Drop of 2.84oho From
Previous Week.
TELEPHONE TOTAL HITS
NEW AtL-TIME PEAK
Local Exchange Week Is Busy.
Building and Loan Leaders
Sail for Zurich.
Ry DONALD b. HADLEY.

Washington department store sales
In the week ended Wednesday showed
an average decline of 284 per cent
from the corresponding 1887 week, the
Department of Commerce reported yes
terday.
Compared with the previous week,
sales varied from an increase of IL 90
per cent to decrease of 29.9 per cent.
Compared with the 1887 week, volumes
ranged from a gain of 8.l8 per cent
to drop Of 90 per cent.
The department report commented
that the average decline from the 1887
week was so small as to be insignificant
in Washington. The same situation
was recorded in Milwaukee, Atlanta
and Omaha. Trade was reported
definitely ahead of year ago in Will
mington, Memphis. New Orleans, Nor
folk and Jacksonville.
Report Is Optimistic.
For the Nation as whole. the report
had an optimistic tone. The imme-
diate approach of mid d-August found
the forces of recovery throughout the
country moving forward steadily
though slowly it said. Where statis-
tics revealed losses in dollar volume.
the actual turnover of goods probably
equaled or even excelled that of last
year due to lower price levels"
Bank clearings for Washington in
the week ended Wednesday totaled
s2O,029.e5O compared with s21,88l, 1853
q year ago.
Visitors to Smithsonian Institution
reached 66,694 against $3.50 in the
previous week and 8l,237 year ago;
building permits in the week amount
ed to $614700. including s256.0O0
apartment house permit, against $685.
600 year ago. Passenger revenue of
the Capital Transit Co. reached $780,
27l. against S191.3l2 q year ago.
Although Baltimore's retail opera
tions during July were below the same
month both in 1887 and 1886 the fig
ures indicated that the spread from
the corresponding period last year is
being reduced. The May showing was
148 per cent behind the similar month
in 1887, the loss for June was 1o.4 per
cent, while the drop for July narrowed
down to 79 per cent.
Telephones at New Peak.
The Chesapeake & Potomac Tele-
phone Co. yesterday reported that the
number of Washington telephones at
the end of July reached 23l. .430 while
lo;1 nf ot tirn rol1c
totaled 1856, ,451.
The telephone total represented a
new all-tme record and was 1851
telephones more than on the same
1887 date, 25059 more than in 1896,
35.897 more than in 1885, 48838 more
than in 1884, 58.603 more than in
1898 and 779O8 more than on the
same 1929 date.
Totals for the end of July in various
years follows: 220,06g in 1887, 206.37l
in 1896, 1875, ,533 in 1885, ,592 in
1884, l72,827 in 1888 and 1882 in
1929.
The average of originating calls per
day at 885 ,45l showed seasonal de-
cline in July from 967,63O recorded in
the previous month, but was we'll ahead
of 844255 in the 1887 month. The
July call averages for other years
follow: 795,964 in 1896, 738,826 in
1885. 1882 in 1884, 172.827 in 1888,
b49,764 in 1929.
ID. C. Exchange Active.
During the past week business on
the Washington Stock Exchange was
quite active and number Of issues
which seldom appear on the board
were traded, James M. Johnston,
president of the exchange, reported
yesterday in reviewing the period.
Several issues reached new high
prices for the year, among them being
Anacostia & Potomac River SIS of l949
(unguaranteed, City & Suburban
Railway SIS of 1948, Capital Traction IS
and Washington Gas Light first
mortgage SIS of 1860" he pointed out.
THE Gas Light IS of go which are
non -callable and which are secured by
o closed first mortgage on the main
properties of the company are much
in demand by trust funds and in
(See HADLEY, Page E-2)