Evening star., 1938-12-16
Bank Stocks Remain
Near Years Peaks
On D. {. Exchange
Some Issues Quoted
Now at Best Marks
In II Months
BY, EDWARD c. STONE.


In the past IL months.
The last sale in Washington Loan
e. Trust stock at 235 was the best
mark of the year, the low being 226
American Security & Trust shares
sold the other day at 253, against
a 1888 top of 258 and low of 240
The only sales of the year in Ma
tional Savings & Trust shares regis
tered 2O512.
Riggs National Bank common has
fluctuated more than some of the
others. The last sale was made at
274H2, it having sold considerably
lower and considerably higher during
the year. Riggs National Bank pre-
ferred has moved very little, the last
sale being at 102, the 1898 top
against low of 1011a.
The only sales in National Capital
Bank stock were made at 1875. Ma
tional Bank of Washington stock,
ct 1854, is under the 100 paid
earlier in the year. The last transfer
In Liberty National stock was made
at 157, against sales earlier in the
Bank Earnings Favorable.
Lincoln National Bank stock has
teen quiet all the year, the only sales
taking place at 210. Prince Georges
Eank & Trust Co. stock, which is
listed on the exchange, figured in a
recent sale at l71a, up half point
from the years bottom price. Bank
of Bethesda, also listed in Wash
ington, is another one price stock,
25 being the figure.
Bank of Commerce & Savings
stock, which pays the highest divi-
dend of any bank issue on the board,
has yet to record the first sale of
1888. This bank has just gone back
on $13 yearly dividend basis after
paying $12 last year Bids for the
stock on the exchange stand at $235
share with none offered at any
price.
While bankers bemoan the fact
that the demand for loans has not
expanded to any great extent during
the year, many are free to admit
that earnings have been pretty good
during 1898, better than 1887 in
many cases. And that's why bank
stock quotations have remained so
strong.
Report Covers ID. c. Banks.
The controller of the currency has
Just reported on the condition of all
national banks in the United States
on September %, the date of the
last call, including national banks
In the Capital
On September %, 1888, all the ma
tional banks in the United States
had S27, ,l03 ,881 900 on deposit against
the lower figure of 26,540, ,694 900 at
the end of 1887. Deposits were also
considerably higher than on June
30, this year.
National banks in the Capital had
total assets of $215,0O6,0O0 on Sep
tember %, the report says. Deposits
totaled $1945 900. The same banks
had $8,982000 capital surplus of
S5,798,000 and undivided profits of
S4.362,OOO.
The banks here had loans on real
estate, other than farms, amount
Ing to $7806,0O0 and total loans of
S45,273,000. The report shows very
large sums invested in United States
Government obligations, which are
fully guaranteed.
Washington national banks had
deposits evidenced by savings pass
books amounting to S40,658,00O on
September %. Postal savings de-
posits in the banks totaled $500 900.
According to the analysis, there we're
107,183 savings passbook accounts
In these banks on the same date.
Interest Declared on Bonds.
The board of directors of Wash
ington Properties, Inc, at its meet
ing today declared interest on the
company's general mortgage income
bonds for the six MONTHS fiscal
period ended october 81, 1898, at the
rate of 1876 per cent. Checks will
be mailed on February /, 1899, by
the Central Hanover Bank & Trust
Co. of New York, paying agent, to
the bondholders of record at the
close of business January 20 1899.
ID. c. Bank Clearings Rise.
The Washington Clearing House
reports that bank clearings for the
week ended Wednesday totaled s24,-
b22,59l.37 in comparison with S23,-
16l ,68l .39 in the corresponding week
a year ago, an increase of SO per
cent. Compared with the previous
week this year clearings were con-
siderably lower.
In the whole country clearings
were 3.9 per cent ahead of last
year. Clearings in Baltimore ran
b per cent under last year, but were
almost exactly the same in Rich
mond. Check activities everywhere
reflect heavy Christmas trade.
Parry Discusses Margin Rules.
In finally determining a fiat per-
eentage of market price as the
margin requirement for banks and
brokers, the Federal Reserve System
was acting on the principle that
the weapons of a central bank
should be simple" Dr. Carl E. Parry,
chief of the Division of Security
Loans, told the senior margin clerks
section of the Association of Stock
exchange Firms in New York daSt
night.
DR.. Parry added that the board
adopted the fiat percentage margin
despite the many theoretical merits"
of the "three-pronged" margin
formula stated in the Securities Ex-
change Act.
Today's Trading on Exchange.
Capital Transit stock again sold
at 8 on the Washington Exchange
today, on small turnover.
Washington Gas Light preferred
was in demand at 104a, off frac-
tionally from other recent sales.
Both Potomac Electric Power
preferred stocks appeared on the
board, the 51z per cent issue selling
at 1852 and the per cent pre-
ferred at 1855. Both were small
sales.
Following yesterdays announce