Evening star., 1939-07-06
Washington Exceeds
All Fifth District
Cities in Building
MAY Bonk Resume
Reveals Sharp Gains
In Automobile SoIes
BY EDWARD c. STONE.

DeldllS llOlli lllc lbeScINe Ddilh VI
Richmonds monthly review, re-
ceived here today, disclose that
building and engineering work in the
fifth reserve district continues to
run ahead of any other recent year
and is contributing to the mainte-
nance of consumer purchasing
power Permits issued in May in 81
cities totaled sll l,524,997, an increase
of "a per cent over $6630,214 in
May. 1888, and total permits issued
in the first five months of 1899
amounting to s49,493.O66 exceeded
valuation of S34.367 SAG in the first
five months of 1888 by A per cent.
Washington led all cities in valua-
ton of permits in May with $780,
$50, followed by Baltimore with ST.
367.118, Columbia with S937 ,635, Dur
ham with S526705, and Winston
Salem with S487 $50 twenty-five of
the 81 cities reported higher figures
for May, 1899, than for May, 1898.
Contract awards in the fifth dis
trict in May, 1882 totaling $3l .619,-
900 showed a decline from S42 0O8 900
awarded in April. but exceeded May,
1888, contracts, amounting to S2l,-
$4,000. by 40 per cent.
Total awards in the first five
months of 1899 amounting to $751;
239 900 were so per cent higher than
awards in the same period last year,
and in fact were higher than in the
corresponding period of any other
year since 1890.
The Dodge Corp figures state that
Washington construction contracts
awarded in May totaled S6,027,00O a
gain of 81 per cent over May. 1888,
when awards totaled s4611 600
Maryland awards totaled $7,491,-
600. an increase of 125 per cent over
May last year, while Virginia awards
totaled S5.824o00, up So per cent
from May 1888.
Auto Sales Gains Impressive.
Sales of new automobiles in Wash
ington and the rest of the fifth dis
trict in May were impressive.
Sales of new passenger cars de-
clined slightly in the fifth district
In May, but exceeded May, 1888, by
ST per cent. and total sales this CAL
endar year through May were At per
cent larger than sales in the first five
months of 1888.
South Carolina continues to lead
the district in improvement with a
total gain of rs per cent for the first
five months of this year over the
corresponding period last year.
Figures assembled by r. L. Polk &
Co. show that sales in Washington
In May Of this year amounted to
2,567 cars, against 1,735 in May
year ago, an increase of 48 per cent.
In the first five months of this year
1855 cars were sold in the Dis
trlct, an increase of 81 per cent
over May, 1898, when registrations
OF new passenger cars numbered
1856.
In the first five months of 1899
Maryland automobile sales reached
17,123, a gain of 50 per cent over
last year. In the same period Vir-
glnla sales amounted to 17.735 an
increase of 80 per cent over the cor
responding period in 1898.
Other Notable Advances.
The June review reveals other
notable increases in financial and
business indices. Debts 10 indi-
vidual accounts in "a cities totaled
S1,162 ,879 900, l per cent gain over
the previous month and an 8 per
cent pickup in the first five months
of 1889, indicating considerably mere
business passing through the hanks.
Washington bank debts tctaled
$3.50, 1877 900 in May, which was a
gain of 9 per cent over May, 1898.
Debts we're off l per cent from the
previous month this year.
There was a drop in business fail
ures in the fifth district of II per
cent over the like 1888 period, but
liabilities were per cent higher.
Sales in 30 department stores to-
tailed s9,989, ,266, which was an in
crease of 16 per cent over May,
1888. and 13 per cent over April
Wholesale sales by 204 firms
amounted to S11 463. 900, which ex-
ceeded the previous month by per
cent and May. 1888, by II per cent
Cotton consumption was a. pr
cent ahead of last year in May; the
price OF cotton was II per cent bet
ter; rayon shipments scared 60 per
cent; rayon yarn stocks were down
80 per cent and the end of the coal
strike saw great increase in the
amount of soft coal mined, the
Richmond Review states.
Wilson Heads Loan Group.
Harry G. Wilson has been re-
elected president of the Metropolis
Building Association, the annual
meeting being held yesterday. John
Scrivener was again named vice
president; Rudolph w. Santelmann,
secretary, and Henry E. Trip,
treasurer.
Directors include George N. Sci
bert. William A. Simpson, Henry
M. Wiegand, Arthur Seagren and
Harry H. Wilson in addition to the
officers.
Mr.. Santelmann announced that
during the remodeling and enlarg-
ing of the banking room at 201
Pennsylvania avenue Sc. the af-
fairs of the Metropolis will be con-
Quoted at 300 B street Sc. It is
expected that the improved quar-
ters will be available for occupancy
around October /.
Washington Loan Dividend.
Directors of the Washington Loan
g. Trust &C. declared a quarterly
dividend of 50 a share on the capital
stock at the monthly meeting of the
board held yesterday afternoon.
President Harry G. Meem an
nounced the dividend would be paid
on August to stockholders of record
July %.
The voters of 106 communities in
26 States during June authorized
a total of S17,002, 100 in State and
municipal bond flotations. This total
is considerably above the June av-
erage for the last few years. How
ever If includes CT OS0 mn