Evening star., 1939-05-05
Auto and Furniture
Sales Up Sharply
In Washington
Coal Strike Serious
In Fifth District,
Bank Reports
By EDWARD C. STONE.

monthly review received from the
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Automobile registrations in Wash
ington in March numbered 2,76l
against 1907 in March, 1898, an in
crease of SO per cent, while sales in
the first three months of this year
totaled 6,181 new cars compared with
1885 in the first quarter OF 1888, a
notable gain of SIS per cent.
New car sales in the whole fifth
district displayed broad upward
trends. In March 1890 cars were
sold in the whole district for a AZ
per cent rise. while the first quar-
ter total was 44,466 cars, compared
with 30,959 last year, making a 80
per cent gain.
Maryland sales were up Sc per
cent in the three months and Vlr-
ginia registrations 20 per cent.
Maryland reported March gain OF
62 per cent but Virginia's was only
8 per cent, the Richmond report
says.
Furniture Demand Rises.
Seven furniture stores in Wash
ington reported that sales in March
were per cent better than a year
ago and in the first quarter OF this
year were per cent ahead of the
like 1898 period.
Maryland's March sales were up IL
per cent from year ago but the first
quarter witnessed per cent drop.
Virginia reversed this situation.
March sales were down per cent
while sales in the first quarter were
7 per cent higher than year ago.
In the whole fifth district, 81 stores
reported an improvement of 4 per
cent both in March and the first
quarter.
The employment situation re-
manned practically unchanged in
March, the report says, but since
April / thousands of coal miners
have been thrown out of work by the
strike. West Virginia is the leading
producer of soft coal The railroads
in West Virginia and Virginia have
had to lay off a large number of
men who will be idle until shipments
are resumed.
From February to March there
was gain in the number on pay
rolls of As per cent, while the
amount of the total pay rolls in the
Capital advanced 23 per cent III
the same period. Maryland re-
ported gains in both the number
employed and in pay roll amounts,
as did Virginia.
The latest review shows debts to
Individual accounts in Washington
In March as % per cent above Feb
ruary and II per cent higher then
In March a year ago. Debts in 2l
cities were 5 per cent better than
last year.
Dollar Sales on Increase.
Sales in 80 department stores ir
the fifth district in March totalea
$9,466 ,426, "A per cent above Feb
ruary and per cent above Marcn
1898. Sales of 207 wholesale firms
in this district totaled $12,441 900
up 10 per cent over the previous
month and per cent over March
last year.
According to the reports March
figures on construction from the
F. w. Dodge Corp contracts
awarded in the District of Colum-
bia totaled S6,783 900, a huge gain
of 120 per cent over March year
ago. Contracts were up so per cent
in the whole district, 80 per cent in
Maryland and 81 per cent in Vir-
ginia, the report said.
The value of building permits is
sued in March was up 68 per cen:
from March, 1888, in the fifth dis
trict. Other sharp gains included
"a per cent increase in cotton
consumption, IS per cent in rayo'
yarn shipments and 80 per cent IN
soft coal mined in March over last
year.
The review concludes by stating
that fall-planted grains are in ex-
cellent condition, but wet weather
has delayed spring plowing and
planting and late frosts appear IL
have damaged fruit crops quite
severely.
Bankers Off to Hot Springs.
President Hilleary G. Hoskinsor
of the District Bankers Association
the other officers and the heads Of
special committees left Washington
for Hot Springs, Va, this noon tt
make final arrangements for thu
annual convention, which takes
place at the Homestead June to II
They were accompanied by James B
Edmunds, an official of the Chesa.
peake & Ohio Railroad, who will be
in charge of the railroad end of the
annual conclave.
Washington bank clearings fol
the week ended Wednesday totalee
$21 613, ,64199, against $22,778579.2t
in the same week year ago, a de.
crease Of per cent. Clearings, how.
ever, were ahead of the previou.
week. when the figures stood al
$19,607, ,696O6, by more than 9 pei
cent.
Philip A. Benson, president of the
American Bankers Association, who
addressed the Maryland Bankers
Association at Atlantic City yester'
day, was visitor in the Capita
today.
Today's Trading on Exchange.
Today saw the most active session
OF the Washington Stock Exchang,
so far in May, the largest sale being
a 100-share block of National Sav.
ings & Trust Co. stock at 1873, severa
points lower than the last previous
sale.
Capital Traction SIS appeared OF
the board at 90. Anacostia & Po
tomac SIS were also out today, 81 90,
sale bringing 88.
twenty-five shares of Capita
Transit stock sold at IA, off a poin
from the recent peak. Potoma
Electric Power 6 per cent preferre,
was strong at lis.
Mergenthaler Linotype appeare,
In five and ten share transactions a
10. The first sale this year in Lans