Evening star., 1939-12-17
Retail Volumes
Extend Rise
In Capital
1873 Per Cent Jump
From Previous Week
Is Disclosed
BY EDWARD C. STONE.


Retail trade in Washington de-
partment stores continues to move
forward by leaps and bounds. sales
for the week ended December 9
being So per cent above the cor
responding period last year and &c.
per cent ahead of the week ended
December 3, this year, the Federal
Reserve Bank of Richmond reported
yesterday.
Department stores sales in the
whole fifth district were per cent
ahead of last year in the week under
review, 80 per cent ahead of the
previous 1889 week and 3 per cent
better in the four weeks ended De-
cember 9, the report added. Balti-
more sales were far ahead of last
year and a group of other cities ex-
perienced substantial improvement
in holiday business.
Yesterdays report followed the
statement from the Richmond bank
earlier in the week that department
store sales in Washington in No.
vember were "a per cent ahead of
last year and that trade in the first
IL months of 1899 was s. per cent
better than in the like 1898 period
Washington merchants reported
yesterday that Christmas trade is
now at it's height and that the total
volume for the entire holiday season
will outstrip last year by generous
margin.
Building Contracts Climb.
Henry A. Johns, Washington man.
ager of Dodge Reports, announced
yesterday that private construction
contracts awarded in the metro
politan area in the past II months
were S30,OO0,OO0 above contracts
under public ownership. Private
contracts topped public totals in 8
of the II months.
All contracts for work and ma
terials awarded by private owner
ship in the metropolitan area from
January to the end of November
reached s72 2,23O,0O0, compared with
$52145, 900 a year ago, gain of Sc
per cent. The best month this year
for private contracts in the Wash
ington area was April. followed by
June and March. The low point
was July. Mr. Johns said.
Public construction contracts
awarded by Federal, State and locaI
governments, amounted to S42 ,028,-
900 in the l1-month period, l02 per
cent ahead of the total at the same
point OF last year, s2o,85S,00o, he
added
Thomson With Bank 80 Years.
Eliot H. Thomson, publicity man
ager of the Washington Loan &
Trust Co., starts his seth year with
the institution tomorrow. He re-
ceived many congratulations yester-
day upon the completion Of 38 years
service. In addition to his splendid
record with the bank, he has long
been one of the finest teachers in
the American Institute of Banking
A close student of advertising, he
has received many honors from the
Financial Advertisers Association
and is at present a member of the
Advisory Council. AS member and
several times chairman of the Ad-
vertising Committee of the District
Bankers Association, Mr.. Thomson
has rendered that organization
much valued service.
Real Estate Dividend Voted.
Directors of the Real Estate Mort
gage & Guaranty Corp. have de-
clared a dividend of Is cents pei
share on the preferred stock, payable
December 26 to stockholders of rec
ord December Is, President Ralph
D. Quinter stated yesterday. This
dividend makes so cents paid this
year. against As cents last year.
Five shares of Riggs National
Bank common stock sold at 261 on
the Washington Exchange yester-
day. Gains in Capital Traction IS
featured trading on the exchange
during the week, and there was
much more activity in many other
issues.
Flather Given Special Honor.
G. Elmer Flather, assistant treas
urer of the Union Trust Co., has
been appointed to the National Ad-
vertising Committee of the Amer
lean Institute of Banking, it was
announced yesterday. Mr.. Flathel
Is member of the Board of Gov
ernors of Washington Chapter, has
been chairman of several local COM
mittees and has served as member
of the National Publicity Commit.
tee.
Secretary S. Wilson Camp of the
District Building and Loan League
announced yesterday that the
monthly meeting of the Executive
Council will take place Tuesday
noon at the Raleigh Hotel. Various
reports are to be presented.
Heard in Financial District.
d. E. Wisecarver has been elected
president of the Riggs Nationa
Bank Club, succeeding E. E. Fisher
who has guided the organization
during the last year. There arr
more than 300 members.
The Hamilton Bank Club will hav'
the most elaborate Christmas part.
at the Columbia Country Club
Thursday evening, yet attempted
George M. Rawzee, club president
will preside, while E. c. Graham
president of the bank, and Howard
w. Kacy, a director, will make brie
talks. Julian o. Cardin planned tn
program.
Stockholders of the Pennsylvani.
Railroad will receive checks tomor
row for the 81 dividend recently de-
clared. A year ago the compan.
paid only 81 to about 100000 share
holders.
Arundel Corp. has voted an extr,
dividend of so cents and the regula
quarterly dividend of Is cents, botl
payable December 81.
Non-farm real estate foreclosure
have reached a 12-year low, witt
American home owners setting ,
higher standard in meeting pay
ments on their mortgages than wa
true even in the prosperous year
of 1927 to 1890. officials of the Fed