Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-06
Auto Sales in District
Mount 101 Per Cent
Above February, 1888
Reserve Bank Review
Also Reports Notable
Advance in BUILDING
BY EDWARD c. STONE.

odllk Vi flClllHOlu reported IOQ1N
in the monthly review of business
and finance.
Dealers in the District of Co.
lumbia sold 2138 new automobiles
in February this year against 1868
IN February year ago. the re-
port said. In the first two months
of 1889 sales reached 1920 cars. N
two months of 1888, an increase of
81 per cent.
Maryland reported 2297 sales in
February. an increase in registra-
tons of 50 per cent over last year
In the same month. In the first
two months of this year sales
reached 4,783 new cars. an I'M
provement of 81 per cent over the
like period in 1888, according to
the L. R. Polk figures
Virginia sales in February to-
tailed 2606 new cars and were 90
per cent ahead of last year. The
two months record showed sales
of 5,649 cars, pickup over last
year OF q per cent. Sales in the
whole fifth district in February
reached 1886 cars, a gain Of 81
per cent over February. 1898. and
in the two months numbered 26666
cars. an improvement of "A per
cent, the Richmond report stated
d. c. Building Up 81 Per Cent.
Contracts actually awarded for
all types of construction work in
the fifth district in February to-
falling Sl9,742 900 showed seasonal
reduction from recent months, but
were 20 per cent above February
1888.
Washington made the best per-
centage gain. Contracts totaled So
BOT 900 against 1902 900, an advance
in February this year Of "a per cent.
The average gain for the fifth dis
trict was 80 per cent. for Maryland
Sd per cent and for Virginia 40 per
cent.
Building permits issued in 81
fifth district cities in February
totaled s7,2l6892, approximately the
same as S72169l4 for February,
1888. Sixteen cities reported larger
figures and IS reported smaller fig
ures than for the corresponding
month last year.
Washington led in estimated valu-
alton figures for February, 1889,
with 1927 04l followed by Charles
ton. S c.. with S649292. Baltimore
with S645 492, Richmond with S452,-
633, and Durham with s342 $50
Wholesale Trade Up Slightly.
Wholesale trade in 206 firms aver
aged per cent above the volume of
business in February last year, the
report said. Sales totaled S98l3O00
against $9469,000 Trade was off 3
per cent from January.
Retail sales of 80 department
stores in the fifth district amount
ed to S6,5742 gain Of l per cent
over January and off l per cent
from February year ago Sales in
some of the smaller cities and towns
were better than last year but the
larger cities pulled the average
down, except Washington which had
slight gain.
Debts to individual accounts in
"a cities exceeded February, 1888,
by 4 per cent. The aggregate
amount of checks cashed against
of Columbia disclosed a seasonal
decline of Is per cent from January
but an advance of per cent from
February, 1888 Debts totaled 1920
$1,000. In the whole district debts
were up 4 per cent from last year
Other Impressive Gains.
There were other impressive adj
vances over February, 1888. Cot
ton consumption in bales was Up
30 per cent. rayon yarn shipments
in pounds advanced SO per cent and
soft coal mined tonnage stepped up
"a per cent
Bankruptcies were more numerous
than in February last year but LA
bllitles were lower than a year ago
or in January Of the present Year
In conclusion, the Richmond report
stressed the Importance of the ad-
vance in building awards over the
past several months and the favor
able effect of funds distributed to
farmers by Federal agencies, since
they tend to mitigate the unfavor-
able turn in the purchasing power
OF cotton planters.
Employment conditions revealed
very little change. The number on
pay rolls in Washington was down
OF per cent from January and the
amount of pay rolls Is per cent
from January. the review stated.
Both Maryland and Virginia re-
ported increases in the number on
pay rolls and the amounts of pay
rolls.
Peoples Drug Sales Climb.
Net sales of Peoples Drug Stores,
Inc, for the month of March totaled
$1.059 62l 33, in comparison with
S1.770,l8412 in March, 1888 an IN
crease of s89.43721, or sos per cent,
it was reported at the head office of
the big chain here today.
Net sales in the first quarter were
also announced and showed a gam
over the like three months in 1888
Sales totaled s5,3699 4917, compared
with S5,l69,48934 year ago, an
increase of 5000 45982. or 387 per
cent.
Sales in March alone were better
than in February, when the gain was
Ats per cent above the correspond
ing month in 1888. Sales so far this
year are also we'll ahead of the
average gain for the full year 1888.
Trust Company Votes Dividend.
Directors of the Washington Loan
& Trust Co. at the regular meeting
of the board yesterday declared a
quarterly dividend of 2 per cent, pay
able on May l to stockholders Of
record on April %. This will be the
second distribution made this year,
the first having been paid on Feo-
ruary /. President Harry G.. Meem
reported to the board gain in de-
posts since the beginning of the
year of over S1,000,O00.