Evening star., 1939-03-04
Postal Receipts Set
N-Time Record
For February
'TotoI Hits $577,684,
Against $547,277 in
Same 1888 Month
By EDWARD c. STONE.

IudGy revenues IpdCllllS pol I,Oof.Uo.
This total compares with $547,277.17
in February. 1888, an increase of
$50 ,40686, or 556 per cent.
Postal receipts in the Capital in
January totaled $652, 1870, as COM
pared with S582, 1859 in January, 1888,
an increase of more than $4,000, or
1902 per cent. These were the
figures that started 1889 off with a
new postal revenue record.
Receipts at the Washington office
in the first two months of the pres
ent year amounted to Sl229,873, in
comparison with S1,129.446 in jan
uary and February year ago, and
a gain so far in 1889 of sl00,427.
Taken as business indicator. to-
days figures from the City Post
Office reflect an uptrend in the
Capital.
The improvement in revenues is
In line with the recent statement
by Postmaster General Farley that
January earnings for the whole
country were we'll ahead of any
other January and that total earn
jngs for the first seven months OF
the Government fiscal year also
established a new record in postal
history.
Manufacturers Sales Rise.
Manufacturers sales during jan
uarv. 1899, increased almost 13 per
cent over last January. according to
reports from ,566 manufacturers CO.
operating in the monthly joint study
of the National Association of Credit
Men and the Bureau Of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce.
Total sales of this group of firms
during January of this year amount
ed to 293 million dollars, as COM
pared with a sales volume OF 26l
million dollars in January OF last
year and 304 million dollars during
December, 1898.
Collections during January
amounted to IS per cent of accounts
receivable outstanding on the first
of the month as compared with a
ratio of 73 per cent during January,
1888.
New Reports Are POpular.
Simplif1ed and more understand
able financial statements, being
adopted by increasing numbers OF
savings and loan association mem
bers of the Federal Home Loan
Bank System, are promoting public
confidence and good will in these
institutions. the Federal Home Loan
Bank Review reports in its current
issue.
The extension of this practice is
shown in the 1888 year-end state
ments of associations reaching the
office of the review. In the new
presentation of year-end reports to
the public the savings and loan in
stitutions showed four trends in
addition to simplicity of language:
Cd A more complete description
Of mortgage loans they hold; CD
emphasis upon the community
cooperation" aspect of savings and
loan, and the mutual plan under
which each investor shares equally
In earnings: 90 year to year COM
parsons of major balance sheet
items as an index of their progress,
end (4) use of q clear statement of
income and expense and distribu-
ton of earnings,
Outlook Held Favorable.
Reasons for confidence in the
business outlook for spring are i'm
pressive, says the National City
Banks March survey. The bank
explains:
"One of the chief ones which
minimizes the danger of slump,
Is that the upsWing has not been
pushed to extremes by speculation.
With the favorable prospect for
building, and Government spending
still to reach its peak, it is hard to
Justify expectations that the slack
ening will either last long or reach
serious proportions. and business
men generally take hopeful view
Moreover, some of the February
figures have turned out better than
the pessimists~ anticipated. Both
commodity and security markets
have strengthened moderately.
There were fears in the steel trade
that ingot output would fall below
80 per cent of capacity at some time
during the month, but in fact the
trend has been upward with gains
In each week but one.
"Department store sales, which
were disappointing in January and
early February. especially in the
Eastern cities, picked up in the mid
die of the month. Chain and mail
order sales were good in January,
uniformly showing gains over last
year. January farm income was
above a year ago, though only be-
cause of larger Government pay
ments.
Reports of this kind hardly &C
cord with fears of a slump, and some
Of the January disappointment
therefore has passed off. Moreover,
the European tension has relaxed
somewhat, and it is likely that there
Is less fear than heretofore of an
outbreak of war in 1885, The i'm
provement in the London stock
market has been impressive
Heard in Financial District.
Chauncey G. Parker, jr., partner
IN the investment and brokerage
Arm of Auchincloss, Parker e. Red
path, has been appointed manager
Of the next Community Chest Cam
paign. Mr.. Parker has already rem
dered very valuable service in vari-
Gus civic matters.
David Bornet, vice president of the
National Savings e. Trust Co., is
planning to attend the Eastern
Regional Conference of the Ameri-
can Bankers Association, to be held
In New York next week Other
Washington bankers are also max
Ing plans to be present.
Sidney F. Taliaferro. vice presi-
dent and trust officer of the Riggs
National Bank was receiving con-
gratulations today on his birthday