Evening star., 1939-02-05
D. Trade Tops
Previous Week
And 1893 Mark
Sharp Building Permit
Gain Also Revealed
In Commerce Survey
By EDWARD C. STONE

Retail trade in Washington
marched on again last week and
scored gains over the previous week
and the corresponding week year,
the Commerce Department reported
yesterday in reviewing business con-
ditions in 36 important cities.
Sales in Capital department stores
averaged 14.7l per cent ahead OF the
previous week and showed an in
crease of 224 per cent over the cor
responding week year ago, the
Commerce survey disclosed. The
gains were in line with the summary
of the previous week which also re-
vealed advances over both the 1889
and 1888 comparable periods.
All other reporting cities in the
Fifth Federal Reserve district noted
gains in retail trade over last years
comparatives, with the single eXcep-
ton of Baltimore where almost con-
tinuous rain gave business a setback.
Baltimore, however, reported quite
favorable wholesale orders for spring
goods, partly on account of the
earlier date of Easter this year.
Washington building permits re-
vealed particularly good advance,
totaling s1,62l 400, including an
100000 Doctors Hospital and
$450,000 Juvenile Court Building, in
comparison with only $4,000 in the
corresponding week last year. In
crossing the million mark, the weekly
figure exceeded the whole months
permits year ago.
Bank clearings in the Capital
amounted to $20051 ,129, off from
S21 ,126,999 a year ago. The number
of visitors at the Washington Monu-
ment was also below last year. Total
passenger revenues of the Capital
Transit Co., however, improved, with
a total of $213245 against S2O4, 900 a
year ago, the Commerce review
stated.
Gas Stock Leads D. C. Market.
January trading on the WASH
ington exchange was quite salts
factory. Washington Gas Light
preferred again led the activity in
stocks, about 800 shares changing
hands. Capital Transit was active
with more than 300 shares being
sold.
Considerable interest was again
manifested in bank stocks, prices
remaining firm. National Capital
Bank stock reached 142 against 1876
at the end of 1888. Liberty National
at 180 was up from 157 in 1898.
Riggs National common, at 274, was
higher than the 1888 close National
Bank of Washington. American Sc
curity & Trust and Washington
Loan & Trust were strong but prac-
tically unchanged.
January trading in bonds was
moderate but prices remained firm,
close to last years closing levels.
Yesterdays trading was quiet, be-
Ing confined to one very small sale
in Potomac Electric Power 51a per
cent preferred at lis.
Loan Chiefs Note Birthdays.
Today is the birthday of two
building and loan association presi-
dents, Eckert J. Sacks of the Wash
ington Permanent and John B. Har-
rell of the Columbia Building.
Born in Cassel, Germany, Febru-
ary S, 1848. Mr.. Sacks has been a
resident of Washington over Is
years. He helped organize the
$10,000,000 Washington Permanent
in 1881 and has been active in it's
affairs since them. His 91st birth
day anniversary finds him in excel
lent health.
John B. Harrell, born in Suffolk,
Va, celebrates his 73d birthday an
niversary today. In 1907 he founded
the Columbia Building Association
and has seen it grow to a $5 900 900
institution. At the 3lst annual
meeting last fall he was reelected
president for the 32d time Active
head of large organization, Mr..
Harrell can be found at his desk
every business day.
New Insurance Record Set.
w. Neal McCord, manager of the
Washington office of the Atlantic
Life Insurance Co. of Richmond,
Va, announces the largest January
business that his company has had
an office in Washington. Paid busi-
ness for the company as a whole
showed an increase of so per cent
over January, 1885,
A. G. RidgeWay, who has been as
sociated with the company in WASH
lngton for over Is years, achieved
the distinction of leading not only
the Washington agency in pail pro-
duction but the entire company as
we'll
Heard in Financial District.
Cary A. Hardee, receiver of the
Federal-American National Bank &
Trust Co. and the Commercial Ma
tional Bank, announced yesterday
that 10000 checks due former de-
positors in the two banks have not
been called for at his Office, 1886
New York avenue NV. They have
been ready for a month, he says,
urging greater cooperation on the
part of claimants.
State and municipal financing for
January aggregated $98,817 ,423 as
compared with $40 1888 1924 in Jan
uary, 1898, according to the Daily
Bond Buyer.
The January figure included a
$30,800,000 New York City issue as
we'll as $246000 of P. w. A. f1nanc-
ing and $173,000 for the R. F. G.
In January of last year P. w. A.
=. financing amounted to $320,000 and
r. F. C. $100,500.
A large delegation of Washington
bankers attended the annual ban
quet of New York Chapter, Ameri .
can Institute of Banking, in New
York last night.