Evening star., 1940-07-05
1872 Wholesale Firms
In Fifth District
Report Sales Gains
Trade Up 10 Per Cent
In May Compared
With Lost Year
BY EDWARD c. STONE.

firms in the Fifth Reserve District,
Including Washington, averaged 10
per cent higher in May than in May,
1889, the Federal Reserve Bank of
sRichmond's latest review states.
3 Wholesale firms handling indus
trial supplies scored the best gains,
with 80 per cent upturn over last
year. Electrical goods were second
an demand, with a sales jump of 81
per cent. Paper and paper products
stood third, up Is per cent.
The demand for auto supplies was
4 per cent better than last year,
drugs showed per cent gain, dry
goods disclosed a fine gain of II per
scent and So grocery concerns noted
gan advance of per cent. Hardware
Ssales were up per cent, tobacco and
stobacco products 9 per cent, and
miscellaneous goods IA per cent, the
sreview says.
& Wholesale shoe demand dropped
40 per cent under May, 1899, and
plumbing and heating sales were
down 8 per cent, these two furnish
Ing the only decreases in the list.
Compared with April of this year,
sales were up 4 per cent, with dry
goods and miscellaneous sales lead
fing the list with II per cent up
Swings. Dollar volume of May sales
was $12,617,000 against l,427 900
year ago, the review revealed.
Il The same review states that retail
FURNITURE sales in Washington in
May were practically the same as
,iast year but in the first five months
spf this year scored per cent gain
Icver the like period year ago. In
sthe Fifth District 36 stores reported
9 per cent gain in May and IA per
gent in the five months. Maryland
'sales were up Is and 81 per cent and
'Virginias 8 and per cent, respec-
lively.
II Washington Gas May Net OFF.
Z Operating revenues of the WASH
ington Gas Light Co. for May, shown
by the monthly report filed with the
Public Utilities Commission, were
.$726,517, an increase of S52,14O over
May last year. Operating expenses.
including taxes, increased SGT OO8.
amounting to S568,244, compared
with s5ol ,236 for May, 1899.
incorporating income decreased
Sl,Ol6 to total of S22 800 for Nav
this year. The report shows a saw
ing of $1,794 in income deductions
which amounted to s66,525, and
net income for May of $114,638 this
year, against s128,72S a year ago, a
decrease of $14,09O.
Ihe net result of operations for
the first five months of this wear
was a net income of S1,1O7.489,
gain of s153,711 over the same period
in 1899.
The report also shows gas sales
of l,067 ,384 M cubic feet in Nav this
year, an increase of los ,71O M cubic
feet, or ii per cent over May last
year. There we're 9,527 meters in
service on May 81 this year. an
increase of 4,497 over the same date
last year.
The company expended approx;
mately $4,000 in May and SAP 900
in the first five months of 1910 for
extensions to its property to provide
Tor service requirements of Gus
toners.
Credit Executives Honored.
At the annual convention of the
National Retail Credit Association
just concluded in San Antonio
Frank P. Scott, credit manager of
Woodward & Lothrop, was elected
a director and made a member of
the Executive Committee. Abe
Coonin of William Hahn & Co.
heads the Legislative Committee. of
which Charles NJ Keefer, credit
manager of S. Kann Sons Co., is
also member.
Mrs. Martha Bean Gleason of
Brooks, Inc, was elected recording
secretary of the Credit Womens
Breakfast Clubs of North America
and James S. Eiseman of the WASH
ington Credit Bureau was elected
vice president of the collection man
agement division New York was
awarded the convention for June,
1941.
Home Life Makes June Record.
The Home Life Insurance Co. of
New York reported today that June
was the best business month this
year, showing 20 per cent increase
over June, 1899. The Holleman
agency here was one of the leaders
in the new policy total. The six
months total was the highest for
any first half year since 1881 and
was II per cent more than in the
same period last year and 10 per
cent better than the average for the
like period in the past five years.
The average policy was for more
than $4,000, the report stated.
Dollars and Sense Appears.
Dollars and Sense, official organ
of Washington Chapter, American
Institute of Banking, appeared in
the financial district today, the July
number being one of the best pub
lished in long time. The members
of the staff include A. E. Henze of
w. B. Hibbs & Co., editor: j. George
Dagenais, Riggs National; Richard
Ehlis, American Security & Trust
Co.: j. K Ireland, Washington Loan
& Trust Co.; Arthur Meade, Lincoln
National. and Miss Rose Royce,
Washington Loan & Trust Co., as
sistant editors
The July issue covers all the latest
chapter activities, letters from chap
ter officers. the Boston convention,
the Hot Springs convention and a
list of some 200 students completing
the second semester's banking
studies.
Coffee Firm Votes Dividend.
Directors of the John H. Wilkins
Co., coffee and tea merchants, have
declared semi-annual dividend of
4 per cent on the outstanding pre-
ferred stock and dividend of $1.50
per share on the common stock, both
payable on July Is, President John
H wilkins announced today.
Trading was light on the Wash