Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-29
Capital Store Orders
On April 80 Nearly
Double Year Ago
Inventories Register
5 Per Cent Increase
Over 1910 Mark
BY EDWARD C. STONE.

BY EDWARD c. STONE.
Washington department stores
had 90 per cent more outstanding
orders for merchandise on April 80
than on the same date a year ago,
the Federal Reserve Bank of Rich
nond reported today.
Stores in the whole fifth district
averaged 80 per cent more outstand-
ing orders than year ago; Balti-
more store orders were up 80 per
cent and Richmond "a per cent.
A group of other cities reported 4
IS per cent gain in goods on order.
Collections in Washington depart
ment stores during April were %
per cent of bills outstanding at the
beginning of the month. This mark
was Just under the 80 per cent col
lection record for the fifth district,
80 per cent in Richmond, 81 per cent
in Baltimore and 80 per cent in a
group Of other cities, the Richmond
review said.
Stocks of goods on hand in Capt.
tai stores at the end of April were
S per cent higher than year ago,
April trade was up % per cent and
IA per cent in the four months over
last year, the report added.
Private Construction Climbs.
Privately-owned construction &C
fivity in the Washington Metropoli-
tan Area during January-through-
April advanced beyond the same
1910 months and had favorable
valuation margin of nearly $30,000,-
400 over the total for public projects,
n. A. Johns, Washington manager
of Dodge Reports, announced today.
While some part of the business
can be attributed to the defense
program, normal sources are provid-
ing an increasing volume, he added.
The materials-and Labor contracts
for private work in the Washington
Metropolitan Area moved up 10
s3S 100 900 during January April in
q 70 per cent upswing over So ,l48,-
900 in the 1910 months.
Some of the prominent private
Jobs in the washington Metropolitan
Area. included in the April awards,
are the office building for the Com
monwealth Properties, Inc on K
street NV; warehouse for Stewart
Brothers, Inc, on Fifteenth street
NE; Nativity Church on North
Dakota avenue NV; addition to
the Apostolic Mission House and
convent at Fourth and Hamlin
streets NE.
Public construction contracts had
q four months total Of s8,918,OOO
and were % per cent behind $l2,-
474.0O0, the level for the months
in 1910.
Publicly owned jobs for which
contracts were awarded in April in
cluded the runWays, aprons and
other improvements to the Wash
ington National Airport; trunk
sewers in the Big Hollow section OF
Alexandria, Mr.. Johns said.
Three Directors Elected.
Members of the District of Column
bia Life Underwriters Association
elected three new directors at the
May luncheon at the Lee Sheraton
Hotel yesterday.
The new directors. to serve for
three-year terms, are Paul w. Ham,
mack, Prudential, who is president
OF the Life Insurance Club; Warren
w. Stone, New York Life, and
Thomas L. O'Brien, Massachusetts,
Mutual.
There are six other directors
whose terms have not yet expired.
The nine men will meet shortly to
elect the president of the association |
for the coming year. that office now
being held by John D. Marsh.
At yesterdays meeting, Joseph A.
Mari, of the Penn Mutual, explained
the present status of legislation now
before Congress in which the UNDER
writer's are especially interested.
Palmer on Bankers Program.
Charles F. Palmer, co-ordinator,
Defense Housing Division, ONCE for
Emergency Management, will be one
of the principal speakers at next
weeks annual convention of the
District Bankers Association, at Hot
Springs, President A. M. McLachlen
announced today. He will speak on
defense Housing and Finance"
Mr.. Palmer has been contributor
to housing and real estate publica-
tions, and came to Washington from
Atlanta where he was very active In
real estate, and a former president
of the Atlanta Chamber of Com
merce. He is a member OF the
International Federation for Hous-
ing and Town Planning, member
of the American Legion, Army and
Navy and Cosmos Clubs. Born in
Michigan, he attended Dartmouth
College.
Staggered Pay Days Favored.
Members of the District OF Co.
lumbia Building and Loan League,
meeting yesterday at the Raleigh
Hotel. voted unanimously in favor
of the proposed staggering OF Gov
eminent pay days. The present
semi monthly system throws great
deal of extra work in the late after
moons of the two present pay days.
Building and loan officers would be
glad to see these pay days increased
In order to reduce the rush periods.
About $50 building and loan Of
ficers and directors have already
made reservations for the leagues
annual outing at the Washington
Golf and Country Club on June 10,
President william N. Payne, Jr..
stated. Chaplin B. Bauman is chair
man of the Arrangements Commit
tee. A golf tournament will be
played before the, dinner
Jones Joins Coffee Exchange.
Robert C. Jones, head of the in
vestment firm bearing his name, has
>1sz&.L hin In the