Evening star., 1944-12-17
Business Briefs
General BUSINESS Activit,

U
General Business Activity has
reached plateau, according to the
index of Business Week, which stood
in the latest week at 2307, un-
changed from the preceding week,
and compared with 230.l a month
ago, 1851 six months ago and 1893
a year ago.
Private Building Permits in 215
leading cities totaled SOC, ,455,6 in
November, drop of 86%o from the
previous month, but about double q
year ago, reported Dun & Bradstreet,
Inc. For II months of the year, the
total was $766, Ill ,733, highest since
l94l, and $500 above year ago
Cotton Textile Business was linn
tied to small lots of print cloths and
other allied constructions for quick
delivery in the last week Mills were
unwilling to make further commit
ments pending Qualification of Gov
ernment needs for the first half of
1945.
State and Municipal Financing
scheduled for the coming week totals
only $4545, 900 vs. $22 1885 ,624 last
week and weekly average for the
year to date of $21, ,704 800, the Daily
Bond Buyer announced
Bank Of America, N. T. g. S. A., OF
fering of 100000 common shares will
be marketed tomorrow by a Nation
wide syndicate headed by Eastman,
Dillon g. Co., Lehman Brothers and
First Boston Corp. Present holders
can subscribe for new shares at the
rate of for each held.
Louisville e. Nashville Railroad
asked ICC permission to issue s53,-
1885, 900 series F 3Ssqo first and re-
funding mortgage bonds to finance
retirement of three outstanding is
sues callable at los on April l. An
nual saving in interest was esti-
mated at S631 ,469.
Dallas Power e. Light Co., an oper-
atlng company in the Electric Power
& Light system, will refund $4,000
shares of 500 par 7eo preferred and
43,731 shares of So preferred. An
exchange offer may be made to
holders.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad re-
ported net income of S9,974.192 or
Sl2.l0 a share in 10 months ended
October 81 VS. 11,S10,735 or sI4.33 in
the same 1943 period
Erie Railroad net for II months of
1914 was S6.452 ,523 or s1.87 a share
VS.. $8,308.433 or s263 in the same
period last year.
Ferro Enamel Corp. earned S3O3.-
093 or 81 30 in months ended SEN
tember 80 VS.. 1894. 1873 or 81 .65 a year
| ago.
Lee Tire & Rubber Co. declared an
extra dividend of so cents and a reg
ular payment of so cents a common
share, both payable February /,
General Machinery Corn. declared
a dividend of ST share, payable De-
cember %.
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Rail-
road deferred action on a common
stock dividend and retirement of its
RFC loan. Purchase of new equip
ment is being considered.
Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad
Co., subsidiary of United States Steel.
has booked the heaviest orders for
steel rails in many years for 1945
delivery. Contracts total I43,3O0
tons. Jump of 50oo over the 1935-4o
average, and are expected to exceed
250000 tons.
Baldwin Locomotive Works pro-
Iduction is holding at record levels
and a substantial backlog of untitled
orders remains on the company s
books, Chairman Charles E. Brinlev
stated in a note to stockholders,
Chamberlin Metal Weather Strjn
Co. changed its name to Chamber
lin Co. of America because of its ex-
panded line of products and services
Blue Network Co., Inc, announced
K radio stations would become afili-
ated with it on June Is, 1945. includ-
ing WNAX. Sioux City; KRNT. Des
Moines; WCOP, Boston: WFTI,,
Miami; WPDQ, Jacksonville. and
WLAN, Lawrence, Mass.
National Broadcasting Co. named
sydney H. Eiges, acting manager of
the press department following
resignation of John McKav as man
ager to join the staff of King Fea-
lures Syndicate.
American Railway DEVELOPMENT
Association elected H. C. Millman
president. He is industrial agent for
the Pennsylvania Railroad. o, K
Qulvey, agricultural DEVELOPMENT
manager for the B. & o. was named
secretary-treasurer.