Evening star., 1952-01-02


an estimated $1,669, AL 900, a gain
Of 2 per cent from a year earlier,
including $1,213, ,367 900 in Wash
tngton itself, an increase Of / per
cent. and $456, ,074 900 in adjoining
Maryland and Virginia suburbs,
rise of 4.8 per cent. The area total
for 1941 was $621 million.
Payrolls Up IL Per Cent.
Public and private payrolls In
the area for November were esti-
mated at $195 $50, 900 for $4,000
persons. a gain of IL per cent from
$l74.310,000 distributed to 583, 500
persons in November, 1850.
In Washington itself, govern
ment and private payrolls for No
vember were estimated at 1884,
777,000 for sol, 900 persons, COM
pared with $144, 1921 900 for 472 ,229
persons in November, 1850. Back
in November, 1941, the totals were
only $60,518,000 and 406,5 per-
sons.
Population of the area, re-
ported at 1,464,089 in the official
census of April l. 1850, passed the
is million mark during 1851 and
is expected to gain further in 1852.
Tentative estimates at the end of
1851 placed the total around L.
$4,000.
Housing to be Problem.
Hn11ciV7c r1ri11 iAiv,
as a first-class problem in 1852,
although housing for higher-sal-
aried workers became more plen-
tiful temporarily in the last two
months Of 1851.
Homes for lower -salaried and
medium-income workers were
scarce late in 1851 and are ex-
pected to become more so as 1852
progresses. The reason: less resi-
dental construction to take care
of population growth. Residential
construction declined gradually in
1851 and is expected to continue
downward in the coming year.
Transportation was acclaimed
the No. l problem for Washington
business in 1851, and the Board of
Trade began a series of general
membership luncheons to con-
slider the problem of preserving
downtown business volumes.
In the meantime, business con-
tinued to mushroom in the sub
urbs There were rumors of
plans for several more big subur-
ban store developments at the
year end.
Imitation Race Continues.
Many stores here had record
sales in 1851, but expenses also
climbed. What worried mer-
chants at the year end was the
lack Of flexibility in the CPR q
regulation of the Office of Price
Sterilization. Rising costs are not
recognized and adjustments in
prices are not permitted.
The retailers in 1852 will at
tempt to persuade the OPS to
provide for adjustments and at
the same time are hoping to trim
expenses. Customers may be
asked to help pay the cost of
wrapping, delivery and other serv-
ices previously offered without
charge.
One Of the major props for con-
sumer pocketbooks growing thin
in the race against rising prices
was an average 9.4 per cent in
crease in salaries of more than
275,000 classified Governm n t |
workers here. effective November
l. There were other pay in
creases in private establishments,
but in general wages did not keep
up with prices.
Public utilities attempting to
keep pace with rapid growth of
the area also were pinched by in
flation. They will wage a deter
mined drive for higher rates in
1852 and are expected to cut ex-
penses wherever possible.
Banks in Good Condition.
Washington's 10 banks and trust
companies had total assets Of
around $l,3l6,989.000 in mid
December, a gain of almost $71
million since the end of 1850. De-
posits of $1,227 1890 were upI
around $65 million and outstand-
ing loans of $374,807, 600 were
around $27 million higher.
To get the full picture of
growth. go back 10 years to the
end of 1941. when assets totaled
only $548, ,004 900, deposits amount
ed to $495 ,554. 900 and loans ag-
gregated $144,649,000
Bank clearings for the full year
set q record Of $5,241, ,283, ,499, a
gain Of IL per cent from the pre-
vious year and about triple their
l94l mark. Debts to individual
accounts for IL months of the year
totaled $11,843, ,477.000. q rise of
a