Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-01-02

lied In II months.
Area employment Stabilized
after midyear and BY November
was slightly above q year ago.
Both Government and private
Jobs Increased and November
payrolis were THE highest for
that month on record.
A further moderate expansion
In trade Is Indicated for the
coming year, especially in the
first half. Additional gains also
are expected In population and
buying power.
Competition Gets Rough.
Business increased in 1854, but
the number Of Arms seeking 9
share Of Il increased faster. Re-
tail competition was particularly
rough IA the suburbs. but down.
town stores also were busy with
expansion plans and protaoti ons
to attract attention tot wider
selections Of merchandise
The community wide program
to solve the traffic problem adj
vanced further in the year. The
new East Capitol Street Bridge,
to be opened acrpss the Ana
costa River Iii 4 few months
was q major item. Money was
appropriated and planning be-
gan for the new Constitution
Avenue Bridge across the Poto-
mac.
From the business standpoint.
however, the most significant
long-range step In years was
the oficial beginning Of the
Southwest redeyelopment prej-8
ect which through investmentof
several hundreds Of millions of
dollars will restore a vast amount
Of former sIums to the tax rolls
and broaden the dwindling prop
erty base for District taxes. It
viii help remove o real danger
to all businesses operating IN the
Capital.
Search for Locations.
still more shopping centers
and enlargement Of existing
ones were scheduled In the sub
urbs. "A search for the most de-
sirable locations absorbed food,
drug and variety chain manage
ments as well as general nler-
chandise organizations. Addi-,
tional downtown merchants In
dicated plans to establish SUBJ
urban branches.
Especially in the suburbs,
stores with the largest selection
Of merchandise were In q ia
vored position. In recognition Of
this. . number of leading units
will be enlarged In coming
months.
However, there were outstand-
ing examples Of smaller shops
which bhcked the trend with
substantial sales gains. Quality
goods and above4average sely-
ices generally were responsible.
Small Gain Recorded.
Area retail trade was esti-
mated at $2,O05, 600, 900 at the
years end, q gain of around 4
per cent from revised figures for
the previous year.
A District Of Columbia esti-
mate Of 1890. 100000 was 2,per
cent behind 1858, while nearby
Maryland and Virginia sections
had $7i5.000, an increase Of 8
per cent.
Area department store sales
also set d record and finished the
year with q gain of 2 per cent
from 1853. while those Of down.
town department stores alone
were about even with last year.
Some set new records. however.
Food sales In the area were
about 5 per cent above q year
earlier. while automotive trade
was down 4 per cent. Apparel
stores had q decline Of 5 per cent.
Results Of the 1854 census Of
business which are to be COM
piled In the coming year viii
supply badly needed statistics to
take the place Of fraginentary
reports upon which present es-
Inmates must be based.
Population stiIl Growing.
Area population was estimated
at 1895. 900. . gain Of $4,000
from 9 figure of l.676,000 q year
ago and s6O,9li ahead of the last
official census count Of ,46i.0s9
on April l. 1850.
A District Of Columbia es-
innate Of 100000 was 10000
above Q year earlier and 57.S22
ahead Of 1850.
Maryland sections were cred
tied with $4,000. up. $1,000 IN
the year and l6l,liT ahead Of
1850. Virginia sections had 44s.-
scontinusd q Pass CO. col =,
X