Evening star., 1955-05-26
BY DONALD B. HADLEY

Department stores sales in the
Washington Metropolitan Area
were 2 per cent above a year
ago In April and up per cent
in the first four months of this
year, the Federal Reserve Bank
Of Richmond reported today.
Excluding suburban branches,
downtown Washington depart
ment store sales in April Jagged
2 per cent behind a year earlier,
and four months sales were up Z
per cent higher.
For the entire Fifth Federal
Reserve District, April sales were
4 per cent above year earlier
and four months sales were up l
per cent.
Another Hecht Store
The Hecht Co. will build a
large new department store on
Edmondson Avenue in Baltl-
more, across from the Edmond
son Village Shopping Center, the
company announced today.
To be known as the Hecht
Co., Edmondson. the new store
will have around 100000 square
feet and parking space for
around 1900 cars in addition to
the space for $500 cars in the
Edmondson center.
It will occupy a 11la acre site
and will be similar in design to
the Hecht Co., Norwood.
Follow Market Pattern
Public offering of So million OF
Washington Gas Light Co. bonds
is following the pattern of other
issues in the crowded schedule
of utilities bond offerings this
week. ..-
Officials of Blair & Co. in New
York said the WGL bonds are
going "a little slowly" but
pointed out the market was hav-
ing to digest an abnormally
large volume of offerings. Other
issues also moved slowly.
The VIGIL bonds were market
ed at 1O1.675 to yield $40 per
cent to maturity by a group
headed by Blair & Co. and Bax-
ter, Williams & Co.
Gets National Post
Miss Florinda Sariego of the
National Savings & Trust Co.
has been appointed member OF
the National Publicity Commit
tee of the American Institute Of
Banking.
She will have charge of ALB
publicity for District 4, which
includes the District, Maryland.
Virginia, Delaware, North and
South Carolina. She was ap-
pointed by Ralph H. Mittendorf.
assistant vice president of the
American Security & Trust Co.,
who is a member of the execu-
tive council of the ALB.
Miss Sariego also will be a
delegate to the national ALB
convention in Miami. Fla. May
30-June 3. Other Washington
delegates include:
Olen Thompson. William H.
Smith and Harry Schoenly. all
of the Riggs National Bank;
William c. Yowell and Louise
Pike, National Bank of Wash
ington; Callie Deaconson and
Louis Rowe, Anacostia National
Bank: William r. Reading, Sub
urban Trust Co.: Clayton Doing,
American Security & Trust:
Julie Roche, Munsey Trust Co.
B. & o. Net Up Sharply
Net income of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad was $6,308,211
in four months this year, COM
pared with So, 868,764 a year
ago, the road reported today.
The April net was $1,995,996 VS..
$1,110.842
A jump in freight volume
raised four months operating
revenues to $127,5l0,514 from
$123,170,373 a year ago. April
revenues totaled $35,1O7.734 VS..
$3l 1857
Coast Line Revenues Lag
Net income of Atlantic Coast
Line in four months was $4,-
851,663, compared with $4,649.-
376 a year earlier. April net
totaled $1,436,97l VS.. $1,350,663.
A recent strike on connecting
lines cut April recenues to $13,-
796,331 from $13,907,722 year
earlier. Four months revenues
aggregated $56.449.755 VS.. $751;
073,796.
Liberty Bank Dividend
Directors of the Liberty Ma
tional Bank have declared re-
gular semi-annual dividend of 3
per cent. equal to SO share on
capital stock, President w. T.
Vandoren announced today.
The dividend will be payable
July l to holders of record at
the close of business on June %.
Transfer books will not be closed.
Garfinckel Dividends Voted
Directors of Julius Garflnckel
& Co. yesterday declared quar-
terly dividends of 343s cents a
share ON the 5la ner cent con-