Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1926, Page 20

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1926.’ Capital Found 1926 Year of Progress as Well as of Administrative Turbulence ' TWO COMMISSIONERS GIVE “UP POSITIONS DURING 1926 Several Aides Also Leave Service of District—City Projects Make o ignificant Into the pages of the history of the District government 1926 will be put | Aown as probably the most disturbing | period in its history. Fraught with | congressional investigations and om- | inous threats of others, the year also | narked the g of two Commis- | sloners——one who resigned to “travel | and play” after almost a decade of Bntiring service to the city, and the | pther who went out office at the | dusta President Coolidge after a br nistration of 13 months, Auri h time he had been almost | & constant target of criticism | pass Cuno H. Rudoiph, whose popularity as a District Commissioner was most emphatically acclaimed at recent | testimonial dinner put of of- | November record for | lleled by only | decessors. In e put Sidney F v lawyer and long-time | resident of Washington 1 The resignation Tenning and sens with service par Jany pr . Coolic of Frederick A ea 1 sequel to a long tional attack on him in Con d by | r Representative | anton of Texas. Tt brought the storm Aministration | of any District Commissioner. e- | tor L. Dougherty. a prominent and | ardent civie worker, succeeded him. | Both Mr. 1 rerty and Mr. Talia ferro took office under recess appoint ments. 1 the new year finds them awaiting confirmation by the Senate. | Other Changes Made. | i important, these nel of the Board not completely other shifts of | District s ln Bell. En- | two of his m H. Hol- | A. Wheeler. in} While the most changes in the 1 of Commissioners did overshadow several primary terest in the fee. Lieut. Col.J. Frank gineer Commissionier, three assistants, M combe and Mai. Raymond who e red to oth the Summer by the Chief of of the Arm heir places were filled ¢ Capt. Herbert (. Whitehurst and | Layson E. Atkins, who with| W. E. . Covell, form the trio of assistant engineer commissioners Aside from the administrative phase, trict had a year marked by ble progress. The appro-| tions were, in general. more adequate than those for any previous year since the United States entered the World War., The five-year school-building pro- gram was well under way. The new water supply syvstem approached com- pletion. Material pro was made in the installation of new street lights fh accordance with the plan approved | for the entire District. Considerable | fmprovement was made in the condi tion of the downtown streets, and several streets were widened, but there are yet more than 700,000 square yards of street paving slated for re- placement that is more than 30 years old. Construction Advancing. The construction of ldings at the District Workhouse 4 Reformatory is going forw: d the construction of the new T ct Training School is progressing to e satisfaction of the Commissioners. raffic conditions have been improved permanent | matn | companies of the District. Advance. by the installation of automatic con- trol lights and permanent signs, and the public is becoming accustomed to the new regulations. Private building construction ex ceeded all previous records, and as a consequence appropriations for many purposes, such as water and sewer extensions, suburban roads, cleaning, garbage, ash and collections, playgrounds and hardly sufficed to main- ndards of service hereto- hed. otable in the legislation beneficial to the District enacted by Congress was the act creating the new Public Utilities Commission, the personnel of which has not yet been named by the President. This commission will re- lieve the two civilian Commissioners of one of the most important and time- consuming tasks of their onerous du- ties. Created also during the year was the Board of Public Welfare, which has supervision over all charitable and penal institutions of the District. George S. Wilson, secretary of the Board of Charities since its creation in 1900, board. The hoard itself is composed of nine persons who have long been prominently identified with social and welfare work in the Natlonal Capltal Buildings Create Problem. The plans of the Federal Govern- ment to erect a number of new public buildings on the triangle south of Pennsylvania avenue presented the Commi: lem, which has not yet been com- pletely solved. Contemplating, as it does, the removal of all municipal ac- tivities from this area, the Commis- sioners have been forced to search for other quarters and other locations for these necessary functions A bill already has gone to Congress provid- ing for the acquisition of a new site for the Farmers' Produce Market, but the Commissioners are still pondering over the question of locating the po- lice station, two fire houses, Traflic Bu- reau, Women's Bureau of the Police Department, municipal garage, Em- ployment Bureau and the Health De- partment’s medical clinic, which will have to be moved from the triangular area. Outstanding among the activities of the Public Utilities Commission was the drafting of & bill to force the long- proposed merger of the stréet railway The meas. ure is now before Congress, with pro- visions for both rewards and penalties for the traction companies—rewards if they merge voluntarily, and vere penalty in the form of a 50 per cent increase in the gross revenue tax if they fail to do so. The commission also during the year severed its official relations with the Washington Rapid Transit Co., be- cause of a charge by Willlam McK. Clayton, who is now serving as the commission’s temporary.legal adviser, street trash | that the North American Co. acquired the capital stock of the motor bus company in an illegal manner. This action halted temporarily a move on the part of the bus company to obtain permission to charge a straight cash tare of 10 cents on its bus lines within *he District. JFIRE DEPARTMENT. = the year totaled approximatel, §1,340,000, the most costly conflagration having occurred at Bolling Field the first month of the year, where the loss totaled $399,740. .Chief Watson succeeded in adding to the department's equipment, three pumpet three hose wagons, two auto- mobiles and one tank truck i Only one member of the department | was killed in_line of duty, Pvt. E. F. Laughton of No. 25 Engine Company, and one died from natural causes, Pvt. G. A. Gaffney of No. 6 Engine Com- win Installation 14 Truck Com- pany in the quarters of No. 28 Engine Company, Connecticut avenue and Borter street, proved gratifying to res- 1dents of that scetion. Members of the department retired this year included: Battalion Chief Charles ¥. Beers; Capts. E. L. Moffett, W. A. Dixon and T. F. Warren; rgts. T. Inscoe, J. H. Swann, H. W. Hollidge and A. Schneider, end Pvts. r. 1. Mothershead, Michael Gal- lagher, R. I. Williams, W. H. Melch- ior, G. H. De Perini, J. A. Cotter and A Elliott. Monthly Record of Losses. Fire losses the first month of the year reached the large sum of $538,835, the aln unprecedented amount resulting a fire at the Army Air vic ation, ng where the loss amounted to A tof of 420 alarms were during the month, ng | 2 false, 13 for fires outside Fire losses duri ived needless thie Distric Alarr of February (o 7 talse, 13 nee res outside the attention of th the month totaled Tosses the followini month, March, totaled $124,883. an increase over the preceding month, the heaviest loss having resulted from an early morn fire in 's drug store and sorir Ninth and ¥ ss totaled 48. | ring the month to- 43 false and 11| and 10 were fires out- the month There were 7 alarms for to claim the Losses for received ded Hess during and District firemen. ing neigh streets, Alarms 1o taled needless alarms sifle District Firemen re during the n fires were where the | There 496 were onded 463 alarms b of April, 19 of them the District. Ther alarms, and in » loss resulted. month amounted May's Report Small. rms during the month of | 3 sses to building s amounted to only $44 s and twenty-si false al Juded in the total number ke month. The most dis “xtrous the month was in an | apartment house and business places t 16 surtcenth street, wher prope of $4,625 was ported. A M and c 905. ¥ a re- £9.350 was poccasioned by fire oceurred in op the n: sie i between Ninth and Tenth streets the morning of June 15, the most disastrous fire during the sixth month the year. There was a total of alarms during the month, 10 of them false and 2 for fires outside the District. Losses totaled $50,879 ar the mont} The month of July, when losses usually were heavy before the inaugu ratior ¢ und sane manner of celebr independence day, proved itisfac i for the month to- of ve buildings | them were false and 2 were from fires outside the District Decreases Are Shown. Losses in August, resulting from 178 alarms, totaled only $29,522. Twenty-three of the alarms were false and 2 were for fires in neigh- boring States. ptember losses showed a still further decrease to a total of $19,019. There were 177 alarms sounded dur- ing the 30-day period, 24 of them false and 3 for fires outside the Dis- trict. Fire losses the following month, October, amounted to $29,676, result- ing from 241 alarms, 48 of them false and 3 for fires outside the Distri There were 283 alarms sounded dur- ing the month of November, 53 of them false and 3 for fires in neighbor- ing States. Losses during the month totaled $81,733. More than 200 alarms were received by the department the last month of the year, only 3 from outside the Di: trict. Losses amounted to practically $200,000. CORONER’S OFFICE Dr. J. Ramsay Nevitt, District coro- ner, had a busy year. He conducted in- vestigations into 1,700 deaths and con- ducted 165 inquests. Several times in the course of the year he conducted two or three inquests in a single day, facilitating _the work and saving money for the District, the law pay- ing jurors for day’'s work and not for individual case Thirty-seven instances of murder came to the attention of the coroner and jury, while inquests in traffic deaths numbered 77. Drivers of aut mobiles in death cases were held for grand jury action in 31 instances, the cases being reported under the head of manslaughter. In addition to the foregoing the cor- oner conducted inquests in numerous instances of deaths from accidents of various kinds and was called upon to investigate 85 ins nces in which per- sons took their own lives, One hundred and nineteen accidental deaths, exclusive of 77 killed in traffic cidents, were among those investi- guated by the coroner, making a total of 196 accidental deaths during the vear. In two Instances of suicide the victims ended their lives by jumping from the Washington Monument. DEPARTMENT. ‘While members of the Pollce De- | partment were unable to register a 100 pe nt recprd for solving crimes committed during the year, records of the department show that a large of proportion of them have been satisfac- torily disposed of. There were numer- ous unsolved crimes on the books at the close of the year, and Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of police, and Inspector Henry G. Pratt, chief of detectives, hope they will be solved be fore the close of the present vear. Two members of the force were killed In line of duty, Leo W. K. Busch being slain in a fight with |bandits, while Edward A. Skinner lost his life in a motor vyele accident. Detective Arthur B. Serivener was killed by a pistol bullet, a coroner’ jury concluding he was slain by an unidentified individual, but many of- fic engaged in an | were satisfied he ook h Mrs. Irene L. Hubbs, | most bureau, died as a result of illness, others whose names were added tc the department’s death toll being De own life. one of the taling $30,098. Alarms during the mor only tective Howard Vermillion and Harry E. Beck, the latter having died sud- was chosen direttor of this | sioners with a perplexing prob- | investigation ctive members of the woman's | appointed T intendent of police. . Fowler, District health office | corporation counsel; Maj. Layson BY EDWARD C. STONE. hington is today rounding out the best normal business and financial year in its history As the spotlight flashes upon the achievements during 1926 steady growth is revealed in many lines— marked expansion in retail trade, in- creased bank clearings, a firm tone in local stocks and bonds and a sharp in- crease in savings deposits, including a $1,000,000 gain in Christmas savings club funds. While the financial supports under numerous banks in various parts of itry have crumbled, it is most j gre 1z 1o note that 1926 has wit- {nessed no such failures in Washing- ton. Regular dividends have been paid, extras declared, capital and sur- plusés strengthened and sound busi- ness principles rigidly enforced. Banks Report Prosperous Year. Washington banks report a prosper- ous year. The only two Treasury bank calls in 1926 revealed increases in deposits in nearly every Institution. Savings have grown rapidly, aithough they are still considerably behind the per capita average for the whole coun- try. The banks' united advertising drive to boost Christmas savings brought remarkable results. Banking_ facilities were greatly im- proved and expanded during the year. The Federal-American National Bank moved into its handsome new home at the corner of Fourteenth and G streets. This bank s understood to be the first in the country to adopt cageless counters, although New York now is copying the idea. The Chevy Chase Savings Bank also moved into a most attractive new building, and just over the District line the Bank of Bethesda opened one of the finest banks of its #ize anywhere In the country. In addition to these new banking quarters almost every Institution In the city has either enlarged its facili- ties or made extensive improvements in the interiors. In several instances bank exteriors were also much beau- tifled. ! In June the District of Columbla Bankers’ Association completed a most constructive r under the leader- ship of Fran G. Addison, jr., and unched into another active 12 months Bottom row, left to right: Capt. Herbert C. Whitehurst, H&E. under the guidance of Howard Moran. Capital Traction stock led the year's trading on the Washington Stock Ex- change, more than 12,000 shares changing hands, closing quotations around 104 being almost the same as final prices in 19 Washington Light stock was another active issue, final quotations near 71 being slightly under the price of 74 u year ago. ‘Washington Railway and Electric common registered the most marked change during the yvear. This issue the market leader in 1925, being ed up to an ahnormally high price, climbing to 220. It is endimg the pres. ent year around 176. The preferred stock of the same corporation recently as been almost the exact figure that prevailed at the close of 1925. Potomae Electric Power preferred finished 1925 at 106 and is now closing another active year’'s trading about three points higher. Mergenthaler and Lanston have, as usual, held a prominent place pn' the board. It also has béen a busy year for many local bond issues. Washington Railway and Electric consolidated 4s have been the leaders in this de- partment. This issue has been closely followed in popularity by Potomac Power Consolidited bs, Capital Trac- tion first 5s, Washington Gas 6s and Georgetown Gas first 6s. The pri of these and many other issues have held up splendidly during the year. In fact, stability was one of the out- standing strong points of the local exchange. There were no wild ad- vances; there were no sharp breaks. The most jmportant new bond issue was the Washington Gas Light Co.’s offering of $1,500,000 10-year € per cent mortgage bonds maturing on October 1, 1936. The oversubscrip- tion is fresh in the minds of in- vestors. Expansion on Local Ex¢hange. But the most striking feature in connection with the local exchange has been the addition of new issues. One of the important listings early in the year was People’s Drug Stores preferred. Starting around par, the stock has climbed steadily to 110, Another new listing several weeks ago was Federal-American Co., com- mon and preferred. Trading in com- HEE. DISTRICT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO FIGURED IN ACTIVITIES OF 1926 HEE: “ Top row, left to right: Cuno H. Rudolph, retired District Commissioner; Proctor L. Dougherty, appointed District Commissioner; rict Commissioner; J. Frau ¥ Third row, left to right: M. 0. Eldridge, director of traffic; Susie Root Rhodes, director of playgrounds; Daniel Donovan, District auditor; Dr. William Melvin Hazen, District surveyor, and Willlam P. Richards, tax assessor. ssistant Engineer Commissiones . Atkins, Assistant Engineer Commissioner; Maj. William E. director of the Board of Public Welfare, and William McK. Clayton, special counsel of the Public Ut 3 Albert L. Covell, mon started at 27. preferred has been inactive. Very recenty the Washington Me- chanics' Mortgage Co. listed its com- mon stock and a short time later the exchange governors listed the preferred stock of the Woodward & Lothrop Department Store Co. The bond list alse was extended during 1926, amonge these issues being Chest- nut Farms Dairy s The death of John L. Edwards left vadant the presidency of the ex- change and C. C. Glover, son of the chairman of the board of directors of the Riggs National Bank, was elected to this oftice. As several more stocks and bonds are to be listed in 1927, local investors are facing steadily expanding securities market. Changes in Financial District. There were a number of important changes in the financial district. Jarly in the year the Citizens’ ings Bank was merged with the Mer- chants’ Bank and Trust Co., of which Peter A. Drury is president. Then came the sudden passing of John L. Edwards, head of the broker- age firm by that name. The busi- ness and good will of the wide known house was taken over & G. M. P. Murphy & Co., a New York firm, which kept the local staff in- tact, and has already gained an en- yiable foothold fn Washington. Another change in the financial horizon was the removal by G. B. Chipman, resident partner, of the offices of Harriman & Co. from the Colorado Bullding to the newly com- pleted Securities Building, on Fif- teenth street. J. and W. Seligman & Co., through its manager, Frank P. Morse, like- wise transferred {ts business into the same bullding from offices on H street. A wholly new investment house came into existence when Y. . Book er & Co. entered the local investment fleld. The year also was made notable by the entry of the Washington Stoc Exchange into an association com- posed of the more important ex- changes in the country outside of New York. = Eugene Thompson head of Crane, Parris & Co., under It is now 32, The ¢ | the Board of Trade, Cl | merce, Merchants and Manutacturers’ | tion of Ivan | Assocfation, | reau and the City Club h { ceasingly active on behalf of the Dis- |ip or tional | operation that ha | each tions in respect to local probl TRADE ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE DURING PAST YEAR Closer Co-operation ;Xmong_r ! Bodies Has Developed, With in Many Undertak The past year has been one of the most active in the history of the vari us trade organizations of the Na Capltal. Stimulated by rapid development here and the vast plans laid out by the Federal Government for the development of Washington, mber of Com the Better Business Bu- ave been un triet. One of the outstanding features of the past year has been the closer co developed between ious trade organiz ems, particularly in respect to the trial and commercial development of of the nd | the city along lines that will be wdnr- | | mengurate with the development of Washington as the most beautiful eity of the world Throughout the entire year the vari ous organizations have adopted a pol fey of inviting influential members of | Cangress, particularly members of the | House and Senate District committ | to participate in conferences and meet {Ings, so that they would become ac- | | mitt |1in Bell and Danlel .J | trict auditor and budget officer, and as ja of the hoard, under its & E. | Sidney F. Taliaferro, | lin Bell, Engineer Commissioner, and Frederick A. Fenning, who resigned as District Commissioner, | Center, left to right: Fire Chief Watson, Dr. George T. Bowerman, librarian of the P hlic Library; John Joy Edson, chairman of the Board of Public | for the purpose of carrying out these Welfare; Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintendent of the public schools; Inspector Henry ( att of the Detective Bureau and Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, super- | recomu Harris, municipal architect; Francis H. Stephens, | Assistant Engineer Commissioner; Gieorge M. Wilson, ilities Commission. o instructions from the local exchange. | played a leading part in forming this body, ¥ W. W. Spaid of W. B. Hibbs & Co. initiated n move during the year to Ibring a closer unity among the New | York ock Exchange houses which do business outside of Wall street. Several important group meetings have been held nd matters of spe- clal _econcern to these outside firms acted upon Bank Clearings Make Record. B for the year have made a new record in Washington. | At this writing the Deceriber figures are not quite completed For 11 {mnmhw they show substantial gains. They are also expected to record prog- ress in December, Clearings for ihe 11 months of this year, compared with 1925, follow: january February March Using these figures as a business barometer, Washington has had a record year in the mercantile fleld. Leading merchants also support this statement. Christmas trade was the best ever known among the big stores, although some merchants in the out- lving sections of the city said other years had been considerably better for them. However, in reporting the greatest business prosperily the Capital has ever experienced it should be remem- bered that a good many small busi-| i ness enterprises have had to close | their doors. It is always so. The path has not been strewn with roses for everyhody. Men anxious to work have had some long hunts to find positions. And some have failed. The busin millennium did not arrive in 1926. But, like the passage of the McFadden banking bill and the | oft-discussed merger of the local trace tion lines, it may come in 1927. Then again it may not 1 | d n tality mot being considered high among a total of 1,418 employes of the department. Service Changes During Year. Probably the most important change | quring the year involved the promo- {tion of Lieut. Maurice Collins of the sixth precinct to a captaincy and his assignment to the seventh precinct, succeeding Capt. C. E. E. Flather, re- tired. Another change involved the tuking of Capt. Guy k. Burlingame from the liquor squad and giving him a precinct comntond Members of the force retired during the year were Detective Harry Evans, Robert E. Lee, J. L. Kil- J. A. Lutton, IWhalen, J. ns and O. €. Ryon, and Pri- john M. Gibson, William J. J. A. Davis, Michael Long- nms, . W. Ricketts, L. W. | J. 'Whalan, J. R. Romer, | George N ven, Robert F. | Williams, Henry €. Stroman and D, L._Embrey. Maj. Hesse started a move to get a new central police building and has | provided new motor cycles for 30 members of the mounted squad, en- abling the latter to discard their old mounts, a number of them having become practically useless. Another accomplishment of the superintendent was in obtaining from Congress an allowance of $75 a year for uniforms. He has recommended enactment of new laws for the pro- tection of the public, one against the offense of vagrancy and the other to enable the police to hold fugitives from other jurisdictions a reasonable time. Maj. Hesse and Inspector Henry G. | Pratt’ inaugurated o system of ha ing precinct detectives present with | members of the Detective Bureau at .| roll calls each day. The change re > | sulted in getting the men together | and acquainting all with investiga tions under way. & martin, R. vates Barbee J. W Giles, | 94,375, arrests for intoxication, said to be the greatest number in any calen- der year, totaling 13,661, The total number of arrests for traffic violations was 42,238, were 37 murders committed during the 12 months, and 36 arrests on murder charges. Arrests for man- slaughter numbered 37, all but 4 result- ing fron fatal traffic accidents. Ar- rests for driving motor vehicles while intoxicated jumped to a total of 662, and there were 51 arrests for driving horse-drawn vehicles while intoxi- cated. Seventy-seven deaths resulted from traffic accidents, and 101 persons werc serfously Injured. Minor injurles were suffered by 3,012 persons, and there were 3846 accidents in which only property damage resulted, mak- ing a total of 7,034 accidents during the year. Included. among arrests for trafflc violations were the following: Collid- ing and failing to stop, 346; dazzling lights, 211; reckless driving, 1,649; speeding, 6,517, und miscellaneous vio: lations, 32,852, Dry Force Makes Good Showing, Members of the dry law enforce- ment squad, operating under orders direct from Maj. Hesse, and members of the precinct commands detailed for such service, made a showing much better, it is reported, than police of cities much larger than Washington, arrests for various offenses under the prohibition law totaling 5, Offenses charged against the per- sons arrested were as follows: Illegal possession, 3,020; transporting, 1,143; selling _intoxicants, 1,106; manufac: turing liquor, 69; conspiracy to violate Records of the department show a| hicles, 11; bicycles, th gogaled 205, Eleven of denly Christmas morning, the mor- total of arrests for all offenses of 149 quarts; the law, 12; maintaing nuisance, 22; | possession of still, 18; miscellaneous | offenses, 5; drinking in public, 131. | Seizures made In connection with | the enforcement of the prohibition en { forcement act included the following: Motor vehicles, 565; horse-drawn ve- 14; whisky, 108,- alcohol, 8,678 quarts; | trict during the year 1926, | indictments brandy, 2,590 quarts; wine, 2,177 gal- beer, 8,612 bottles, and 240 gal- mash, 59,515 gallons; gin, 762 quarts; cider, 360 gallons; extracts, 72 bottles; rum, 50 quarts; cognae, 101 quarts, More than 200 policemen attended classes at the Police School, which was under the direction of Lieut, Burke for the first half of the year and under Sergt. Hunt since former's promotion. The average number of hours put in by each class was 204, and the policemen-students maintained averages of 84.54 for ex aminations in city geography; defini- tion and classification of crime; police regulations, first aid, and reports, and miscellaneous sub- jects. Those lecturing at the Police School during the year included Maj R. A. Wheeler, Assistant Enginee Commissioner; Director of Trafflc M. O. Eldridge, Dr. J. J. Kilroy, D. S. Ring, Inspectors W. H. Harrison and E. W. Brown, Capt. C. P. M. Lord, Lieut. Mina Van Winkle, Sergts. J. D. Harrington and G. B. Cornwell, De tective Sergts. Fred Sandberg, 1. J Kelly and R. A. Sanders. Operations of the automobile squad during the year were centered about 2,876 machines reported stolen. Of this number 2,570 were recovered and 306 are still listed as “out.”” THE COURTS The acquittal of Albert B. Fall, for- mer Secretary of the Interior, and Edward L. Doheny, oil magnate of Los Angeles, in the Criminal Divi- sion of the District Supreme Court was the outstanding feature of a re- view of court proceedings in the Dis The case t be tried of the four »wing out of the leas- ing of the naval oll reserves in Wyoming and California. ‘The Teapot Dome conspiracy case, was the first & the | investigations | Harry F. 'Sinclair of New scheduled for trial February An- other indictment charges Mr. Sinclair with contempt of the United States Senate in refusing to answer ques- tions propounded dur : the Senate oil inquiry and the fourth indictment | charges i“all and Doheny, with his Edward L. Doheny, jr. with bribery in connection with the $100 000 which figured in the recent trial f quittal. It is expected the charge will not be pressed by the Government The District Court of Appeals had {its jurisdiction enlarged during 1926 include appeals from the United States Board of Tax Appeals, and was | authorized to review by writ of error |orders of the director of traffic, or the deciston of the District Commis- | sfoners in reference to denial, suspen- | slon and revocation of automobile op- | erators’ permits. The court's juris diction was curtailed by the passage of the Walsh act, which took away the right to grant special appeals in criminal cases. This act was invoked by Owen J. Roberts and gitlee Pom- erene, speclal counsel for the Gov- ernment in the oll prosecutions, to dismiss appeals by the oil men from the conspiracy indictments and the dismissal of the Sinclair contempt case. which had been heard and was awaiting decision A total of 325 appeals was filed in the appellate court during 1926, of which 87 were riginal cases, 135 went to the general docket and 103 appeals from the Commissioner of >atents. During the year the court disposed of §4 petitions on the original docket, 175 cases on the general docket and 112 cases on the patent docket, a total of 371. All cases on the criminal calendar | dy for hearing have been York, is D i B « s « | [ t 1 i t 1 t 9 t ¢ a ol n 1 of [ s | re: heard | * hand. The patent what hehind, d in this class two years. calendar is some- | s to the large increase | g litigation in the past The assignment of such 5 eity. |ing traffe regulation, parking and the conduct of the local traffic force. dations, among which were a central | ters. among the many items studied {acted upon by the board. merce has had an equally busy year. The year 1 second _annual staged by the chamber. tion was an unusual success, the leadership of Martin A. Leese, i president, it is planned to repeat the exposition the coming year. the fiscal policy affecting the District [vas advocated by the chamber. name. y: $100,000,000 for the purpose of taking and the court expects to make ma- terial inroads into it by Spring. clined somewhat in 1926, as only 1,172 grand jury, as compared with 1320 | jurors refused cases presented by the police. i year. filed and started. against become filed petitions for final citizenship pa- equity were 2,940, as compared his aid, vear. licenses granted. for of recording were filed. request of the justices presiding in were placed on probation, 505 under the charge of the proba- non-support. female white, 20 female colored and probation officer. The production of polished plate glass in the United States during the month and the general calendar is well in | duction of square feet less than was made in in which Mr. Fall s accused with |cases for argumlent has been enlarged October, 1926, inted and properly appreciative of 2 the problems of the National Capital 3,000 in Board of Trade. The end of 1926 finds the Washing- ton Board of Trade with the la hin its history, approxt y 3,000, The outstanding we the board I in . k accomplished f the local t made by the municipal fin under the chairmanship Joshua Evans, jr. This commiitee in vited before it Commissioner .J X rate, nee cor Donovan, result recommended that the rate be kept to $1.70 or below. The industrial interests committee chairman, J. Phillips Hill, made a_complete survey of the commercial and industrial possi- bilities of the cily, and subsequently recommended ths encouragement of industries already established in Wash. ington and the procurement of manu- tax ! facturing and commercial concerns to | increase Washingt business center. I divided into n's standing as a e committes was varfous subcommittees ndations. Three Needs Selected. The board's officers and various com- mittees spent much time and energy in selecting from a host of improv ments three basic needs for the Dis- | which were placed before the House special committee investigating the affairs of the District of Columbia. The board recommended to the com: mittee: Local men for local public of- fices, representation for the people of Washington in Congress and the right of franchise in presidential elections, | and the establishment of an equitable proportionate fiscal trict of Columbia. The various committees of the board have been unceasingly active in urg. ing improvements of all types for the The special traflic committee, under Pearce Raynor, made a num- ber of recommendations regard- ‘The public order committee, under Odell . Smith, made a number of recommen police and fire department headquar- The extension of Fourteenth street, a new Recorder of Deeds office, the park and playground development of the eity,. Ameriganization of foreign- ers, the water rate, sewers and the im- provement of the river front were nd Exposition Is Held. The Washington Chamber of Com- was started industrial with the exposition This exposi Under One of the outstanding changes in The floating of a bond issue of - | sional indus. | it year wus perhaps the | | exhaustive stud; relation between | the Federal Government and the Dis- | arious uccess ng care of extraordinary | and keeping the tax mum amount. The . of the chamber under Willlam O. Tufts ied ' vey of the educational facilities « Washingion which Jater v P | lished in bhook Under the dire. Weld 1} hearings in provements to a mint ols committe its chairman o ¢ A 1 held extensive the relocation of the Center der to bring out public |in regurd to the ¢ nge. The chamber made spec study of the needs the District f presentation to the special congre | committee, addition |its recommendation tional rep resentation, equitable fiscal relatior und the placing of loc citizens t head the District g rnment, recor mended a v other in " | ments in reg, to the District schools, police raffic situation ete The chamber rtained mar out-of@own orga such as t dtimore Chamber « t Alexandria Chamber of « ree ar visiting delegations durir It adso made tions to worthy ¢ Market sentime | Trafic Department The chief and Established th Associ action of Manufacturer the recent establishn department as ar tivities of that will respect wa tjunct the Thi traflic nt er by 3 liabilitie ra roads, shipmens ind the aud b 1 hi a ndle ma to f and partment ters Ing and checking of freight bills. 1 wddition, the ition has under taken to try t g 1 chang in what i in ti the pr rat which ft nur ber of corporat an become partnerships order escape the hi ion tax rat In addition to its work for the v rious trades and b in the rough special committees ition has joined with the Trade and the Chamber o in taking an active par In the local industrial survey and the | Procurement of business ente o bri bout feels is in Inequality corporation t declares b s caused a s to dissolve i sinesses | f | Commerce more prises for Washington he question of charities and mat to the betterment « conditions_affecting business conal tions in Washington have occupled a large part of this organization’s at tention during the v, | The Better Business Bureau {made considerable progress in ing up a lot of advertising errors and in preventing a number of fraudulen schemes from taking money from lo cal citizens. It has carried throug) out the year an advertising campalgn under its director, Louis Rothschild stressing the slogan “Before you ir vest—investigate,” with splendid re sults, h: N clear 4,124 Cases Handled. The bureau has handied 4,124 case and has met with unusual su The bureau has particulariy been sur cessful in bettering the financial field and eliminating a large amount of worthless stock and the development of “blue sky” schemes. it also has acted to protect legitimate businesses and undertakings The City Club, while it has given o large part of iis time to the soelal activities of Washington business men, has been one of the leading or ganizations in the *District for clv betterment. The club itself has undergone a cor siderable enlargement in membershi and acquired the Beaver Dam Cour try Club. Through its official bulle tin it has undertaken to write edite rials dealing with local taxation, rep resentation, traffic and other matters | which have been particularly useful | because they represented the views of the larger portion of the busines men of Washington who are members of the club. Weekly forums on {cal topies have been to local business 1 the club held a “national represent. tion night” during which addresse prominent speakers, who urge franchise for the citizens of Wash ington, were broadcast by radio throughout the country All of the organizations have big programs scheduled for the coming year. national and I made avaiable n. and recentl The crime wave seems to have de- ndictments were reported by the n the preceding year. The grand indictments in 237 | Civil litigation also fell off this| A total of 1353 lawsuits was 1371 equity proceeding Bankruptey petitions totaled 132, while 100 land and other con- demnation cases were instituted and proceedings started. | | corpus | filed Alfens to the number of 565 declared intention to | 45 in habeas Mechanics liens were 0 properties. American _citizens and 702 | pers, Naturalization was granted in 28 ‘cases. The combined law and sults in the preceding y with n_ 1926, The ' marriage mart suffered a light slump and Dan Cupid, through Col. W. A. Kroil, issued 9 licenses during the past In 1925 there were 5,753 only b,! Appraisements of estates totaling | 19,805,985.99 were made in the office of ‘the register of wills in the papt ear in 431 cases. Wills to the num.- | ver of 1,184 were filed and petitions probate and administrations to- aled 1,382, Certified copies were made of 4,341 papers., while 22,827 pages of copying and 11,817 pages Amos A. Steele, probation officer of he District Supreme Court, during 926 investigated 489 cases at the he criminal courts. Of these 246 including 9_for non-support. There are now ion officer, including about 200 for Of the 305 on the list or crimes of a serious nature, 161 re male white, 108 male colored, 14 me Porto Rican. A total of approxi- nately $60,000 was collected and dis- bursed in non-support cases by the | PLATE GLASS PRODUCTION. PITTSBURGH, Pa., December 31.— f November, ‘1926, was 9,70532 quare feet as.compared with a pro- 9,889,135 square feet in «quare feet, as compared with a pro- uced in November was 1,480,389 ration GOOD AUTO MARKET. Argentina Likely to Absorb Many More American Cars. The outstanding position occupied by automobiles of American manufac ture in the Argentine automotive mar ket and the very larg poter tialities existing in that country pron ise well for ir od expo Amer fcan cars to Argentina, according t H. C. Schuette of the Automotive Di vision, Department meree. Since 1923 the total number of cars fi operation in Argentina has increased approximately 50 per cent each year, and the present registration proaches the 200,000 mark, about per cent of which are automobiles of American make It is said in Argentina that the satu point for automotive sales i not imminent, and in support of tha statement it is shown that there is only 1 car for every 55 persons in the countr the present time, as com pared with & ratio of 1 toevery 6 per sons in the United States, 1 to 13 ir Canada, 1 to 14 in New Zealand and 1 to 20 in Australia RAIL MILEAGE GAINS. 1925 Figure Up and 1926 Is Ex- pected to Show Increase. An interesting and significant f; closed by the annual report of the Interstate Commerce Commission, re cently made public, is that in 1925, for the first time in nine vear the total railway mileage in the United States increased instead of declining,” says the Rallway Age. “'Statistics for 1926, which are being compiled for the Rai way Age, indicate that probably the same thing has occurred this year, ‘“When «a ymplete chec of the mileage by States in 1925 can he made it will undoubtedly be found that most of the increases have occurred in the South, where the incre traffic and earnings until recently have been relatively the largest.” FILM TRADE EXPANDS. The growth of the American film industries in foreign fields is providing jobs in practically every civilized coun try and even extends into some of the less developed sections. The Fox Film Corporation is an example of the growth of this industry around the world. Approximately 40 per cent of this company’s incom devived from foreign sales 10 vears it has established branches in 62 foreign cities, covering every civilized country with the exception of Russia.