Sales tax and banking figures released last week indicate that Middletown's July business activity dipped slightly below the June pace. These same figures, however, reveal a clouded picture of where business stands in relation to July, 1952. Sales tax receipts are up, but bank debits and deposits are down. At the same time, reports from the building commissioner’s office showed a marked increase in city construction. Orville Corson, building commissioner, reports an increase of building permits from 92 in June to 105 in July. The number of new homes to be built almost doubled, while the value of permits jumped from $396,366 to $684,831. The July figure is almost three times the value of permits for the same month in 1952 and higher than any recorded so far this year. It is swelled somewhat, however, by permits issued for two city fire stations...

No More 25-Cent Fines - The Middletown Federal Savings and Loan Association was 85 years old yesterday, and since that day in May, 1868, when William Sebald, grandfather of the 1953 president, G.W.A. Wilmer, headed the list of charter signers there have been lots and lots of changes. For one thing, the company, which is the oldest continuing loan and building association in Ohio, deals in sums of money that make the original investments look rather dwarfed. Total assets for 1952 were listed as close to $14 million dollars. In the early days of the company, the 144 original stock holders were not permitted to own more than ten $200 shares. In addition, the early constitution provided for such money collecting devices as a 25 cents a week dues charge, a fine of five cents for dues that came in a week late, a fine of 50 cents for refusing to assume office when so elected by fellow members, a fine of ten cents for not attending meetings and a similar ten-cent charge for not obeying the rules of the group...