The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-03-02
Ira importation |nefficiency Still
Great Drawback
MERCANTILE INTERESTS SUFFER
INCREASED MOISTURE GIVES Ev
cry PROSPECT FOR BUM
PER CROPS.

IACOMA, March mo marked
changes have developed in the BUSH
ness situation with the advancing sea-
son. In many lines there has been a
strong opening demand for spring
goods from the retail trade, and the
fine weather during the past week has
! served to stimulate business in this
/ direction to a considerable extent,
though the shortage of stocks does not
permit of distribution maintaining a
full volume as compared with the call
Some of the stocks en- route have been
received during the week, but the
| movement of merchandise continues
very intermittent, with further breaks
succeeding each promise of relief, and
the volume of freightage still hung up
on the lines of the northern transcon-
tinental lines has been reduced very lit
tie, in spite of the fact that no atten-
| ton is being given the movement of
bulk stuff. The embargo on lumber
will be extended another month, still
LUZ lilCI uiSol SolllLiIS ldl Opcl
lions throughout the northwest, and
| tending to depress the business outlook
to a considerable degree. The move
| ment of grain from the interior dropped
| to the minimum again during the
week, retaining the nominal position of
the wheat market which has been noted
since before the turn of the year The
transportation situation is the one great
drawback to an expansion in business
| operations of record dimensions, and
the manufacturing and mercantile in
terests are commencing to suffer seri-
! OuSly in Consequence.
Spring Work.
Spring work has started out well in
agricultural communities, with excep-
! tionally bright prospects for a year of
good crops. The grain of the interior
/ has apparently come through the win
ter in fine condition, with an increased
! acreage abundance of moisture in the
ground, and good prospects for a
bumper yield of wheat, unless there
| should be unfavOrable developments
later in the season. So far as advance
estimates can be made, the Pacific
northwest should have an output of
! 60, 000, 900 bushels the present crop year,
! though. of course, any prediction in this
! connection may be seriously discounted
later. Horticultural interests are also
looking forward to a banner year. A
conservative estimate places the in
! crease in orchards areas in this state
alone at 100 per cent within the past
three seasons, and the new acreage
which will come into bearing the pres
ent season is very large, while thus far
the crop prospects are fair In many
1 sections of the state growers are MAX
ing preparations for providing enlarged
facilities for handling the yield. Adj
ditional canneries are being planned
the success of the plants started dur
ing the past few seasons affOrding en-
cOuragement to extension in operations
in this direction, and the basis likely
to be for this industry appears likely
to be the inception of great source
VI INDUSTRIAL anu al uCNSi-
opment
Settled weather is bringing with il
the Inauguration of large activities in
local railway operations. Already the
Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Paul has
commenced work upon it's great ter
minal system. The Northern Pacific
is preparing for the outlay of nearly
s10,OOO,OOO locally, including the con-
struction of the union depot, to be
used joined with the Great Northern
and the construction of four-track
line around Point Defiance, together
with a readjustment of it's trackage
on the water front Other building
operations continue to show expan-
sion, and there is every reason to be-
lieve that 1907 will see construction
! operations to the value of nearly So
| 000, 900 in Tacoma.