The Washington times., 1908-01-19
Trade. Especially in Re-
tail Lines, Shows
Marked Improve
ment.
Cotton Mills Rapidly Re-
Stunning Operation and
Running on Full
Time.

BOSTON, Jan. 1S-New England in
dustTial conditions have assumed en-
coUTaging activity since the first Of the
year, according 70 reports from various
trade circles. In manufacturing centers
there IS a note Of Improvement that is
reassuring to both manufacturers and
10 operatives.
The local trade situation is looking up,
especially in retail lines. Buyers who
have been severely restricted 20 giving
orders cOr the past two months arc now
receiving more leeWay from the corpora
tons. Ihe dtscouraging succession OF
reports about employees being laid on,
markets, and of general structure in
market matters has lessened and an up
ward turn is noticeable
Bridgeport Plants Resume.
The lI1est report. Of this nature from
the New England section is from Bridge
pcrt. Conn, where all the big plants and
most OF the accessory ones are running
on FULL time, or nearly full time. Ten
thousand skilled operatives are AT work
now where 5000 were employed only
few weeks ago.
Another sample of rising trade and
easier money which encourages capital
q branch out is found in the financing
Of the proposed WindSOFville and East
Hartford Street Railway Company.
=
account Of the financial stringency. 1t
is proposed To capitalize this line at
S5O0eC. Subscriptions are already be
ing taken up along the route OF develop
InenS.
another Big Project.
AnCti.sI big financial project now tax
ing advantage Of easier conditions is
the proposed construction Of an cleo
tricaI power transmission plant from
Kent, Conn. 20 New Britain, Conn. for
the Stanley Hardware Works Company
This viii be the biggest scheme Of its
kind along tho Connecticut river, and
viii involve an increase o. $500. 90 in
the capital stock Of the corporation TO
put Il through.
The Connecticut Hook and Eye Com
pany has just Deen Incorporated at
Waterbury, Conn., for $4,000, another
example Of better conditions.
Optimism in Boston.
In Boston and Massachusetts the same
general optimism holds good. Real
estate IN Boston, a reliable financial
barometer. shows renewed activity. For
the past week the transfers at the Bos-
ten Real Estate Exchange numbered
"a. against $40 for the same week last
year.
The Boston stock market closed
HuOyant yesterday, with a strong up
ward tendency in the whole list.
At Boston port or entry the imports
for the past week exceeded those for
the corresponding week OF last year by
over Sl2,0J0 while the exports showed
a gain OF 5000 over the same week OF
last year.
In Mill Districts.
In Lawrence. Lowell, and Fall River,
where 40,000 operatives are employed in
the manufacture of cottOns and voolens
and where suspensions and short time
went into effect during the winter, full
time is now being resumed,
At a meeting Of the New England Civ
ic Federation held here a few days ago
the manufacturers from all parts Of
New EnglandzSpOke in most optimistic
terms of the future. Conditions will
soon be normal and the people will be
enjoying prosperous conditions.
Manchester, y. H, which employees
Is 600 men in textile industries. is rapid
" resuming full time In Maine the
return TO former conditions is gem
eral.
Reports from small manufacturing
towns through Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont. and Massachusetts. state that
the mills are beginning TO run full time
that money is easing up, and that with
in q few weeks there viii be nothing
to indicate the fact that a slump was
experienced a few months ago.