The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-05
VERMONT TRADE REPORT
Conditions in Slate Industry Said TO
Be UnfavorabIe


Boston, April 3.-Reports to Brad
streets from Vermont for the week
in summarizing conditions for the
month just closed and for the first
quarter of the year note more or less
uneven conditions, but small inn
provement over the same period of
year ago. Labor at the close of
the month was better employed than
earlier in the year A number of the
state industries have increased their
working forces in various lines and
only two suspensions among manufac-
turers by reason of lack of bust
noe1 are reported.
he granite business shows some
gains over what was reflected at the
commencement of March of this
year. This has been granted with
both building and monumental manu-
facturers. Among the marble manu-
facturers the situation shows gains
and labor is better employed. In
the slate manufacturing center GER
tain grades of roofing slate have not
moved we'll The slate business so
far this year has not been as good as
usual There is reported consider
able stock on hand and at the present
time several quarries are closing ow-
ing to lack of coal for one reason.
With the opening of the spring sea
son the outlook is reported better
than it has been for some time. Dur
ing the past week there has been
more inquiry and carload lots have
been shipped
Farm products are meeting with a
good demand and prices are full high.
The maple sugar season opened earl
Ter this year than last. During the
past week several good days were had
and owners of orchards took advan-
tage of the same 1t cannot, however
be said that the work is in full swing
the state over
Retail merchants report a fairly
good trade for the time Of the year
and the outlook for spring business is
considered improved. Collections are
reported slow and in sertain sections
slowness among individuals is said
to be more marked than usual
Failure reports for the month just
closed include one involuntary and six
voluntary petitions in bankruptcy
with total liabilities OF $31,S5O.O7 and
assets of $14,794.46 This was the
largest number of voluntary petitions
that has been reported since 1903
when seven voluntary petitions were
filed. The amount of liabilities for
this month was II per cent greater
than in 1909, but 10 per cent less
than for those of 1871 for the same
month. The total number of failures
for the first quarter of the present
year included one assignment, one
compromise, one involuntary and IS
voluntary petitions in bankruptcy
with aggregate liabilities of S64,O44O3
and assets of $31,995.44.
BY way of comparison the first
quarter of 1911 gave one receiyership.
three compromises, three involuntary
and ten voluntary petitions in bank
ruptcy. The amount OF liabilities this
year was $500 less, but an increase
of $4,000 in total assets over that
OF last year. The liabilities for the
first quarter of 1910 were over twice
as large, but was an increase Of %
per cent, over the total liabilities of
1909.
Damage done by fire for the montl
just closed was the largest for any
one month since January, 1910, March
of this year showed nine fires affect
ing q mercantile interests, with an
aggregate damage of sl65.506 II
was the heaviest damage for any
March since 1906. Total number OF
fires for the first quarter of present
year was %, affecting 40 mercantile
firms with total damage OF Sl99,O66.
The first quarter Of 1911 gave 80 fires
affecting so firms with damage Of
$1S9,237, while 1910 gave 36 fires. 50
firms with damage to the amount Of
$316,225
There were three domestic corpora
tons chartered during the month just
closed and l6 for the first quarter OF
the present year, with aggregate cap.
italization of S2,9S6,OOO.