New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-01
GOOD HALF YEAR
Commercial Agencies Publish
RepOrta in Reviews.

1t is always satisfactory TO note progress.
and each week brings renewed evidences Of
tho continued betterment of the country's
business. In "Duns Review" Of Saturday,
June -. appears the foliowing:
The first half Of the year closes with
much of actual achievement in the better
ment OF business and u much promise tor
the remainder of the year The actual
achievement is chiefly in the increase in
industrial activity, que - the need OF re-
plenlsnng depleted stocks and of supply
ing the pressing wants OF a growing popu-
iaUon. The promise held out for the re-
mainder of the year rests mostly on the
strengthened confidence OF manufacturers.
traders and investors and on the favora bic
prospects Tor the crops. AS TO the.latter, con-
dluOns are propitlOus for good Yields. In
the southwest the situation is particularly
satisfactory and there is very hopeful
sentiment in the Northwest. Semi-annual
inventories check the volume OF business
10 some extent at this season and there is
also temporary closing OF some mills and
factories. Aggregate transactions, how
ever, continue to expand over the two pre-
cedlng Years, as Is evidenced by bank clear
inGs' which this week gained l0.7 per cent
okcr 1911 and 80 per cent over 1910 outside
OF New York, while In that city there were
losses Of IL and of ITO per cent, respect
lNely. Railroad gross earnings in the three
weeks OF June increased i.3 per cent. Some
lettlng up is noted in the railroad demand
Tor steel. but this Is largely compensated
Tor by the consumption OF plates, bars and
structural material. that higher prices
dor certain steel products are announced.
me drygoods trade in its various divisions
is In wholesome position. Print cloths
and convertiblos continue active. Advance
sales OF Woollen dress goods are large and
prices are higher. Raw wool is strong.
orSted yarns have been advanced. The
export and the retail trades IN all branches
are Tor the season excellent. Leather IS
quii. but hides are more active. The New
England shoe manufacturers are i'm posses
sion OF sufficient orders 10 keep their mills
going, and are confident of an improving
distribution as tho year advances. reports
from nearly all the leading cities indicate
conservative betterment both in volume
or activity and in business confidence. To-
tal foreign trade ~ the port Of New York
curing the most recent week was S2773S, 81.
against $c7sl5.4e7 in 1911 and So5O7. 70i In
1910. There was "A slight falling OFF in eX-
bOitS as compared with the TWO preceding
years, but imports were larger than in 1871.
A new price schedule announced this week
calls Tor an advance of 81 4 ton on plates
oars and structural shapes. This action
had been anticipated for some time; in fact.
premiums equivalent 10 the higher quota
lions were already being paid for prompt
deliveries Of these products. The demand
IN this line has been heavier than is usually
the case in June, but the leading interest
month than In May, though the decrease
was not so large as was to be expected.
In the Pittsburgh district steel billets are
frln at 81 20. with premiums offered for
prompt deliveries. Inquiries for pig iron
are more numerous in Eastern territory,
but steel making iron IS temporarily I'm
lighter request Merchant furnaces are ir-
terested particularly in contracting for coke
for the last half. which fact has somo
bearing on future prices A falling off IN
coke output is noted, owing to reduced run
ming time and shortage Of labor
Railroad gross earnings continue to main
tain fair increase over those of last year.
the total of all United States roads report
ing 20 date for the three weeks of June
aggregating 81, 94 249, a gain Of 43 per cent
as compared with the earnings of the same
roads for the corresponding period a year
ago. Satisfactory expansion continues 10
be reported by most Of the leading sys-
TENS IN the South, among them Louisville
& Nashville. Southern, Chesapeake ~ ohio
and Cincinnati. New Orleans * Texas Pa
ciic. Throughout the West and South
there is general Improvement but colorado
& Southern, Chicago g. Alton and one or
two smaller roads still report moro or less
decrease. This adverse exhibit, however.
e far more than Offset by the good gains
that appear in the returns OF Missouri Pa
Ciiic. International Great Northern, -.
Louis Southwestern, Minneapolis. ST. PAU
& Sault Ste. Marie and numerous others.
In the following table are given the gross
earnings OF all United States reads report
ing to date for the three weeks OF jun,
and the gain as compared with the earn
ings of the same roads for the correspond
ing time a year age. also Tor the same
roads for similar period In the two pre-
ceding months, together with inc percent
ages Of gain over last year: