Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-07-05
CONDITION
OF TRADE
IN VERMONT

Reports to Bradstreet's for the week in
summarizing trade conditions for the
first half of the year, show several pc
culiar conditions affecting trade in gen.
eral as compared with the same period
of a year ago. Aside from labor troubles
the manufacturing interests are reasona-
bly, employed. With the granite manu-.
facturers the volume of business in the
monumental line is not as good as it was
for the same period Of year ago but in
the building line more business is on
hand and the shipments of stock in the
rough are reported larger. With the
marble interests the demand is said a.
bout uniform. Slate shipments for both
roofing and manufactured stock are re-
ported less than usual but the outlook
for the future appears improved. The
building that has been done has no. come
up to expectations although in certain
sections more building work is in pro-
gress. Labor troubles have caused the
abandonment of some proposed building
work. Lumber business and shipments
for Burlington have been tied up for the
same reason. There is, however, rea-
sonably good nemand and prices are on
a par with those of previous pears. Gen.
eral conditions, however, appear encour-
aging and affairs outside of certain Sec
tions are considered normal. Among
the whnlesale dealers in different lines
summaries show volume of business
compares reasonably well with previous
years and outlook it anything appears
better. Retail merchants trade has not
been up to normal for the past quarter
although the extra business done in the
first quarter wilfrffake the showing for
the first half of the year fairly even.
The merchant however, has had to use
clearance sales in order to move stocks.
June business in general has been only
fair.
In the agricultural districts tie farm
has commenced cutting one of the
largest crops of hay that they have had
for some time. Other crops are late,
corn and potatoes both show the effects
of continued unfavorable weather con-
ditions that have existed during the
second quarter of the year. The crop Of
berries has been large and notwithstand-
ing this, the price obtained has been
good. Collections during the month or
May were slow, this slowness ran int o
the first half of June but the past two
weeks have shown an improvement.
Failure reports for the second quarter of
the year include one receivership, one
suspension, one compromise and twelve
voluntary bankruptcies, total number
of failures of one less than for the first
quarter. Of the "a voluntary bankrupt
cies the total liabilities were $103, ,3487S
and assets of S54, ,936,7o. This was the
smallest sh wing for the first half of any
year since 1909. The failures for June
of this year included one receivership,
one suspension and three voluntary
bankruptcies, The number of fires af-
fecting mercantile business for June of
this year was the smallest since 1907
three fires doing damage to four firms of
$l1, 900, was reported. For the first
half of the present year there were 81
fires affecting 50 firms with an aggregate
damage of 1914, 500. While the number
of fires was less by one than in 1911
eleven more firms were affected and the
total damage was $3970 greater. The
first half of the present year showed~2e
domestic corporations chartered with al
aggregate capital of $3,6l8,000, the
largest aggregate capitalization for the
first half of any year since 1906.
Eye Witness to Air Fatality