The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-10
EVIDENCE OF GREAT
ACTIVITY ON PART OF
MANUFA ACTURERS
Increased Importati0ns of
Foreign Materials Shown
In January Statement
Of Imports

Indications of remarkable activity on
the part of the manufacturers of the
United States are found in the January
statement of imports, just completed by
the statistical division of the bureau of
foreign and domestic commerce. Not only
is the total value of manufacturers ma
terial imported in January and the seven
months ended January greater than in the
corresponding periods of last year, but an
examination of the quantities of the va
rious articles of this class of imports
shows, in nearly every case, a marked
increase in the quantity imported when
compared with the corresponding periods
of last year.
The official statement of imports by
great groups shows that the total value
of all raw material for manufacturing
in January, 1913 was s60.0o0,000, against
s49,000,O00 in January. 1912; and for the
seven months ended with January, s874,-
000 GOO, against s2S7, 100000 in the corre-
spending period of last year. Manufac-
lures imported for use in manufacturing
were: In January, 1918, 100000 value,
against $25.000000 in January, 1912, and
for the seven months ended with January
1918, s204, 100000, against $4,000 600 in the
corresponding months of last year.
But it is in a comparison of quantities
of this material imported in the current
fiscal year with corresponding periods of
former years that the growth becomes
more distinctly apparent, since the state
ment when measured by values only
might be, in some degree, the effect of
advancing prices. comparison by uuan-
titles, however, indicates more clearly the
growth in the current year. In practical
ly every article of importance imported
for ma pttfn npt11 fao~ 10 ,t,+s
larger in 1918 than in the corresponding
periods of 1912, and in most cases than in
any earlier year.
The principal articles imported for man
ufacturing are raw cotton, wool, silk
fbers, hides, rubber, tobacco, lumber, tin,
iron ore, copper pigs and copper in ore;
and in all of these the figures show larger
quantities imported in 1918 than in 1912
and in most cases larger quantities than
In the corresponding period in any earlier
year. Raw cotton, for example, shows
26,0000O0 pounds imported in January,
against 100000 in January last year and
II 100000 pounds in the seven months end
ed with January, against $4,000, 600 pounds
in the same period of last year. Raw silk
shows for the seven months period 16,-
100000 pounds. against 100000 in the
same months of last year; wool, $4,000. 600
pounds, against 100000 in the corre-
spending months of last year; fibers, 247,-
100000 tons, against 166,000,000 in the like
period of last year; hides and skins, $780,
100000 pounds, against $50. 100000 in the cor
responding months of last year; tin, 67 00o,-
900 pounds, against 61000,0 900; crude rub
ber, 66,0000o0 pounds, against $1,000 900;
tobacco, 3o0O0,000 pounds, against 90 600;
and lumber, including boards. planks, etc.
725,0O0 M feet, against $4,000 M feet in
the corresponding months of last year;
while crude mineral oil, iron ore and cop
per also show increases in the seven
months ended with January, 1918, COM
pared with the seven months ended Janu-
ary, 1912.