The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-18
NEW YORK STORES
 REPORT BIG SALES
 IN HOLIDAY TIME

New York, Dec. 1s-Despite the cur rent belief that we are facing an era of curtai1ed business the leading New York department stores report a volume of sales so large as to put Quietus on depression talk as far as New York and it's environs are concerned. Holiday business is as good if not better than last year, which is a pretty fair indication that felt here at least.
 The speculative cotton market has suffered a slump since the governfn ent announced it's crop estimate of 13,677,- 900 bales, exclusive of linters, on Fri day Of last week. Adding 500, 900 bales for 1inters a commercial crop of over 14, 900, 0G0 bales is indicated, which ac- cording to many well posted cotton people, will prove adequate to meet the demands of the spinning world in
 the forthcoming year. Since the close of October contract prices have declined Ftbout 15o points, which is equivalent to 1 1-2 cents pound. The high prices were due to unfaVOra- ble weather devefo opments, which in- fsptred the belief that the crop would be short one. Present indications are that the crop will be larger than anticipated when prices were ruling around the 14-cent level. Hence the contraction has been due to a pros pective reduction in consumption rath- CT than to the discounting of a. short crop.
 As New York Railways earnings for the four months since June 30 show
 an increase over the corresponding period of last year, it is safe to as- sume that much interest will be paid on the company's adjustment I mortgage income bonds for the last half of this year as was paid in the previous year. This would be IA
 per cent, and would bring the total payment for the second year of the life Of the bonds up to $3s. 86, as com pared with $30.21 for the first year. The Delaware, Lackawanna & west
 ern has applied to the Stock Exchange to list $12.OOo, GOO additional capital stock.
 The special committee appointed by
 President Mabon of the Stock Ex-
 change to cooperate as far as possi-
 b1e in bringing about. the adoption of
 uniform measures for the greater pro-
 lection of the investing public has
 held several informal meetings to dis
 cuss methods of procedure. H. K.
 Pomroy has been elected a member
 of the committee to fill the vacancy
 cause by the resignation of H. G. F.
 Noble. The other members are Willis
 D. Wood, James H. Jenkins, William
 T.. Floyd, and Eugene Meyer, Jr, the
 last named being chairman of the
 board.
 President ?. w. Thomas. Jr., of the
 Nashville, dhattanooga 6 St. Louis
 Railway is dead at the age of 57. His
 career is interesting because he rose
 from engine driver to chief executive
 fo the road with which he was con
 nected at his death. From the engine
 cab Mir. Thomas was promoted to the
 position of trainmaster, later becom-
 ing purchasing agent and secretary to
 the president, assistant general man.
 ager, and president and general man.
 ager in that order.
 The Lehigh Valley Railroad has sold to New York and Phi1adel elp1ia banking syndicate $10,0Oo,0O0 Az per cent. general mortgage bonds. The
 proceeds will be used to retire $2-
 00U,000 T1mira, Cortland & Northern Railroad bonds at maturity April l, and for equipment and improvements.