The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-03

COTn DaTeQ
 Building operations for April in 15o principal cities were only $85,OO0,Ooo compared with $100,0OO,0OO for the same month Hast year. Total ope- rations for the year to date m 14O cities outside of New York were S22Z,- OOO. OOO compared with $24Os000,0o0 year ago and, for the city of New York the total this year has been $49, ,0OO, ,OO0.s compared with $60, ,oeo,- 900 9. year ago.
 The reports of the railr roads for the month of March showed a light gain in gross over March, 1913, and this, aded to the fact that March, 1912, showed a gain of $13,000s000 over 1911 and March, 1913, made~ a gain of S11,OO0,O0O over 1912, makes even the small gain this year over last of considerable importance. The gain in net in March this year of $3,00O,- 900 dollars over March last year has less meaning because March, 1913. showed a falling off in net of $4,000,- 900. The gain in gross for March, although only $66O,oO0 dollars for all the railroads iIi. the country combtn- ed, is indicative of an improving sit uation, for not snce September 1913, have we had a months report show ing an increase in gross earnings over the corresponding month of the previous. year Reports so far in for the month of April indicate a de- crease in gross earnings in April as a O.
 The total number of idle cars on the first of the month was 5000 compared with 40 900 idle a year ago. Tn spite of the unusually large mum Der of idle cars, there are points in the country. to-day where shippers are unable to obtain cars promptly, . some railroads having so materially curtai1ed operations as to make 1t difficult for them to get the empties to the shipping points Aside from this, equipment buying has not been as small as current reports would in ing April totaling nearly 10000 and new freight cars purchased from January i, 1918, to this date make up a. larger number than for any pre- vious 16-month period with one ex- ception. The railroads have the cars but many roads lack men to handle them and they are not disposed to put on more in order to get more bus mess when the business cannot be handled at a profit.
 It is quite doubtful whether the new policy adopted by some of ths railroads of increasing rates of all kinds wherever legally possible will assist them in the matter of the pro- posed increase in freight rates pend ing before the Interstate Commerce by the hundreds in all parts of the country against increases recently made in 1ntra-state freight rates, in interstate passenger rates and in va riOus special charges for railroad ser vice While most of thesex moves apply to fairness on both sides will bring about the quickest and best so- lution of the existing difficulties due to decreasing revenues of the rail- roads.
 The gold production in the Trans vaa1 amounted to SS4sOo0 fine ounces for April compared with 785,-i i 900. ounces year ago Production 1n- creased, however, from 225155 ounces per day in April. The falling off in gold production for this district for the year to date totals about $10.- 00O,0OO.
 Pig iron production for April was 2. .270 C, ,00O tons compared with 2,752,- 900 tons year ago and 2.S48. 0O0ftons in March of this year. The aver age price of pig iron at all markets l is somewhat lower than at sthe begin ming. of the year.
 corporation at the close of last month was 4,277 s0OO tons compared with 4.754 1000 tons at the close of March. On May i, 1918. the unified was S. 979, 1000 tons. April orders were low, bookings averaging only 3s per cent. of capacity.
 The production of copper in April was 152, 2,OOO,OOO pounds compared with 5000, 900 pounds a year ago, and the worlds visible supply in creased from 123.OO0, 900 pounds on ! April first to 136, 900 pounds on May first The worlds visible supply on April l, 1918, was EOS, 900, 900 IDS. The visible supply of tin plate on ] the first of the month was IS, 900 tons compared with 17,000 tons month. ago and 10000 tons a year ago. AL though the visible supply is larger, mills are now operating and will con tinue to operate practically at ca pacity as a single order has been placed by a large interest for approx imately 30 1000 tons for delivery dur ing the latter part of 1914. This to- 1 gether with current orders will take care of the visible supply and keep the mills running to the end of the year.
 Planting and seeding is practically l completed and soil and weather con
 ditfons are on the whole most satis- factory. Many estimates Of the win ter wheat crop have been unreason-
 ably high, insufficient allowances | having been made for the things that always happen between the f1rse l spring view of the wheat and the days of harvest ConservativeIy, we | bushels of wheat and more than 40,- o00,O0O bushels of rye, both of which would be record crops The Hessian 1 Fly is after the wheat in some sec lions but it is not likely that the damage which will be done can bring 1 the crop below the above figures. /
 The tide of business has passed the low .ebb and in a number of lines un- usual activity is in evidence. Copper l and tin among the metals are giving 1 a good account of themselves; rail- road earnings, if not increased ma