The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-03

thousand tons compared with 1892 thousand tons for the same period of the previous year, a gain of over 50 per. cent. The bulk of our soft coal has been going to Italy and Argen- tine, our shipments to Canada hav- ing materially decreased. Our total exports of bituminous coal for Il months ending June 1 were over 12
 million tons compared with nearly 15 million tons a year previous and million tons two years ago. We have recently been developing new markets in South America and in the neutral European countries for soft coal.
 The production of gold in the Transvaal during July was ITO thou sand fine ounces compared with 755 thousand ounces a, month previous and 7s2 thousand ounces a year pre- vtous. The value of the July output was approximately 16 million dollars com pared with a value for July a. year ago of something over 5 mil lion dollars.
 Commodity prices on August 1 showed a fractional decline as com pared with the month previous, but are still higher than at any time pre- v1ous to July of this year .i So far reported gross earnings of steam railroads for July show a de- crease of about 10 per cent as com pared with a. year ago. the grain movement having been far below that of last year. The movement of cot ton. while light, was somewhat ahead of July. 1914. The gross earnings of all steam railroads for the first six months, of 1915 were 1888 million dollars compared with 1,43o million dollars for the same period last year. g, decrease of Al million dollars or nA9 q ,i,,-- the same period last year showed a decrease of nearly 6 per cent as com pared with the year previous Net earnings are not yet completely re- ported but on account of economies in operation they will make a much more favorable showing than did gross earnings.
 On the first of the month, idle cars numbered 264 thousand compared with 276 thousand a month previous and 197 thousand a year ago. An in crease in idle box cars was largely due to lighter grain shipments but a con- siderable decrease was reported in idle coal cars and flats.
 Tn the Connellsville district 28 ,0se coke ovens are burning; the produc- ton Is running around 37O thousand tons per week and shipments are about 1o.ooo cars per week. The erection of by-product ovens for the production of coal tar products is as- suming good proportions and con- tracts have been let for several hum dred ovenst of this type. The sup planting of the old type beehive oven is almost certain but furnace men in- sist that they must have a protective tarin on coal tar products in order to develop the industry in this country. The initial cost of the by-products oven is considerable and after the war the furnace men claim 1t will be impos- .sible to compete with the imported products without some tariff protec- ton. The by-product oven is not an experiment. as a few have been in successful operation for nearly 20 years
 Mill shipments of Western pine for June were s9 million feet compared with s4 million feet in May and ,86e mi ion feet in. June Of last year. No figures are available for the produc- ton and shipments of lumber since 790 million feet compared with 737 million, feet g, year ago and shipments were 772 million feet compared with 669 million feet year ago.
 July dom estic consumption of cot ton amounted to 498 tthousand bales year ago. The number of cotton spin dles active during July was 31, ,194 thousand compared with 30, SIT thou sand in July of, last year.
 There wilIsnot be failure this year of any invidual crop, although we will perhaps have about 26 per cent less cotton; 19 per cent less apples and 10 per cent less sugar cane. We have 311 million acres in the IA prin- cipal crops this year compared with 301 million acres a year ago and 300 million acres two years ago. Crop conditions on August 1 were per cent. above tthe 10-year average and the average of all farm prices was 1 per cent. higher than 9 year ago and II per cent higher than two years gao.
 General domestic trade is improv- ing as the result of our tremendous exports are. through the expendt- lures for raw materials and labor, finding their way into every branch of domestic trade. Heavy shipments of gold already arrived. in transit. and in prospect from Europe to this coun- try. are putting us in a strong position from monetary standpoint The general stock of money in the United States now exceeds four billions of dollars.
 Business conditions generally are good throughout the country and will improve as soon as the movement is well under way. The best conditions are found in the Western and Rocky M ountain states and the poorest con- ditions in the Southeastern states, in Central New York. General Pennsyl- vania and on the Western edge of the, Pacific slope.
 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS