South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-02
WHAT BRADSTREET'S
HAS TO SAY TODAY

NEW YORK, Oct 2.-Bradstreet's
today says:
Trade reports. good last week. are
even better this week. There is more
snap to trading, uncertainty about the
future has well nigh given place TO
certainty, interest in the European
war is simmering down TO "A discus
sion Of what it Will produce in the
way Of orders for the United States.
the Anglo French loan TO be aoated
here favorably affects credit making
factC 8. money is abundant at low
rates some branches of the finished
steel industry are in "a sold-up con-
dition. railway buying Is in evidence.
reports Of car shortages in the middle
west are noteworthy, labor is becOm-
ing scarcer. lower temperatures have
quickened distributes or seasonable
goods. jobbing trade tends 20 broaden.
road sales TO improve. mail order
business to rise, holiday buying To in
crease and payrolls to expand. Incl
dentally -four millers at the northwest
are sold ahead. some munitions plants
are working three shifts in "a hclrs
machine tool shops are taxed to make
deliveries and in some centers these
interests are bidding against makers
of munitions for needful labor.
Farmers. excepting higher prices,
are not inclined 10 sell wheat. al
though il is conceded that more would
be moved from the northwest were
10 not for wet weather; exports are
heavy and the world will need our
wheat. Leather is active and higher,
Il
foreign orders for shoes are noted and
increased buying by retailers is ex-
pected, but the industry as a whole
is only working at about So per cent
OF capa city. Textiles sell we'll, slim
ulated in part by actual needs rising
superior no doubt, and in large part
to higher prices for cotton. Wool is
slower. off grades being lower with
manufacturers well supplied for near
by requirements, while prospects ia
vOr larger exports from the Antipoles.
Railway traffic is increasing and
earnings are on the upgrade. The
stock market, which gave little at
tention to the fact that a southwest
ern railroad went into receivership
this week, displays activity at rising
prices similar TO that witnessed six
years ago. Commercial paper, though
in scant supply sells at very low quo
tations, and some recent municipal
borrowings brought out unusually low
rates. Bank clearings show enormous
gains over last year and are 16 per
cent above 1918.
"In the northwest Improvement is
visible all around, but it would be
greater were it not for wet weather
retarding threshing of wheat, which
in turn delays shipments to market
and retards collections
'In the west decidedly better senti-
ment gives birth to broader demands.
not only in trade, but in industry as
we'll. In the south, barring the havoc
wrought at New Orleans by Wednes-
days hurricane, buoyancy is increas-
ing. trade is better. debts are being
liquidated, cotton brings from II to
II IL cents a pound, cotton seed $50
20 $40 a ton, and there is talk Of the
staple going higher.
I'm the east market Improvement
Is the ruling note, but lack of dye
stuffs disturbs manufacturing. In the
southwest improvement is reflected,
the further upturn being due to cooler
weather, to smarter movements in in
dustrial lines and to higher prices for
cotton"