Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-30
LOCAL TRADE SPOTTED
COLLECTIONS BET TER
Business Good in Hosiery Line
Little Change in Iron and
Steel Market.

According to r. q. Dun & Co. cendi.
tons IN the Total cotton trade arr
ported az dull which, however is ueuaifs
expected NJ this season of the year. l
Is also stated that there ia but llffsa
future Inquiry and but little SPOT bliss.
ness While business Is good % The oeh
hosiery trade, II Is mostly with mana
facturers Of silk hosiery There is also
but little demand at the present tIrna
for manufactures OF kuifted wt4t
Weavers also report business az dul1.
as well as manufacturers Of carpets
Both the weavers and manufacturers ~
carpets report their business as hainprfed.
owing to lack Of dyestuffs. prtcre ai
yarns favor the buyers and there does
not seem to be any standard on which
TO base prices better fall bueiueas q
anticipated all around and most bnsinea6
men appear to be optimistic aB to the
future.
IN the local wool trade iirm feeling
prevails and prices on some grades ~
wools are higher than q week or 10 days
ago. Those having wool are holding for
higher prices, believing that wools nnw
on the market cannot be replaced nt
prices that have recently prevailed nHG
are looking for n substantial advance
especially n the war In Europe continues
There ie but little local activity az the
present time
The iron and steel market showed but
little change during the last week ana
continued activity is noted IN export
business. Shipbuilders are also active
and railroads have been buying to a
greater extent than heretofore. Pig iron
reflects a better tone and the demand
for finished material Is good. Structural
orders are stated to be IN.
oreasing and the tonnage becoming
heavier. Prices are Arm. with an up
ward tendency, and collections reported
fairly good
Investigation IN the hardware trade af
this time shows that there is LITTLE
better feeling In this line than has been
exhibited In the last few months. These
consulted report that the gross amount
OF business Is larger than the correspond-
Ing period last year, but state that sfnaii-
er and more numerous orders are received,
Dealers In electrical goods report a good
volume OF business IN household special
ties and considerable trade In connection
with building operation work. The vol.
ume OF business Is regarded as satisfac-
tory. but prices are close and margins
small. Collections are reported fair and
show some Improvement.
There is some export business being
done in the coal line here. but this e
restricted to a comparatively few houses
AS n general rule, the smaller dealers
are not experiencing any considerable
increase In business. although the gem
eral impression seems 20 be that con-
ditions arc slightly better than for sew
eraI weeks past. No change Is noted Ia
the lumber line, the margin Of profit
continues small. and even where the vol
ume OF business is moderately good deal
ers complain OF small profits.
The leather market Is strong and prices
for hides and heavy leather continue high
and Arm. Glazed kid Is In moderate
but difficulties continue IN ra-
gard to obtaining supplies and making
shipment for export. Shoe dealers re-
port fair trade and some improvement
in collections.
Builders and contractors are figurins
on n large amount OF proposed new work
and Indications are favorable for general
Improvement in this line in the near
future. The volume OF business the last
few months Is still considerably short
OF normal business and the last week
shows n failing on of over Sao000 IN
aggregate cost OF work started over the
previous week, and also less than year
ago. There ls a fair amount OF dwelling
operations being erected. but most Of the
work under way is alterations and I'm
provements.