The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-01

month ago and only 1895 thousand tons 9 year ago. Fifteen more fur naces were blown in during August, making total Of 249 in operation and the daily capacity was over 91 thousand tons.
 The untitled tonnage of the Steel corporation on August 31 was 4.908 thousand tons compared with 1929 tn housand tons a month ago and only 4,213 thousand tons a year ago. The Steel .Corporationis not only not seek ing more business but is not accepting g all the business which is offered it at present quotations
 While it is impossible to secure exact figures on the copper produc- ton, the production for August is given by good authorities tat 1855 mill lion pounds, the largest months out put for the year to date. and a larger production than in any month since July, 1914. The visible supply in the United States is estimated at 118 rniI- lion pounds and the worlds visible at 192 million pounds. These figures compare with a visible in this country of 106 million pounds a year ago and 181 million pounds for the world a year ago.
 principal market for the year to date have been 3,o36 thousand slabs com pared with 3,019 thousand slabs for the same period last year and ship ments have been 5.050 thousand slabs compared with 2,908 thousand slabs for the same period last year.
 Of the 39 thousand coke ovens in the ConneHsville district over 28 thousand are in operation, producing 338 thousand tons per week and shipments are running between 10 and Il thousand cars per week.
 The production of gold at the Rand mines for August was nearly 779 thousand fine ounces compared with an output of ITO thousand ounces in July and TIP thousand ounces for August a year ago. The production for August, 1915, is the largest since May. 1913
 Although commodity prices are a shade lower than they were in July and August, they are still consider ably higher than the average for the year to date and much higher than last years average.
 The gross earnings of steam rail- roads in July totaled 263 million dol lars compared withl261 million dol l lars last year, an increase of nearly 1 per cent. Economics in operation expenses causing net earnings to reach almost 88s qn dollars com pared with 7S million dollars for the same month of 1914, the increase be- 1 ing nearly 13 per cent Reports aI- ready received for August, which are,
 
 gross earnings for that month ran about the same as last year while net earnings for August, when reports are all in, will show a considerable gain I over the same month of 1914. Net earnings for the first six months of 1 this year amounted to 395 million do4- l lars compared with. BAY million dol l lars last year, an increase of nearly 1 14 per cent. which means that net l earnings for the first half of this year showed a slight imPr oYefnent over the first half of 1913, the first half of 1914 falling about 13 per cent. l below the previous year and this year we have regained the Joss. The grain and cotton movement will, during the 1 next few weeks, be of great help in the total freight showing.
 So far this year the railroads have ordered 56 thousand cars compared with 1G3,326 a year ago. The num- Der of idle cars decrcusec- during the month of August by 82 thousand cars.
 The production of Northern pine in July was III million feet compared with 1o8 million feet in June and 131 million feet in July of last year. Ship ments were 72 million feet compared with 75 million feet in June and 92 million feet in July of last year. Mill shipments of Western pine for July