The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-03
General Trade Conditions
 and a
 Business Forecast Issued by The Connecticut National -Banl1)
Business Forecast

I cent. During the month operating l expenses were decreased by 16 mil | lion dollars or nearly nine per cent as compared with the previous year so that net earnings stood at 68 mil | lion dollars just one million dollars more than in March of the previous year, an increase of more than one 1 per cent Those railroads which have | already reported April earnings show 1 a gross of 60 million dollars com pared with 66 millions a year ago, a decrease of about eight per cent It is believed that these early reports Icane from the railroads which have made the poorest showing of the ! month and that when all reports are in, the falling off in gross will be not l greater than in March or about six per cent If the homogeneous are as successful in reducing operating expenses in April as they were in March, it is possible that net earn ings will be about the same as in l April, 1918 and 1914, earnings for the latter year being 59 million dol lars and for the former, 50 millions. The idle car report on May 1st l shows 289 thousand cars idle com pared with 327 thousand the previous month and 229 thousand a year ago. The idle equipment included 100 l thousand box cars and 119 thousand | coal cars.
 Building operations for April are so 1 far obtainable for only about one half of the principal cities of the country, but these cities show total 1 of 68 million dollars compared with | 69 millions a year ago, a decrease | of something over. one per cent. Building permits in New York city were Is million dollars compared with only 13 million dollars last year. The cities showing the greatest inn provement include Philadelphia, San Francisco, Cleveland. Detroit, Colum- bus. Kansas City and. Bridgeport. The decrease in building operations so far ! this year, as compared with last year, has been about 10 per cent. The April showing, therefore is very en- courag1ng, and aside from strike con ditions in Chicago which have com pleteIy tied up building operations in that city, there is good promise of increased activity throughout the country during the next few weeks. In April we produced 2,116 thou sand tons of pig iron compared with 2, ,064 thousand tons in March and D. 27O thousand tons in April of last year The daily production was nearly Fl thousand tons compared with 67 thousand tons per day in March. The present daily capacity exceeds II thousand tons, and 195 furnaces were active on May 1st. gain of four for the month.
 The unified tonnage of the steel corporation on the first of May was 4,162 thousand tons compared with 4.256 thousand tons the previous month and 4,277 thousand tons a year ago.
 Copper mines operated during March at s5 per cent of capacity and production has been steadily increas- ing so that it is believed that all of the principal mines are operating at practically full capacity at the pres ent time. The combined production of five leading mines for March was A million pounds compared with S5 million pounds the previous month and 32 million pounds in January. Spelter is enjoying a, runaway mar ket and lead is in much more active demand. Lead prices are strong and promise to advance.
 Anthracite shipments in April were 6,486 thousand tons compared with 6,O72 a year ago. This set a new record for April but the market is overloaded with anthracite at present.
 In the Connellsvflle district 22, ,470 coke ovens are active compared with 21,756 a month ago. Shipments are ranging from IT hundred to 81 hun dred cars per week, production run ming close to 300 thousand tons per week.
 Gold production at the Rand mines in April was "A thousand fine ounces compared with 6S4 thousand fine ounces a, year ago.
 Commodity prices are higher than 3 month ago and with the excepti on of August Is of last year are the highest recorded in more than 50 years.
 The lumber cut for March was 79O million feet compared with 5O9 mil lion feet in February and 737 million feet in March of last year. Shipments were TIP million feet compared with 495 million feet in February and 669 million feet in March, 1914. Mill were 85 million feet, exactly the same as a year ago.
 While the various estimates, in cluding that of the Federal depart ment of agriculture. would indicate prospects of a wheat crop of $50 mil lion bushels, this figure will probably be reduced by the weather changes between now and harvest but it seems reasonable to expect a crop approxi- mating 300 million bushels which of course will find a ready market. Crop conditions on, the whole are most promising although too much moisture in the southwest, too little in the south east and too much cold weather in the north have done con siderable injury in various sections. The national cRop situation, taking all crops and all sections into con sideratiop as a, unit, has probably never been better.
 The best business conditions of the country are found through the cen in the southeast and on the Atlantic coast from New York to Florida.
 
 FairfinId Go1vY1fu NToxUS