New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-22
NOTES OF TRADE
AND INDUSTRY

Selling agents FOR the leading hos
iery mills Of the United States DO not
believe there has been corner es-
,ablished in the hosiery output Of the
country. as they say it would take
from sl5O.OOO.0OO to S2OOOOO,oOO 10
put over such corner as ia said 20
exist on the part Of q French Syndi-
cate. Il is admitted by representatives
Of hosiery mills which do most Of
their selling in New York. that there
is a great shortage in the supply Of
heavy woollen socks, owing to the
large exports TO the armies Of Europe
and owing 10 the alarming shortage Of
the grades OF wool needed.
At the present rate OF waste Of wool
in all forms i'm war, and in view OF the
lack Of supplies Of the grades used
not only in hosiery. but in underwear,
too, by next winter it is considered
probable that there viii be much
smaller supplies OF woollon hosiery
available for domestic needs than con
stitutes the normal consumption.
While the shortage OF woollen hos
iory is serious. there are plenty Of
places where large orders for cotton
hosiery can be taken for delivery dur
ing the next few months, although sup
plies for immediate or quick deliveries
are small. There is plenty OF cotton,
however, and there is also plenty Of
available machinery for hosiery man
ufacture. The majority OF the people
OF the United States wear cotton hos
iery. and so with the future supply
certain 10 be sufficient for anything
but abnormal domestic needs, hosiery
interests declare that stories of cor
ner by foreign syndicstes need alarm
no one.
Reports from department stores n
all parts OF the country have been
more optimistic during the last week
or two. The usual lull period after the
holidays IS summed up By those who
have comprehensive reports as "su-
perlatively dull for a few days, but
a quick recovery is reported for the
first few days of January, followed by
satisfactory business ID many depart
ments.
Most manufacturers and distributors
Of Injuries have found their business
has been az an extremely loW ebb for
the last six months, but cut glass man
ufactUrers and wholesalers say they
nave been very p!easureably surprised
during the last half year 10 fnd that
their sales have been close 10 normal.
They ascribe their mparatiyely good
business 10 q greater demand for cut
glass on the part Of people o. mod
crate means in recent years, also find
ing that buying OF jewelry, silverware,
etc, which fell of sharply at the
Christmas season this winter. was
switched in many cases 10 cut glass.
Prices for all grades Of cut glass have
not changed much.
Many lines OF trade are finding an
improving tendency in business, but
complaints from the manufacturing
drug trade are 10 the effect that buy
ing is as small as a. any time IN the
last six months. The depletion OF sup
plies in the hands Of retailers, how
ever. b. expected TO bring about bet
ter volume Of business within the next
six months. Experiments have been
made in this country M trying 10 man
ufacture substitutes for the more i'm
portant drugs and druggists supplies
formerly brought from Germany.
Wholesale drug distributors state that
so far nothing has been heard as 20
the results Of these experiments.
Prices for raw materials ere quite
high, while wholesale prices for fin
ished products arc low, manufactur-
ors and distributors asserting they are
transacting business at a loss.