The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-04

month before and se.ss at the close
of April. 1915.
Business failures in the United
States during April numbered 1880,
with liabilities of i6 million dollars,
compared with 1858 failures in April
a year ago, with liabilities totaling 30
million dollars Asssts of the failed
lars, compared with 30 million dollars
a year ago. leaving net liabilities OF
eight million dollars. compared with
net liabilities OF 10 million dollars in
April of last year.
Building operations at 14s cities in
April totaled 80 million dollars, COM
pared with rs million dollars in April,
1915. the gain being over 15 per cent.
April building figures. however, are
somewhat below the April figures in
several previous years. as scarcity of
materials, high prices and contro-
versies with labor ara operating to re-
press building to a certain extent.
Lumber Trade.
The lumber cut in March (4s1 mills
reporting) totaled $50 million feet,
compared with 1877 million feet in
March, 1918, and MarL.l shipments
were 500 million feet, compared with
784 million feet in March of last year.
The March lumber cut was composed
of s34 million feet OF soft woods,
and 118 million fset Of hard woods cut
in March, 1915. The March shipments
were made UP to 1877 million feet Of
soft woods and 100 million feet Of
hard woods. compared with 676 mil
lion feet Of soft woods and "a million
feet of hard woods shipped in March
last year. Lumber figures have shown
an increase in the visible supply for
several consecutive months.
Gross earnings OF ass railroads in
March totaled 2s7 million dollars,
compared with 288 million dollars in
March. 1918. a gain OF as per cent
and net earnings for the Same roads
were 50 million dollars, compared with
SO million dollars In March OF last
year, gain Of - per cent Rail-
road earnings are not % large as in
the closing months Of last year, but
continue highly satisfactory. Partial
reports OF gross earnings in April show
q total OF - million doliarA compar ed
with So millions in April. 1915, q gain
over Western roads during April were
considerably larger than in that period
a year ago. The Southern cotton
movement was somewhat less than
last year. but increased traffic OF other
classes moro than made up for this
loss TO the Southern roads
Orders were placed during April
for s,454 railroad cars. compared with
81. 457 cars ordered in March and s.
600 in April last year. Rails ordered
during April totaIed s65 thousand
tons. compared with 1.052 thousand
tons in March and SIS thousand tons
in April. 1915. Locomotives dered
in April numbered 1s2. compared with
240 In March and 100 in April last
year. Both car and rail orders for
April although better than last year,
were less than in April. 1914.
During April the number Of idle
cars continued to increase. and on
May l there was q net surplus of idle
cars in this country Of 3o.607, COM
pared with $3.50 on April /, and 327.-
0S4 on May I. 1915. There was a net
surplus on May Of 1850 fiat cars, 49,
SIS coal cars and 1853 miscellaneous
cars There was q net shortage on
that date OF 2,267 box cars.
Lake commerce. passing through the
500 Canal during April totaled 2.215
thousand tons. compared with 1,434
thousand tons in April. 1918. and
new high record for tho month. OF
the total. eastbound traffic, consisting
chiefly OF wheat, grain and ore, as-
gregated 1857 thousand tons and
westbound shipments totaled sac
thousand tons, mostly coal.
Production of pig iron during April
tstaled 3,22s thousand tons. compared
The daily rate OF production was ap--
proxtmately the same as IN March, or