El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-02
BETTER OUTLOOK
IN TRADE FIELD.
February Conditions Were
Good; March Outlook
is Even Better.

A general letter on trade conditions
and a business forecast for the month
of March, issued by the First National
bank. contains some encouraging indus
trial information. In part the report
The volume of domestic trade now
being enjoyed is perhaps best evidenced
by the tremendously increased railroad
earnings These increased earnings are
in evidence in those sections where
lighter crop movement has obtained.
clearly showing that the volume OF
traffic is due to increased movement of
merchandise.
It is noteworthy that Of the 1910 mil
lion dollars increase shown in our eX-
ports of last year as compared with the
year before, approximately SO percent
was made up of food stuffs, while 60
percent Of the total was in wholly or
partly manufactured goods.
The bank exchanges in January at
162 principal cities were 20 billion dol
lars compared with well over 10 billion
dollars in January, 1915, an increase
of 40 percent
Money in circulation February to-
tailed 1884 million dollars, compared
with 1909 million dollars on January 1,
and 1884 million dollars on February ],
1915. The circulation per capita on
February / was S3S.67, new high rec
ord, and comparing with S94-o4 one
year ago.
February dividend and interest dis
bursernents viii total 131 million dol
lars, compared with 121 million dollars
in February Of last vear.
There We're 1890 business failures in
the United States in January with LA
bilities of nearly % million dollars
compared with 1902 failures for the
same month last year with liabilities
Of SOS million dollars
Building operations during January
at 1873 leading cities tOtaled 90 million
dollars as against "A million dollars in
January. 1915, a gain Of 20 percent
January building was the largest Of any
January since 1913
Railroad Business Big.
Gross earnings of 169 railroads in
December aggregated 2S2 million dol
lars. Net earnings were 102 million dol
lars, compared with 50 million dollars
in December. 1914. an increase in net of
13 percent. Gross earnings for the en-
tire country in November were 301 mil
lion dollars. compared with 24O million
dollars in November, 1914, and net earn
ings were lis million dollars compared
with IS million dollars in November,
1914
The net number Of cars idle in the
United States on February 1 was 2l,4S9,
compared with 1896 on January l and
279.41l on February last year.
The untitled tonnage of the steel Cor
poration on January 81 was 1928 thou
sand tons, which compares with 1906
thousand tons en- December 81 and 4249
thousand tons year ago.
Shipments of anthracite coal in jan
uary were 1854 thousand tons as
against $40 thousand tons in Decem-
Der and 1884 thousand in January Of
last year.
Copper Production Rig.
Production Of copper at the five prin-
cipal mines during December aggre-
gated 59,5l2 thousand pounds. compared
with 56,322 thousand pounds in NOvem-
Der and 27,203 thousand pounds in De-
cember, 1914 Early returns indicate
some falling off in the January copper
production. due to bad weather. Stocks
of copper on December 81 are estimated
at 1856 thousand pounds, compared
with 162,567 thousand pounds A year
before and 91,439 thousand pounds two
years before Conner supplies in the
creases and still higher prices are be-
ing generally looked for. with some de-
cline toward the close Of this year.
Receipts OF zinc and spelter at the
principal market for the year to Feb
ruary y totaled 59i thousand slabs.
with 4S9 thousand slabs for
the same time last year.
Labor Affairs.
In spite of hundreds OF voluntary
wage increases, shortening OF labor
hours and Improvements in working
numerous demands of large
labor organizations are still pending.
that of the organizations Of
railroad men, The present demands on
the railroads made by more than 500
thousand employees would represent a
large outlay annually and as much Of
this increase will come directly out of
the pockets of other laboring people.
the majority of whom are not as well
paid as railroad men, it is hoped that
some middle ground for a fair and sat
isfactory settlement may be found. La
Dor generally is well employed and well
paid and if 1916 shall prove to be a
year Of peace and a good crop year, it
viii undoubtedly set a new prosperity
record for the country.