The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-02

240 in March and 12O 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 1st there was net surplus of idle cars in this country of 30,607 com pared with 3,650 on April 1st and 32T,084 on May 1, 1915. There was a net surplus on May 1st of 2,68o flat cars, 12,675 coal cars and 15,519 mis- ce1laneous cars. There was a net shortage on that date of 2,267 box cars.
 Lake commerce passing through the Soo Canal during April totaled 2,215 thousand tons compared with 1,434 thousand tons in April, 1915, and a new high record for the month. Of the total, eastbound traffic, consisting g chiefly of wheat, grain and ore. aggre- gated 1,567 thousand tons and west bound shipments tota1ed 649 thousand tons. mostly coal.
 Production of pig iron during April totaled 3,228 thousand tons compared with 3,338 thousand tons in March and 2,116 thousand tons in April, 1915. The daily rate of production was approximately the same as in March, or not quite 10S thousand tons. There were 322 furnaces in blast on May 1st with a daily capacity of 1O9 thousand tons compared with S16 ac- tive month earlier with a daily ca pacity of 1o8 thousand tons.
 Lake Superior iron ore shipments in April totaledi 1858 thousand tons compared with 5o4 thousand tons in April, 1915. This is a new high rec ord in ore shipments for the opening month of navigation, comparing with 1,52O thousand tons shipped in April 1910, the previous high mark.
 The thrilled tonnage of the Steel Corporation has. once more made a new record, standing at 9,830 tTrous- and tons on April 3oth compaFed with 9,331 thousand tons a month earlier and 4,162 thousand tons on April 30, 1915.
 Anthracite coal shipments in April amounted to 4,529 thousand tons com pared with 6,656 thousand tons in April year ago. Only one of the carriers included in the report made an increase over last year. Stocks of anthracite coal at stidewater ship ping ports ont April 2Oth were 361 thousand tons compared with 339 thousand tons on March 31st.
 Production of Coke in the Councils vile District in the four weeks ended April 29th totaled 1.7s2 thousand tons compared with 1,275 thousand tons for the entire month of April last year. Shipments of coke in the four weeks tota1ed 59,140 cars compared with 34,288 cars in April of last year. On May 1 9th, out of 38,54 ovens, 34,- Ss6 in blast on April 18th, or a month earlier.
 Zinc and speIter supplies at the principal market continue to increase as receipts at that point during April totaled 530 thousand slabs compared with 311 thousand slabs in April, 1915, while shipments from this market for the month were 398s thousand slabs compared with BAT thousand slabs shipped in April last year.
 Domestic consumption of tin in April totaled 4,2O2 tons compared with 4,726 tons in March and 3,20O tons in April, 1915. Stocks of tin in this country at the close of April amount ed to 2,756 tons compared with D. 746 tons month earlier and 3,O41 tons a year ago. If domestic con sumption continues at the present rate, however, these stocks will be diminish ed somewhat during May, as ship ments of tin to the United States from the Straits Settlements during April were only 1,260 tons compared with 2,50o tons in March and 2,11O tons in April. 1915. The total visible sup ply of tin at the close of April was 19,- 739 tons compared with 18,782 tons on March 31st and 15,785 tons on April 30, 1915.
 New oil production from the 2,07O wells completed during April was 95 thousand barrels compared with 152 thousand barrels produced in March month.
 Transvaal gold production in April totaled 755 thousand fine ounces com pared with 797 thousand ounces in March and 744 thousand ounces in April of last year,
 After many successive months of up- ward movements, during which new high points were established several times only to be passed the following month. commodity prices, according to Bradstreet's index, have at last halted in their climb, the index on May 1 standing at $11.75, compared with $11.76- on April 1st, the highest point ever reached and $9.S0 on May 1, 1915 This index has recorded successive in creases for every month since last September, while in a general way it has been steadily mounting since the outbreak of the war. Apparently we have reached the apex of modity prices. During April the prices of 37 articles increased, 22 decreased and 48 remained the same.
 Domestic consumption of cotton in April amounted to 532 thousand bales compared with 514. thousand bales in April, 1915. April cotton exports to- ta1ed 516 thousand bales compared with 672 thousand bales in April of last year while imports were 67 thou sand bales. compared with 54 thousand year ago. Stocks of cotton in con suming establishments on April 30th were FOOT thousand bales compared with 1881 thousand bales on April 30, 1915, and stocks in public storage and af f1aY rNH@fT 815 thousand bales compared with 2,849 thousand bales a, year ago. There were 32,114 thousand spindIes active during April compared with 60, 0,9O4 thousand in April of last year.
 The condition of winter wheat on May 1st of SPA per cent. com pared with 92.9 per cent. on May 1, 1915, and in O