Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-01-07
Business Conditions ShcW Steady I'm
prcvenent in All Lines, Accord
ing to Business Digest Fur
nished the NsWs-Budget
by the Eau Claire
National Bank

| featuring lines, heavy increases in
building operations and railroad tom
mage and unusual wholesale and re-
| tail business generally is, in brief,
| the story of the present business
situation in this country. The total
volume of commercial operations be-
| ing recorded each day has never
before been equaled and instead OF
the usual lull Or let-down in heavy
| lines it is evident that the present
activity will carry right through the
holiday season.
Bank Clearings for November We're
over 10 billion dollars compared with
II billions year ago. The gain for
New York City alone was 119 per
cent and for the country outside Of
New York City the increase was 80
per cent, making the increase aver
age for the entire country Is per
cent. Out Of 100 principal cities
only - showed smaller clearings
than year ago while Ill cities set
entirely new high records.
Dividend and Interest Disburse-
ments for December will amount to
lat million dollars compared with 133
million dollars a year ago. Dividends
will total 81 million dollars com
pared with AZ million dollars a year
ago and interest will be 80 million
dollars compared with SO million dol
lars for the same month last year.
Maturities for January will amount
to IS million dollars, the total maturi-
ties for next year being less than
sol million dollars compared with
maturities for the current year
amounting to S76 million dollars The
major part Of the maturities in Jan
uary are railroad securities.
Financing by corporations during
November totaled 17S million COM
pared with 81 million dollars last year
and 81 million dollars two years ago.
The number Of Business Failures
during November was 1,4S1 compared
with LOO for the same month last
year and the liabilities of the failed
concerns were less than IS million
dollars compared with liabilities of
over % million dollars for the con-
Germs failing in November 1914.
The assets of the concerns falling
last month covered more than one
half of the liabilities, the net liabili-
ties being only about eight million
| dollars
| The total amount of Money in Cir
culation Oh the first of December
was 1859 million dollars compared
with $3.50 million dollars year ago.
The per capita circulation is $38.04
compared with $36.40 a year ago, the
present per capita circulation being
the largest ever recorded. The Fed
eral Government estimates the pres
ent population of the United States
at 101 ,435 thousand persons, COM
pared with 99,733 thousand year ago.
Building Operations for November
in 100 cities aggregated 73 million
dollars compared with 40 million dol
lars year ago, SO million dollars
two years ago and II million dollars
three years ago. Out Of $50 cities
1913 show gains over last year for
the month and the decreases record
ed in 80 cities are slight.
Gross Earnings for all steam rail
roads for October We're 81 million
dollars compared with 274 million
dollars for the same month last year,
an increase Of 81 million dollars or
nearly IA per cent Net Earnings
were 119 million dollars compared
with SO million dollars year ago,
a gain of 80 million dollars or near
ly 81 per cent An increase of not
quite four per cent was shown in
operating expenses. SO far as re-
ported Gross Earnings for Novem
Der show an increase Of 80 per cent
over last year with a very slight in
crease in operating expenses so that
when all returns are in net earn
ings for November will probably
show an increase of between 80 per
cent and 40 per cent over the CORE
spending month year ago. The in
creased earnings Of the Western
roads are largely due to heavy grain
movement and this applies to a
number of the big Eastern lines. The
cotton movement was small and yet
the Southern roads were able to
make a better showing which prom
Uses we'll for earnings of the South
ern lines when the cotton movement
increases
During the month Of November the
number of Idle Cars increased by
nearly IL thousand, leaving SO thou
sand cars idle on the first of this
month The increase in idle cars
was wholly in flats and coal cars,
the number of idle box cars decreas-
ing for the month largely because of