Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-03-10
EVERY INDICATION POINTS
To INCREASED PROSPERITY.
Business Digest Furnished the News Budget by the Eau
Claire National Bank, Says 1916 Should Prove
Record-Breaking Year.

The volume of domestic trade now
being enjoyed is perhaps best evil
denced by the tremendously increase d
railroad earnings. These increased
earnings are in evidence in those
sections where lighter crop move
ment has obtained, clearly showing
that the volume of traffic is due to
increased movement of merchandise.
1t is noteworthy that Of the 1910
million dollars increase shown in our
exports of last year as compared
with the year before, approximately
SO per cent was made up of food
stuffs, while 60 per cent of the TO-
tai was in wholly or partly manufac-
tured goods. Our increase in exports
to neutral countries outside of Eu-
rope was 131 million dollars. Our
exports to Germany direct declined
146 million dollars but to Holland,
Norway, Sweden and Denmark, be-
ing the neutral countries whose Dor
der lines reach Germany, our ex-
ports increased by 1874 million dol
lars, from which it may be assumed
that Germany is probably receiving
the usual quantity of American
goods, although indirectly.
The bank exchanges in January at
1862 principal cities were 20 billion
dollars compared with we'll over 10
billion dollars in January, 1915, an
increase of 40 per cent. Only % OF
the 1872 cities included in this figure
showed less clearings than in Janu-
airy, 1915, and most Of the losses are
very small, while gains made at 9th
er cities are, in many cases, large
and some cities made a new record
for monthly clearings during January.
Stock sales on the New York EX-
change in January amounted to 10
million shares compared with IA
million shares in December and five
million shares in January of last
year. There was but one million
share day during January. January
bond sales totaled III million dollars
compared with 1872 million dollars IN
December and Sc million dollars in
January of last year. The average
price of 81 selected stocks is 1O1.7
compared with 1872 a year ago and
the average price of 50 railroad
bonds at the close of January was
1871 as against 1902 at the close
of January, 1915.
There We're 1890 business failures
in the United States in January with
liabilities of nearly % million dollars
compared with 1902 failures for the
same month last year with liabilities
of so million dollars. Assets Of the
failed concerns totaled 10 million
dollars as against 50 million dollars
in assets for the concerns failing IN
January last year Net liabilities
were u million dollars compared
with Is millions a year ago
Foreign trade returns are not yet
| in from all Of the customs districts
but for the thirteen principal ones,
exports for the four weeks ending
| January 29th reached a total of 1928
million dollars and imports were l60
million dollars, leaving an export
balance of 165 million dollars Elk
ports for the entire country in jan
uary of last year were 26S million
dollars, imports were 1872 million dol
lars and the balance of trade 146
million dollars.
Building operations during January
at 139 leading cities totaled SO mil
lion dollars as against "A million
dollars in January, 1915, a gain OF
20 per cent Although January build
ing was the smallest for eleven
months, it was the largest Of any
January since 1913. Of the 139 cit
les, 50 showed decreased operations
when compared with January 1915,
while 81 showed a gain.
Mill shipments of western pine in
December were SO million feet as
against rs million feet in November
and 50 million feet in December,
1914. For the entire year 1915, the
cut Of western pine totalad 949
million feet and shipments were 1,0OS
million feet which is to be compared
with 900 million feet cut in 1914 and
shipments Of 500 million feet.
The northern pine output in De-
cember was less than four million
feet compared with over II mflliop
feet in November and less than two
million feet in December, 1914.
Shipments were IA million feet
compared with rs million feet in
November and 80 million feet in De-
cember, 1914. Although the Deem
Der cut of northern pine always
shows a seasonal decrease, Deem
Der shipments were, nevertheless,
quite large, resulting in a great de-
l.