The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-07-02
BUSINESS CHANGING
TO MEET CONDITIONS
CAUSED BY THE WAR

In the Fourth (Cleveland) federal
district business conditions NAY" not
changed radically over last month. en-
cept That banks are not so full OF money
and lnnuiuy rates ara considerably llrm-
cr. People are slowly nlttnE mem
selves Into Lhe changed conditions "hlCn
have followed our entranc" lnto INV
war. and there are indications tha' the
| coming months will See marked changes
| in manufacturing and merchandising
! with luxurIcs giving place 10 neccss1'
! ties and TO war supplies.
Agriculture.
While damage IL reported 10 pros
pectivc crops by rain and cool weather'
The actual damage. from the best lntoF
nation we can obtain. is orcrcstlmateG
! A big crop OF corn is under way. Al
that is needed now is warm weather
and little less rain. so that the 1hItu'
crs can keep their cultiVators moving
Hay is very heavy. but the acreage Is
smaller because OF tho fact that quito
an amount or grass was plowed under
TO wake way for grain. Oats look esps-
cially good with large acreage. Ihere
Is an unusually large acreage or pota-
loes. beans and general garden produce
Our reports show an increase or from
nS 10 100 per cent in acreage over last
year in some parts OF the district.
Industrtes.
Manufacturing continues al lulI ca
narily. with little slowing up In pros
pect. II Is the general opinion tna s
MILLS and factories will be busy all
wear. and it il expected that the gov
eminent buying for war purposes Will
bring about a further expansion In all
lines Of Industry.
The fuel situation continues n diff
cult one Scveral~of the largest natural
gas companies in the country serving
this district have sent formal notices
10 their customers advising them to lay
IN a supply Of coal 70 supplement
probable shortage In natural gas next
winter. This Is the first time since the
Introduction Of gas as a fuel that .snch
notice has been given The high price
OF fuel for industrial and domestic use
has resulted in some increase In tho
output OF coal and coke. which Is up 10
the maximum or the year.
steel mills arc all filled up for a long
period of time ahead and are only giving
the general trade the excess over the
tonnage required for government needs.
Prices OF raw material are advancing
and II Is growing more and more di1n-
cult 10 control The selling prices. From
nil estimates obtained it appears that
there will be q serious pig iron short
age before the year is out. This also
applies TO coal and coke unless the car
situation improves.
Is per cent slump in the expected de-
mand for automobiles as Of June s.
The glass and pottery business con.
tinues good. with reported shortage OF
common labor and insufficient railroad
serricc.
Textile manufacturers report business
GOOD, federal orders offsetting falling
en- IN the higher priced products.
\ satisfactory volume Of business oon-
tinucs among the manufacturers OF cleo
triral goods and the rubber Industry
has not been affected In proportion To
the falling off in the expected sales or
pleasure automobiles for the reason that
there is an Increased activity In the
manufacture OF trucks.
business In face brick. and paving
brick has fallen Off while tho demand
for fire brick Is booming.
Building Operations.
building operations show substan-
tinI increase IN values for May. 1917.
over May. 1916. A number Of industrial
cities report an acute shortage in work
mems homes. In Akron about 300
houses are now under construction and
II Is reported that 10000 additional
houses could be used. In several OF the
larger cities large building operations
seem to have come TO standstll.
Labor.
Labor conditions arc moro acute than
a year ago. The quality OF the labor
supplying Is lower than month ago.
There Is considerable unrest among en-
ploycs on account OF conscription but
this condition will probably be improved
after the first draft
Mercantile Lines.
The trend from non-essentlals to en-
sentials as noted last month continues.
The marking of time which occurred In
the retail trade was partially due 10 the
cool weather which extended up to the
middle Of June.
Collections as 4 rule arc reported good,
but instances of slower payments are be-
coming more freQunt.
Money Investments.
The demand for money ms compared
with last month isconsiderably stiffcr.nnd
rates have advanced apnrcciahly The
demand money rate IL from To E per
cent. and per cent is being quoted for