The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-01-31
BUYING IN FALL
COTTON LINES
Is Active, With Initial Bus
mess Heavier Than
Usual.
STANOAO GRADES FAVORED
Preference For French Serges
Over Other Varieties
Shown.

tOnS nave never Deen any HlOTe hu-
merous in the local markets than
they were at the opening of the new
week. They want domestics of all
grades and are ready to place ord ,rs
on dress fabrics and ginghams. The
volume of business already done in
this market by the largest houses is
greater than the initial business for
the fall season of 1916, and in only
a few instances have any men as yet
gone on the road. The care that Is
used in making selections indicates
that buyers do not want to hold
stocks of questionable quality at any
the prices asked for standard goods
and some of the larger houses, hav-
ing old established lines, are I'M
doubtedly being favored. In some
houses certain lines are picked out
at once, and no interest is shown in
other lines, even when the price
houses have received instructions
not to operate save in a very limited
way Sellers have found business SO
good that this reluctance is not af-
fecting them as it would in some
years. as the thought would be fore
ed that prices were not right.
Buyers who have been operating
in dress goods circles lately have
shown a preference for the French
serge over other varieties of that
fabric, said a well-informed seller
today Staples as a class have be-
gun the season we'll, and the pros
poets for price advances later on ap-
pear to mill agents to be more GER
tain than ever. Storm serges have
met an encouraging reception,
though they are not so completely
under order as French serges. 1t
does not appear that there will be
sufficient of the latter to go around,
and as a result increased demand for
other varieties of serges is likely to
arise later in the season. .
Goods Low In Price.
Much of the initial business in
women's wear has been taken at
prices which did not have the ex-
pected relation with present levels
of raw material. These prices are
still quoted in many quarters, but
emphasis is being laid upon the fact
that stocks of wool owned at less
cost than that of present replace
ment or some peculiar manufactur-
ing advantage are the only bases of
such figures. That these prices are
low can be computed simply enough
by comparing the rise in raw ma
terials-with the rise of fabrics. The
former are up so to 200 per cent.
while the latter have rarely advanc-
ed more than 40 per cent.
The outlook for higher prices be-
fore the season closes is based part
d ly on this situation an dpartly on
the excellent business already book
ed. In many instances mills are fac
ing unusual expenses at present and
such costs must appear in the price
of fabrics.
The finishing department of GER
tain mills continually offers new
problems. Matching of colors in
previous lines becomes more diff
cult as the shades become more del
icate. Despite the general assump-
ton that the dyestuff question has
been answered. there are still many
unsatisfactory phases to the finish
ing of goods. particularly of the bet
ter grades.
Mills Stocks Are Low.
The production which many Of
the better grade mills have to offer
in dress goods for next fall is dis
tnctly less than that available a
year ago, when the last heavyweight
season was opened. In the fall of
1915 a number of mills completed
their heavyweight orders in Septem-
Der, while in the season just finish
ed mills ran their machinery into
December for current distribution.
The size of stock on hand in pri-
mary circles is another item on
which the present time marks a
sharp difference from year ago.
Then there was considerable mer-
on hand; now mills, ware
artfords We bare and goods are being
,Mr--, hot from the finishing room
Tor immediate shipment.
Cancellations are not anything of
a face. at the present time and
many mill agents are actually re-
GREETING 1t. Where orders were ia
ken beyond mills capacity, as is fire.
quently done to provide margain