Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-04-26

lins. NO far a. ckicssa aAd the imms-
dIate vicinity ~ concerned. have been
confined chiefly to repair or alteration
work OF more or less emeruent chArac-
tor. and 10 factory and other CONNER
lc'al buildings, where owners are
I obliged to protect individual interests,
1 Price Readjustrsrt in Building Line,
| Building material prices are on ihr
down grnde. with tho exception Of
lumber During the last month ,h"re
| fas been decline OF nj least Is per
cent IN crSt Iron radiation, 10 per cont
In cast iron boilers. 10 per cent In pipes.
and about 20 per Gent In fittings, but
with these reductions plumbing and
heating contracts are stili 30 per cont
above normal market period from 1914
10 1915. Brick manufacturers have a
Very large supply on hand, and are not
operating at tho present time,
A similar condition II found among
lumber manufacturers and dealers
The lumber mills al this secson are
obliged to cut their winter accnmulat-
ed supply Of logs. hence are PRODUCING
lumber faster than II can be absorbed
by the market. The prospective de-
mand for lumber. however. is very
Gohd
Large Stocks of Structural Materials.
Large stocks OF cement are available
and also Of misCeHa neous building ma
terial. while manufacturers of struc-
tural steel are willing Ia take large and
small contracts for immediate delir-
cry. Cement prices are about 10 per
cent hi"hcr than the pre-war level,
hut costs of manufacturing are higher
by about the same per cent. One con-
spicuous feature in the cement In
dcstry is that there are practically
no purchases except for immediate
use, which means that the stocks OF
cement in the hands OF dealers and
users are at the minimum. and pre-
sages a quick improvement in pro-
duction when the construction work
gets well under way. Not only in the
building line but in practically all
lines OF industrial activity the price
situation seems to he the greatest
stumbling block. buyers apparently
feeling that the price level has not
reached normal.
Raw materials stocks are quite
large. In the iron and steel industries
advices indicate that stocks Of raw
materials are quite large. and, in fact,
many OF the plants are/overstocked as
the result of being compelled TO pur-
chase heavily and far in advance dur
ing the last year The sudden cessa-
tion Of hostilities found these manu-
facturers with hich priced raw ma
terials on hand in large quantities,
which they are working off in a slow
market. Necessarily these manufac-
turerS will buy extremely conserva-
lively during the next six months. and
to some extent this course y likely
to be pursued In other lines OF indus
try where similar conditions exist.
Dry Goods Trade Is Quite Active.
With the exception of cotton goods,
which are slightly lower. prices for
textiles have been fairly steady. Whole
salers are carrying quite heavy stocks,
nut the retailers are purchasing Only
for their immediate needs, on account
of uncertainty of future prices. The
Iarac city retailers. however are do
ing an unusually big business. while
the impress on i- raining ground that
there will be no sudden reduction, of
prices. but that the rcaijns'ment will
ne SFduU9l. ne idpOT III l'it
mill districts in the east and the sho'-
age of raw materials is making il dif
fcult to replenish depleted stocks OF
merchandise.
Trend in Amount of Live Stock.
Cattle. hogs and lamns are all sold
around the twenty dollar mark. THE
being stimulated ny the strong foreign
demand and the decreasing ratio OF
live animals TO the population of this
country. 1t is pointed out that twen-
~ years ago there were approximately
$50 cattle for every thousand people
whereas at the present time the num-
her is $50 head per Thousand people.
4 decade ago there we're approximate
Is 500 hogs and $50 sheep for every
thousand people. These figures have
been reduced to about 500 head OF
hogs and $50 head Of sheep per
thousand people. As the rangers go
under the fence the market IS COM
PEELED to lag. and the small farms must
be depended upon for beef. which
must increase the cost OF production.
Receipts of live stock at Chicago fJr
the four weeks ended April l.. 1919.
compared with the corresponding Pc
Rod OF 1918. are as follows:
Cattle. Calves. Hogs. Sheep.
1919 1880 1870 6l0.s30 237.lss
1918 .27S.i5s s0.4c6 $685. Ile.62l
,o,,o.Sn %, $3.50 soeI 42J -. 5Io