Evening star., 1921-05-28

Notwithstanding. and predicts that
| the backed-up demand for cars will
be surprising business stimulant as
soon as the makers again gain the
confidence of the dealers.
Reports from the wholesale gro
Gerry people are encouraging. The
| Lee & Cady Company. with branches
in several important Michigan cities.
state that business with them is
running about 20 per cent of the
| 1920 peak. measured in dollars and
has been increasingly good. with no
1 signs of abatement now, and that
the level of their sales is still above
that for 1919.
Airplane Prospects Elate.
But the thing that helps to paint
| the picture little more rosy this
| week are the prospects for bringing
millions of dollars here for develop
nounce'Hent that the inland water
lays cor,r9i:tee of the Detroit Board
! IF Ccm-.erca had approved the con-
strUcticn in Detroit of a modern grain
! ",56H.o0o bushes. and which will ulti-
! Inateiy rise to 100000 bushels.
! The feasibility of the project is
| encouraged by testimony of shipping
i men tha. ccean-soing steamers re-
quire grain cargoes for ballast. not
| laneoCs freight, and thus grain from
! Iowa. Indiana and Ohio and Michigan
! is expected to be handled here for
ocean shipment as soon as the st.
| Lawrence waterway is completed.
PHILADELPHIA. May 2s.-To what
, ex ent is the common prejudice
against low-priced or cheap" goods
, retail prices in the better quality
shops? This is a phase of the busi-
ness situation which is receiving at
;ention. There is no doubt that a
large class of purchasers are suspicious
of anything that sells at a reasonable
figure. Illustrating this point. the
story is told OF hosiery manufac-
turer who. while visiting a large east
ern city identified in store window
stockings on display from his own
mill. He was interested in the price.
which was $3.50 a pair. The stock
! ing cost the retailer less than $l1
dozen. including freight. person
in authority in the store admitted to
the manufacturer that the price was
rather steep But" he said. .'if we
offered the stockings for less the wom-
en- wouldn't buy them. A fair or low
price makes them suspicious. and they
jump to the conclusion that the hose
are not firSt-class.'
CHICAGO May 2s.-Chicago depart
ment stores recently have charged on
an aggregate of more than 100000
in purchases fraudulently charged to
their regular customers. The result
has been a sharp restriction of con-
ditions governing the carrying out by
the purchase of charged goods. for
never before in their history have the
stores been so swindled as during the
last few months The number OF
complaints regarding things charged
on accounts by others than their own
ers have been enormous.
Department stores generally are
reporting increased sales.
CHICAGO, May 2S.-A slow but
. by the mail order houses. which
nevertheless ere still saddled with
huge inventories. Whereas business
with the largest of these houses dur
ing the first four months of the year
ran in dollar values only about 81
per cent of the returns of a year ago.
the May sales are said to be on a
rs per cent basis. Considering the
great defation in prices s:nce May;
1920, the unit business of the mail
order houses is believed to compare
very favorably now with last year
and provides reason for an optimistic
outlook.
NEW YORK. May 2s-The local
raw silk market is stinening. Price
advances are small. but the continued
activity OF primary markets in Jaran
and China indicate further advances
here unless the rise in those markets
is checked. The hosiery trade con-
tiaues as the largest buyer in the
local trade.
Offerings Of ribbed smoked sheets in
the crude rubber market this week hive
been bid at prices which leading rubber
men believe to be the lowest in the Ms
tory of the trade. Each day has shown
decline. the latest quotes on spots
being 14it cents. Rubber1nen are un-
abe 20 account for tho present condition
, Of the market. and expressed the opinion
that the outlook for a strong recovery is
anything but favorable.
! NEW YORK. May 2s.-The dollar
value of retail sales in the metro
politan district during April of this
year were but one-haIf of l per cent
below those Of April. 1920. according
to revised figures of the federal re-
serve agent in this city. With 30 to 40
, per cent reductions in prices prevail
ing il will he seen that the unit siles
: have shown big increase over last
year.
CHICAGO, May 2S.-An interesting
comparison has been made of the fall
prices of the clothing manufacturers
in this city as compared with the
spring prices of this year and the fall
prices OF a year ago. Thirteen OF the
largest manufacturers are included
: in the comparison. On the better
class of suits the reductions from
the spring are but slight. while in
! soE!e cases there arc actual increases.
/ The increases are explained by the
fact that heavier woolens are em-
ployed in the fall and winter gar
ments. Throughout the list the whole
. sale price of suits at the factory
shows declines OF SIS to $50 from
last fall. OVercoats show proper
! Iionate drop. Some leading houses
have declined to give out their open
! ing prices for publication.