Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-01
ADVANCE IN BUSINESS is
SEEN BY u. S. RESERVE BANK

| improvement over figures for Janu-
ary, while in the Birmingham dis
trict an increase was shown over
production for the proceeding month
and also February, 1921. Pig iron
production in the Birmingham dis
trict was slightly less in February
| than in January, but the decrease
is small, considering February was
shorter by three days.
Retail Trade
Retail trade conditions in the
Sixth federal reserve district have
not changed materially in February
from those existing at the time of
the last report. February business
as reported by thirty-three repre-
sentative department stores in the
district shows up somewhat better
in comparison with sales of the same
month a year ago than has been the
case since last October, when a
COMPARISON of the same month in
the previous year revealed a decline
of ISL per cent. February, 1922,
sales by these thirty three depart
ment stores were 1876 per cent less,
in the aggregate, than sales by the
same stores in February, 1921.
"Stocks of merchandise increased
at some of the reporting stores, both
as compared with the preceding
month and with February, 1921. In
the aggregate, however, stocks for
all of the stores declined four-tenths
those on hand at the end of Febru-
IoI1t 10
err than the stocks on hand at the
end of January, 1922.
Weather conditions have continu-
ed to exert an unfavorable effect
on retail trade. Little cold wealth
err and much rain have together
caused retail sales to be rather
sluggish, and have retarded bust
ness generally throughout most of
the month. Special sales have been
conducted in an effort to dispose Of
stocks, and these have been success
full in measure, but trade has not
come up to expectations. The unem-
ployment situation, thought show
ing some improvement, is still hav-
ing a more or less serious effect on
retail and wholesale trade in the
district
The wholesale trade shows graf
flying increase.
"Wholesale farm implement firms
reported figures for February which
reflected substantial increase, 86.6
per cent, over January business, and
26.9 per cent over sales during Feb
ruary of last year. This line, of
ic affiliated fIIy
sonal requirements, but correspond
ents believe that business is on a
better basis this year than last, al
though economy is to be the watch
word again this year in agricultural
activities.
"Sales of wholesale dry goods firms
were 1874 per cent greater in Feb
ruary than during the preceding
month, although 1877 per cent less
than during February, 1921. Wealth
er conditions throughout the winter
have seriously interfered with bust
ness in dry goods, and wholesale
merchants are disappointed at not
being able to move the volume of
winter goods they had expected to
dispose of. Spring business has open
ed up, however, and while buying
is being done with extreme care and
caution, the seasonal increase has
brought a better outlook"
The survey Of employment con-
ditions made by the United States
department of labor for the month
ending February %, 1922, shows in
oreases in employment took place in
A cities among firms usually en-
p4oying 500 or more workers, while
decreases in employment occurred
in 81 cities among the same class of
firms.
In the sixth federal reserve dis
trict increases among these larger
industrial concerns were shown to
have taken place at Chattanooga,
New Orleans and Birmingham, the
increase at Chattanooga being TT
per cent; at New Orleans, 81 per
cent, and at Birmingham per cent.
A decrease of 1 per cent is shown
by the survey at Atlanta.
While employment in textiles at
Atlanta showed a downward tenden-
cy, the survey shows THAI 1873 tex
tile mills in the state of georgia en-
ploying 36,023 workers on February
10, showed an increase Tor the
month of 222. 1t also indicates that
AZ fertilizer factories which on Feb
ruary Is employed 1905 workers,
showed an increase Of 1926. In lum-
Der, however, 81 plants which on
February Is employed 796 workers,
showed a decrease of % for the
month. In Atlanta, 116 industrial
concerns which usually employ less
than 500, on February Is reported
1924 workers, or 80 less than Jan
uary IS. While some unemploy-
ment still exists in most lines, i'm
provement in the situation is taking
place, and work on public improve
ments about to begin will furnish
| employment for many. At Savan-
nah, % industrial concerns which
| on February Is had 6,375 employees
on their payrolls, showed a net in
crease of 297 since January Is. IN
employment, however, continues to