The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-20
BOSTON.

BOSTON.
Boston, March 20.--Six months
ago New England was one of the
most prosperous sections Of the
country. Today it is undoubtedly
the least prosperous. Trade in this
section has had distinct setback.
The reason for this is found in the
labor disputes now waging in this
country. Rhode Island and New
Hampshire cotton mills are closed
because of strikes. When it is con-
sidered the Amoskeag company at
Manchester, N. H., alone normally
employs about 10000 workers, it
may readily be seen what a hole
the forced closedown of these in
dustrial plants has made in the
public buying power.
Cotton mills which have not been
closed by strikes are curtailing
production because of uncertain
price situation due to general ex-
pectation of lower wages and low
ing selling rates. The four-day-a-
week schedule is now common in
many plants. Wooden and worsted
mills are experiencing dull per
iod and spotty business. The paper
industry is in better shape and
shoe manufacturing is more active.
although in the latter industry it
i has been most difficult wages and
| prices down to a level comparable
with that of other sections. The
metal trades are more active.
SAN FRANCISMO.
! San Francisco, March 20.-Cali-
| fornia is entering upon what prom
ises to be most prosperous sea-
son. Money is cheap and abund-
ant. Good crops have been assur-
ed by ample rainfall and by d
| heavy blanket of snow in the
mountains which will provide am
pie water supply next summer for
irrigation and power purposes.
| Unemployment is decreasing and
| building construction is proving an
encouraging factor. A build now"
campaign is in progress in various
| places in northern California and
| the loosening of capital for build
ing purposes has been quite mark
| ed in the last few weeks.
Cold weather has retarded crops
and has lessened danger from dam
age by frost. AS a result of win
ter frosts, however, early ship
ments will be far below normal.
| The asparagus crop was short and
| the pack was decidedly below ex-
pectations. The output of the can
neries is said to have been con-
tracted for already.
| Strikes in some of the lumber
camps in California and oregon are
| tending to reduce their production.
FORT WORTH.
Fort Worth, March Robustness
men in the livestock and agricul-
tural regions of the southwest re-
| port the restoration of trading espe-
| cially in the range countries and
| towns Merchants there say that
buying power has again begun to
make itself manifest
| Ranchmen, absolutely unable to
buy go days ago, are recovering.
This is due to the slightly increased
prices of cattles and an influx of
buyers from northwestern states.
These buyers are paying good
prices for range stock.
Last week saw another deluge of
moisture in various portions of
Texas which included regions hith-
erto arid. By the end of the week,
farmers were able to pillow and plant
and another week will see some of
the Texas crops above ground.
The increase of rs cents barrel
in the price of crude oil in the
Mexia Field and the extension of
oil near Mexia and in Young coun-
| ty were important developments
/ in the Texas oil fields. Texas REIN
ers are practically cleaned out of
gasoline and sold out for March de-
| livery. The export market has re-
covered and it is believed here mo-
florists will feel an increase in gaso-
line prices before the spring is well
under way.