Evening star., 1922-10-19
SHORTAGE IN CARS
MAY CLOSE BANKS
Farmers in West Must Have
Cash From Crops With
Which to Meet Notes.
BY ]. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

i Dispatcn 10 ne SUR.
NEW YORK, October 19-Whateve
may be the outcome of tentative re
ports and proposals for merging som,
OF the great western wheat-carryin1
railroads to provide greater efficienc,,
ana reduce costs, no results can b,
expected this year which will affeo
the situation the farmer now faces al
result OF car shortage.
BANKERS in the great middle wes
"nedt country today notified state ex.
ecutlves that some institutions wouk.
nave TO close their doors unless cat,
could be obtained by farmers to shiI
their wheat to markets. where cash
can be obtained to meet their notei
now falling due in the banks.
Wheat Piled on Ground.
At several points in Kansas wheal
is piled high on the ground awaiting
Wichita today. The closing Of three
Kansas banks last week is attributed
to the transportation situation. az
their pressing needs for cash woulS
have been met IL wheat in their dis.
tricts could have been marketed.
Complaints came today from bank,
in Arkansas City, Pawneerock and
other farm centers.
Somewhat similar conditions obtair
in the northwest 1t is still doubt.
full how far proposals for a merger
Of the Great Northern. Northern
gone. but there is no doubt that the
transportation difficulties in the
country tapped by those roads have
been instrumental in inspiring such
negotiations as have taken place.
Retail Trade Affected.
Practically every line OF retail
trade in the agricultural sectioni
is being affected by the railroad
situation. The wheat crop this year
is not bumper crop. although it i.
fair average output. The world
supply of wheat is subnormal. but
the world demand is likely to be
further below normal than the sup
ply. For the demand will depen6
on the buying power Of Europa
Hunger is not buying power. The
farmers experience in the last tive
years has not led him toward specu-
larive holding Of his grain. He is
anxious to rush wheat to market,
but with transportation inadequate,
the grain is damming up, and there i,
a temporary condition of oversupply o!
visible wheat.
The temporary embargo placed or
shipments of grapes by at least one
eastern road, due TO congestion al
terminals here. is rausing losses tc
growers in eNw York, the middle
west and California
IroWlnS employment and increased
purchasing power throughout the
cities of the country are being ade-
quately measured by the Improvement
shown in the theaters. Hundreds OF
houses which have been closed for
months have reopened and business SC
far this autumn has shown a steady
increase.
Wholesale Salmon Prices Raised.
Electrical machinery manufacturers
are expanding production as fast as
possible and prices of electrical
equipment in general are on the move
upward. Sales of heating devices are
extremely heavy and the radio busi-
ness also is large. although prices
for radio equipment recently have
been revised downward.
Sugar refiners are ten days to three
weeks behind on orders. and prices
seem Strengthening. Chain stores are
experiencing steadily increasing
volume of trade. The wholesale price
of canned salmon was advanced today
by packers and jobbers in the north
west to sI10 per dozen for pinks.
which sold at 81 earlier in the season.
The new tariff of cents a pound on
British Columbia raw fish has cut the
pack of late-run salmon about 400 00C
cases.