The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-12-29

"The unsettled conditions in for
eign countries, particularly in
Europe" the statement continued,
"are still depressing our trade and
tc. some extent, have no doubt kept
the prices of agricultural products
below the level of other commodi-
ties. But within the past two
months this latter condition has
been relieved to some extent;
Total Volume
The total volume o. building, or
dinarily measure CT the coun-
try's business health, was Sc per-
cent larger in the first eleven
months Of this year than in the
same period last yeas and the pre-
diction was made that the full.
years record will exceed that OF
1919. The 1922 contracts for I,
months also represented much
greater expenditure of money than
for the full year of 1921, it was
said.
There was genuine swell in the
volume Of general trade, accord
ing to the summary, which men
toned six percent greater sale
by mail order houses and 13 per-
cent increase in business by chain
stores as indicative Of the business
tide, decline appearing only in is
olated line1. b..
Increases in production with
the reduction Of immigration wa
said to have taken care of the un
employment situation and lab,
shortage were reported in mar
localities, although this conditit
was not general. 1t was addt
that work appeared to be waitir
for most laborers who sought it.
Car Shortage
The years progress was report
ed to have changed a huge sur
plus of freight cars into a short.
age. This shortage was general
it was stated, despite lower per-
centage Of cars under repair than
in many months. Freight move
ments were described generally as
satisfactory. =
One of the chief benefits deriv-
ed by the farmer through the econ
omic changes Of the IL months
was the increase in his purchasing
power, according to the review,
which called attention to de-
cline of ten percent in wholesale
and five percent in retail prices,
while the agricultural products
were averaging II percent more
than in the previous year.
This condition worked to the ad-
vantage OF the consumer also in
that it narrowed the margin be-
tween prices on wholesale and re-
tail sales, it was explained.
Steel Active
The departments survey show
ed that the iron and steel Industry
increased it's output between sixty
and seventy percent.
: The only declines of outstanding
Importance were seven percent in
bitum!nous coal and AZ percent in
anthracite, both of which were due
to the strike, and the refore not
regarded as indicative of fun
damental fault in the economic
structure. They were more thar
offset, however, it was added, by
the generally higher level of pro.
duction in all other lines.
The final estimates of the wheat
scrop showed it to have been about
forty one million bushels, or five
percent, greater than last year.
This was due, it was said, to ex-
pansion in winter wheat growing.
Prices ranged generally higher.
Big crops of corn and oats
marked the year, each being larg-
er than in the preceding season.
The corn crop was 178,000,00O bus
hels greater and that of oats about
137,000,O0O bushels more than in
1921.
Savings bank deposits increased
uniformly throughout the country,
according to the survey ard in
creases over 1921 also were report
ed in the 1922 life insurance busi-
ness.
STEAMER WATERLOGGED
New York, Dec. 29.-The steamer
Munmotor from Boston for Nor
folk was wate,:lopped and in die.