The Washington times., 1922-09-10
TRADEOUTLQOK
MORE CHEERFUL
!. REVIEW SHOWS
Although Business Was Irregu-
lar During Week, Prospects
Are Bright.

Business and crop conditions dur
ing the past week continued irregu-
lar, due to the effects Of. the indus
trial, strife in the coal and railway
industries, according to Bradstreets
weekly review Of the business and
financial situation.
Despite high Temperatures, fall
jobbing trade is slightly more active.
Retail trade has felt the intense heat
in some sections, but Is again gather
ing speed. Railways are handling
an immense volume of traffic with
surprisingly little friction. Collec-
Itions ara a shade better. Reports Of
waste of crops due to lack of market
outlets or to car supply shortage are
unfortunately numerous. Low prices
for most Western farm produce, ex-
eept prime beef cattle, are q bar to
free abuyingg by producers. Export
trade, though slightly better In q
few lines, leaves much to be desired.
Bank clearings after a summer
long sag in totals, show a trend to-
ward enlargement. despite this being
a holiday week. Debts to individual
account at. clearing house banks In
163 cities, for the week ended August
80, are $72lS.667, 900, as against 81.
'434, ,083,000 the preceding week, and
$6,414 $4,000 the last week OF
August, 1921.
Soft coal prices have eased at
most markets. Quotations are $1.50
ton lower at some leading ports
and 81 to SO below two weeks ago.
Coke is SO to 81 below a month ago.
but three times what II was year
ago..
Lumber outputs jumped in Oregon
and Washington, where every camp
and mill Is reported working, but
car shortages there and in the South
are holding up shipments. Furni-
ture manufacturing is so to 80 per
cent OF normal. Cement manufac-
turers have advanced wages and
prices, according to. the weeks re-
ports.
Shoe misunderstanding Is active in
the West and nearly normal in New
England. Leather is In demand and
tanneries are buster. Cigar, hard
ware, piper, paint and brush manu-.
facturers report trade and opera
tions active. Approximate figures of
I:aw-silk consumption show the larg-
est takings in more than two years.
Dunrs Review says that despite
holiday interruptions and other i'm
the week has brought a
turn for the better in business,
and that fewer obstacles in prog
ress will be encountered. While
mercantile and Industrial activities
have been considerably c,irtailed
throughout the simmer the out
look is promising apd the founda-
tion stors expapnjsn SOLID. Sonserva-
tive huytns IT, q reessurinG feature
and prsyehfs price disttirbances.
When a full settiement of labor
troubles is effected. II is believed
that textile business will broaden.
as considerable nierehandise Is. yet
to be engaged for late fatl delivery.
movement IN: adjusting strikes
az New Epelaysd- mill centers is
Slows. < and J, some manufactuging in
terests are not disposed. to push for
a fun output, because OF the mar
row margin between production
costs and prices. Unless some ad.
vance is established on finished
cotton goods, it is expected indi-
yidual curtailment of output will be
the rule.
Hide markets are strong, despite
lessening demand. Holiday inter.
ruptions reduced bus ess in
leather. Buyers seem disinclined to
meet additional price increases.
Glazed kid markets are in more
satisfactory position. Broadening
domestic and foreign demand has
resulted in resumption of work at
Idle tanneries ana in reduction
Of accumulated stocks.
There were fifty advances and
sixteen recessions, this week in the
339 quotations received by Dun's
Review, as compared with thirty.
eight rises and twenty-eight de.
clines last week.
Bradstreet's index number, based
on thirty-one articles used for food
Is $3.11, compared with $3.12 last
week and S2.95 for the week end.
ing September s, 1921. OF the
eighty-one commodities of all kinds
quoted weekly eighteen advanced,
as compared with last, week, four
teen declined and forty-nine/ I re.
mained unchanged.