The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-11-03

h iiS vi lHS NORTHWEST uSlnE TalI- maui
ed coal. who compete this winter with
hrms which are supplied with water
hauled coal or coal which is not car
ried so Gar to the consumer.
The volume of retail trade in this
district reflected seasonal influences
during September. The sales of general
merchandise increased one-tenth and
lumber sales declined slightly. Retail
and hardware from Wholesalers during
september than during August, but
more shoes. Sales of farm implements
We're only one-half as large in Septem-
a, year ago, retail sales of general mer-
chandiSe this year were slightly larger
and lumber sales were up one fourth.
Purchases by retailers OF dry goods.
year than last. but hardware sales
We're up fourteen per cent and agri-
cultural implements were up nearly
one-hah.
terials did not show much change from
iaSt month. General merchandise stocks
We're slightly larger anu lumber stocks
showed no variation. indicating that
tinuation of building during the fall
As compared with a year ago stocks
OF general merchandise in dollars at
the end of September were down two
Board feet were down nine per cent
Manufacturing Activity
Manufacturing activity decreased in
lumber for the month but increased in
hour and linseed products: and both
Of the latter were greater than a year
ago. Flour production increased eleven
per cent during September over August
Tor all parts of the district. Production
IN Minneapolis alone was about the
same during September as the ten year
average for that month. Shipments of
Hour from Minneapolis and the Head
or the Lakes increased one-third be-
net nd SpyNV, Ia.
nearly ten per cent larger than in
september year ago. shipments OF
lnseA products were two and one
half times as large during September
as during August. owing 10 A doubling
OF linseed oil shipments and very near
~ "A trebling of oil cake shipments
shipments were tWo-thirds larger in
september than year ago. Lumber
operations from the mill to the woods
during September, There was an in
crease OF one sixth in the number of
men employ Ell in the woods by eight
Der OF mall workers remained the same
during September as during August.
Both mill hands and woodsnen were
one NTH. more numerous during Sep
TENDER than year ago. The lumber
cut during September declined one
NTH from the August figure. but was
one-iourth larger Than last year In
spite OF the decline in lumber cut be
tween August and september. stocks
increased slightly owing to a decline in
shipments. AS compared with last year.
, shipments were up t%o-niths ana
during the month of September were
one half larger than during August and
almost one-half Larger than year
ago.
Mining operations in this district.
with the exception of coal. declined
between August and September Iron
one shipments from upper lake ports
were down one-fourth while copper and
silver production "a coal in -IUmtand
was three times as large owing 90 the
settlement Of the strike. AS compared
! WIN last year. however. coal p.UuuC-
ton during September was down one
tourth while iron ore shipments were
up three-fourths and copper and silver
production figures respectively were
four and seven times as large.
Building Activity
Building activity in sixteen impor-
tant cities in this district, while con-
tinuing TO be in large volume as evil
Gensed by the shortage, of skilled bu.ld-
ing signs of fall decline. The number
of permits granted during September
was one-siXth lower than the number
granted in, August and the valuation
lower than the valuation of August
permits. Combining the two state
ments. il appears that there is a great
er decline in permits for small build
however. the building projects this
year show larger unit cost, for the
total valuation OF permits granted this
year in September was one-fifth larg-
er than in September last year, while
the number of permits granted was
slightly lower.
Employment conditions continued
satisfactory and normal during Sep
tember. There has been Incl eased elI-
ployment in practically all lines follow
, ing the settlement of the coal and rail
strikes. according to a report from
the United States Department of Labor.
, ers, potato pickers, and men for gen.
eral fall work on the farms Many
Giles report shortage of building
/ mechanics Road building and lumber
! ing are absorbing the supplies of I'M
! skilled labor: The copper mines in Mon
! tana are still hampered by insufficient
numbers of skilled men.
The volume of business in this dis
trict measured by bank debts to in
I dividual accounts increased IA per
cent between August and September
which was Il smaller increase than oc-
Cured in any of the preceding years
slightly larger in September this year
than in september a year ago. The
movement out OF the district of north
1 western products, evidenced by 500
! less in September than in August. Can
adian wheat shipments were very
/ largely responsible for three-fold in
: crease in wheat passing through the
canal. since the Canadian shippers are
/ making the most use possible of water
| transportation before the freeze-up on
the lakes. Iron ore and lumber ship
/ ments down the lakes declined in Sep
TENDER from August, but -four, grains
other than wheat. and copper showed
Increases AS compared with last year,
shipments of all commodities We're
larger this year. The increase in the
volume of BUSINESS has improved turn
over and has doubtless helped profits
as is indicated by the fact that Sep
| TEMPER business failures both in num-
figures and below the September fig
ures for a year ago. During Septem-
Der there were only fifty failures in
this district, according to Dun's Re
view. with liabilities amounting .
| s575.947. Failures during September IN
creasng proportion of small firms.
The Credit Situation
The credit Situation has not chang
ed materially in this district during the
| past month and half. The balance
sheets of selected member blanks in
an Improvement in deposits amount
ing TO nine million dollars during Sep
TENDER and an additional one million
dollars during the first two weeks of
October. In September millions of
this increase in funds was Loaned to
invested in securities. and two and
one-half millions was used to increase
reserve with this Federal Reserve
nix In the first two weeks of Octo-
Der investments declined two and one
half millions and loans increased by
with the Federal Reserve Bank declin-
ed | million