San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-29
Railroads Enjoy Record
Business in Season Ordi-
narily Dull.
BUYING VOLUME HIGH
Cotton Goods Being Sold
in Tremendous
Quantities.
RY J. G. ROYLE.

New York, Jan. 29.-Manufacturer
are buying today in even higher volume
than they are selling. The upward
trend of prices in certain commodities
and it has become unmistabNble that
manufacturers are rushing into the mar
Wet in a vigorous effort to supply the
future requirements before the actual
price advances become effective. AS a
consequence what might normally be
dull season for the railroads, finds them
pressed to the utmost and turning back
business for lack of equipment to handle
il. These facts were fully confirmed by
dispatches from various sections Of the
I country received here today.
Automobile manufacturers are buying
steel sheets in tremendous quantities.
One maker is seeking offers to fill his
entire requirements for the year, ac-
cording to reports from Detroit. Oil
men are buying pipe and tank mate
rails in exceptional volume. Pittsburg
and Youngstown report. Cotton mills
are taking the raw staple as fast as
they can buy it and get it delivered to
the spindles.
Furniture dealers all over the coun-
try are increasing their plants and buy
ing raw materials for n heavy sales
drive later in the year. Officials of the
Pere Marquette railroad reported today
that the volume of lumber going into
Grand Rapids was 100 per cent above
shipments a year ago while finished
products going out show an increase
of only o per cent.
Lumber Mills Booking Orders.
Lumber mills, both in the South and
on the Pacific coast are booking orders
far faster than they can saw the logs
and shipments are well below new bust
ness. Railroad repair shops are man
ned fully and the equipment manufac-
turers are booked months i'll advance.
Skilled labor is in demand in nearly
every industry with the steel, workers
and tailors in special demand. Middle
western manufacturers also report a
shortage of unskilled labor.
While the response to the opening
of the fall lines of the American Wooden
company has not been made public Of
ficially, it is understood that joDbers
and the garment trades have bought
briskly and that the leading wooden
cloth manufacturers has sold heavily IN
| some lines. 1t is expected that these
fssaes will be withdrawn from the mar
| ket in the near future.
Cotton goods are being sold in tre-
mendous volume throughout the South
. and West in anticipation of still higher
| prices. Silks are III splendid demand.
especially for the Easter trade and
manufacturing has Not been checked by
the steady prices maintained in general
for the raw product.
FOresee Clothing Advances.
While the consumer will be called
upon to pay fairly substantial advances
in clothing as n result of the increased
cost of materials, retailers are striving
TO keep these advances within the lowest
bound possible.
Rubber, after rising to high figures
during the week. dropped down slightly
TO the SO cent level. at which British
producers l,pe TO hold it.
Buyers Of ca'pc-s ard rugs for the
larger retail houses Throughout the
country are active in ills market Mt
present. Mills are closely booked and
experts assert that many have accept
ed SO many orders that they will be able
to fill only from IS to so per cent Of
the bookings.
Non ferrous metals closed the week
in excellent positions. The domestic
demand for copper has been very heavy
and the lead market is very firm. Zinc
also is in small supply. Demand for
seeds has begun to make itself felt
throughout some of the southern agri-
cultural states, -..