Evening star., 1923-12-31
SCORE OF MINOR GROUPS
RECOVER WAR LOSSES
Railroads, Home Builders and Automobile
Manufacturers Also Send Production
Records Soaring.

~ as compared with
$2,886.000,000 during the same period
IN 1922. The banner month appears
TO have been lastN May, when the
100000.
AS result of this activity and the
resultant spur to allied industries,
labor remained employed at high
wages throughout the year, the de-
mand slackening only during the last
two months. Skilled workmen in the
stances, as high as S125 to $3.50 a
week at the peak of activity.
Country Catching Up.
Indications were multiplying, to-
ward the close of the year, that the
country was catching up with it's
building needs. This was not the
case in New York city and in several
there had been noted lessening in
demand, and a tendency toward easier
rentals. Contractors are not looking
Tor SO busy a year in 1924 as the
one through which they have just
passed, but expect a large volume of
business when measured by normal
standards, a keener competition and
smaller profits. Some readjustment
OF wages in the building trades is
expected in 1924.
Bituminous coal production, after
a year of turmoil in 1922, enjoyed
nine months of great prosperity and
activity and then went into a sea-
sonal slump that rivaled the stagna-
ernment's last survey of coal stocks
revealed that the country is glut-
ted with coal. No great revival of
business is expected in this industry
until some of the huge stock has been
worked off
Unless, of course, a strike threat
ems the present working agreement
between miners and operators ends
March 81 next and, unless it Is re-
placed by another there will be a
gotiations looking toward the writ
ing of new agreement will begin
next month. The uncertainty as to
the. success of these negotiations
probably Will galvanize the industry
into an artificial prosperity there
after for period.
Two months ago leaders in the
coal industry anticipated a strike
next spring. Few anticipate it now.
The opinion gains ground that the
gether.
Iron and Steel Prosper.
Makers of iron and steel have
cause to bless 1923 for the prosperity
it has brought them. That, in large
measure, can be attributed to
the part of the railroads for new
equipment and a demand for automo-
biles that seemed Unsuitable. During
last May, for instance, the blast fur
naces of the country made new
high record of 124.764 long tons daily.
For four months they averaged about
10000 tons daily. While production
tapered off somewhat toward the
close of the year, 1928 Will mark the
greatest activity the iron and steel
plants of America have ever known.
The railroads hauled prosperity to
the extent of almost 100000 car
loads a week, on the average, during
the entire year. No such movement
was ever witnessed in this country
before. Million-car weeks began In
May, and became so frequent that by
10 there had been twenty
one of them. Only five times-and
1928 had there been a million-car
week. The years haul Will hardly
be less than 50,000,000 cars for the
ffty-two weeks, an increase OF more
than Is per cent:
No little of this haul was in agri-
cultural products. The value of the
farm yield in 1923 is officially esti-
mated blythe government at more than
81 500, 100000 in excess of the value
Of the 1922 yield, Notwithstanding
drop in the price of wheat that car
ried the bushel, for the first time
since before the war, to less than
a dollar. The effect of this breaking
the dollar mark was pro
depression that lasted
for weeks. Eventually, the farmer
his perspective and wheat
prices rose.
Cotton Moves Rapidly.
Cotton streaked across the. price
the year, it's fluctuations leading to
much confusion in the trade and ITS
high prices-it passed the 25-cent level
to a general revival of real pros
perity in the south. The year closed
with the price fiuctuating between
dizzy advances and sharp breaks, and
with an apparent shortage in the
world supply.
Sugar, too, shot strangely upward
during the early months Of the year,
but came down almost as quickly
upon popular discovery that the price
apparently was being manipulated by
those controlling the Cuban supply
The advent of American beet sugar
on the market during the last two
of the year caused a further
drop in prices. and effectually stopped
artificial price adjustments.
Retail trade continued excellent
the year including the
ieved, new high records. Wholesale
trade felt somewhat the effect Of
caution on the part of
retail buyers. Large orders were
;omparatively rare, the & retalier ,optS pre-
Stocks on hand in retail stores drop
bed to the point where a busy period
IN manufacturing and kindred lines
will be necessary to restore them to
normal.
AS the year ended, business show
I'd marked tendency to await a clear
signal from Congress as to the char
acter of tax and other legislation
that may be expected during the
winter and spring. Indications are
thaf the lull will continue and in !
tensify until such signal Is forth |